Current Research Topics

Most fires involve the combustion of polymeric materials. Despite the involvement of polymers in fires, there have been no books on current research topics in this area of fire research in some years. Given the importance of fire and polymers as a social issue and the complexity and interest in the relevant basic science, Eli Pearce of Polytechnic University of New York and I cochaired a one-week symposium on fire and polymers. It was the first major symposium held on fire and polymers at an American Chemical Society National Meeting in about five years. 

The nature and relevance of colloids is one of the main current research topics (Birdi, 2002). They are an important class of materials, intermediate between bulk and molecularly dispersed systems. Colloid particles may be spherical but, in some cases, one dimension can be much larger than the other two (as in a needle-like shape). The size of particles also determines whether they can be seen by the naked eye. Colloids are not visible to the naked eye or under an ordinary optical microscope. The scattering of light can be suitably used to see such colloidal particles (such as dust particles, etc.). Their size then may range from 1() 4 to 1() 7 cm. The units used are as follows ... 

There is considerable and widespread interest in the metal complexes of these anions and current research topics comprise for example (i) the spectroscopic study of the binding in these anions (linkage isomerism) and their complexes, (ii) the synthesis of regular polymers of their transition metal complexes and study of the semiconducting properties of these polymers, (iii) the use of the pseudohalides in pharmacological (e.g. low toxicity of —SCN) and biochemical studies (easy complexation of SCN- to metals), and (iv) the use of the activation of these triatomic anions by coordination to metals for their selective conversion in organic synthesis. 

The emphasis of this symposium is on the geochemistry of sulfur rather than on processing, utilization or environmental consequences. Nevertheless the factual information, generalizations and insights provided by these current research topics should be informative and should suggest practical applications for many concerns of the fossil fuel industry. 

Understanding the transport and fate of pollutants in soils is among the most challenging and demanding current research topics. Predictions of mobility and transport of chemicals in the natural compartments usually rely on models and mathematical simulations. The effectiveness of these hinges on a fundamental knowledge of the reactions and interactions of the pollutant substrate at the boundaries of the respective compartments, governing its behavior in the different phases (gas, liquid, and solid). Phenomena have to be identified, characterized, and quantified with respect to kinetics and thermodynamics to provide a comprehensive and predictive model of the natural system under consideration. 

Figure 2 Scheme of a bottom-contact OFET illustration of the current research topics including the stmcture and morphology of organic semiconductor films as well as charge carrier transport and injection mechanism, which are the subject of this book. 

Chock, P. B., Titus, E. O. in Current research topics in bioinorganic chemistry. New York ... 

There are other cases to consider, such as the polarity of the two polymers. Usually, the more polar polymer will prefer to be in contact with the aqueous phase (thermodynamics considerations). Without crosslinking, there can be a phase inversion from what was stated in the previous paragraphs. The presence of crosslinking, however, limits such inversion (where polymer network II forms the core), because of the swelling restrictions on polymer network I imposed by the crosslinks. Then, in the general case, one must ask what relative rates of polymerization are taking place, what level of crosslinkers are employed, etc., leading to many current research topics [Lovell and El-Aasser, 1997]... 

As an analytical chemist fortuitously transposed to oversee the scientific and administrative direction of the National Center for Toxicology Research (NCTR) for the last two and one half years I consider I have had more than ample time to soak up the essences of modern toxicology and break that barrier of presumptiveness as a chemist to discuss authoritatively the demanding role that chemistry contributes to modern toxicology by illustrating a few selected examples from experiences at NCTR and then advancing future trends and ideas of current research topics. 

In the coming years, excitons in disordered systems and strongly-coupled excitons will be a focus of attention. In mixed crystals consisting of two components, the guest molecules can be included into the exciton band of the host, i.e. amalgamated. The influence of such an amalgamation on the electrical, optical, and mag-nehc properties of the mixed crystals is an interesting, old, but still current research topic in the physics of molecular crystals [43]. 

In addition to the schools programs covered herein, AT T Bell Laboratories at Murray Hill, NJ offers a series of four or five Saturday seminars each year "The World of Science Seminars." This series is intended for high school students and their teachers from surrounding counties. Typically, 200-400 attendees are present. Each lecture/demonstration is given by a scientist at AT T Bell Labs on a current research topic. The series began in 1984. 

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