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Atomic force microscopy is a surface analytical technique used in air, liquids or a vacuum to generate very high-resolution topographic images of a surface, down to atomic resolution. This book is not only for students but also for professional engineers who are working in the industry as well as specialists. This book aims to provide the reader with a comprehensive overview of the new trends, research results and development of atomic force microscopy. The chapters for this book have been written by respected and well-known researchers and specialists from different countries. We hope that after studying this book, you will have objective knowledge about the possible uses of atomic force microscopy in many scientific aspects of our civilisation.

Density Functional Theory (or DFT for short) is a potent methodology useful for calculating and understanding the molecular and electronic structure of atoms, molecules, clusters, and solids. Its use relies not only in the ability to calculate the molecular properties of the species of interest but also provides interesting concepts that allow a better comprehension of the chemical reactivity of the studied systems. This book represents an attempt to present examples on the utility of DFT for the understanding of the chemical reactivity through descriptors that constitute the basis of the so called Conceptual DFT (sometimes also named as Chemical Reactivity Theory) as well as the application of the theory and its related computational procedures in the determination of the molecular properties of different systems of academic and industrial interest.

Some of the futuristic applications are nanotubes for electrically conductive coatings and to increase the rate of reaction of thermoset resins; organosilane dendrimer coatings; buckyball coatings for machine parts; and metals for conductive coatings in inks. The technology is limited to substantially specialized applications due to the high cost per unit volume needed to reduce the size of the particles and the need to add surface modifiers to prevent the particles from agglomerating. Recent research efforts focus primarily on the functionalization of the particle surface of the nanoparticles to make them more compatible with the coating resin systems, so that easy dispersion, low viscosity, and covalent bonding are provided between the particles and the resins.