Given the recent expansion in materials chemistry, this revised edition of a highly successful book addresses several of the vigorous areas of research in this field where inorganic materials are central to that research. Each chapter provides an introduction to the subject under discussion and then develops the field to provide a sensible overview, with certain topics being expanded. Comments on the First Edition 'This...timely book...covers a wide range of material, using the multi-author format, with the advantage that each chapter is written by an expert in the field...The editors have deliberately used authors who are actively researching the areas they describe, which helps to convey the author's enthusiasm to the reader'-Chemistry in Britain '...the individual reviews are timely, self contained and up-to-date and will be of value to researchers in chemistry, physics and materials science'-Science 'This excellently designed and produced book gives a valuable introduction to inorganic materials chemistry...an interesting, readable and up-to-date account of the present status of this field'-Polymer News