The Physics and Chemistry of Solids (Paperback)

by Stephen Elliott (Author), S. R. Elliott (Author) "It is self-evident that, before the physical and chemical characteristics of any material can be investigated, it must first be produces in the required solid-state..." (more)
Key Phrases: monatomic chain, local flux density, carbon nanotubules, John Wiley, Academic Press, Sons Ltd (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"it [the book] would be a useful reference source for solid state chemists." -- Angenanote Chemie, Vol. 38, No. 4, 1999

Product Description
Taking an original, imaginative approach to the subject, Stephen Elliott's book is one of the first to bridge the gap between solid state physics and chemistry. Considerable thought has gone into the structure and content of this book, with the first four chapters covering the properties of atoms in solids and the remaining four concentrating on the behaviour of electrons in materials. Fundamental principles are covered together with the very latest developments, such as combinatorial library synthesis, mesoporous materials, fullerenes and nanotubes, optical localization and the experimental observation of fractional electronic charge. Clearly written and richly illustrated, The Physics and Chemistry of Solids will be of great interest to Physicists, Chemists, Material Scientists and Engineers.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 794 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (September 9, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471981958
• ISBN-13: 978-0471981954
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 7.5 x 1.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #544,443 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great cross-disciplinary book!, January 22, 2004

By	Pichierri Fabio (Japan) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I bought this book a few years ago, soon after it was published. In my opinion it is the best ever written book bridging solid-state chemistry and physics. It is clearly written and logically organized in 8 chapters (770 pages, index included):

1) Synthesis and preparation of materials;
2) Atomic structure and bonding;
3) Defects;
4) Atomic dynamics;
5) Electrons in solids;
6) Electron dynamics;
7) Dielectric and magnetic properties;
8) Reduced dimensionality.

Why is there a need for such a book? Traditionally the communities of solid-state physicists and chemists are splitted and, with rare exceptions, there is little communication and exchange among them. Broadly speaking, physicists like to see (and use) lot of mathematical formulae to study idealized systems whereas chemists like to concentrate their attention on both structural aspects and reactivity (ex. catalysis) of solids. Furthermore, the latter investigate far more complex solids (from the structural point of view) such as molecular crystals, which are characterized by intricated intermolecular interactions, while the former prefer to play with pure metals and semiconductors, which are characterized by a high degree of crystal symmetry and without defects. Each community has developed its own jargon and, hence, it remains difficult for someone to understand either. As a result, it is easy to stay playing in each other backyard, under the protection of solid fences. The negative aspect of this situation is that much of the interesting Science lies at interface of traditional disciplines. Yes, lot of efforts are necessary to jump over the fence and play in your neighbor's backyard; at the beginning you will feel (and fear!) his superiority but after a while you may come up with something new that neither him nor yourself could have ever discovered if remaining to play in the original field. Dr. Elliott's book helps those courageous scientists to jump over the fence and have a look into the neighbor's playground. Don't be afraid. Another book written with the same philosophy in mind is Springborg's "Methods of Electronic Structure Calculations".