Between Nature And Society: Biographies Of Materials

Description

This volume opens the readers' eyes to the central role of materials in human societies and in the environment by telling the life stories of fifteen materials. In this rich collection of stories, materials are found at the complex interface between nature and society. They are not just atomic structures with a set of properties and behaviors. They capture the attention of nations worldwide because materials have major impacts on our welfare and can affect international peace and security. Contents About the Contributors Introduction 1. Partners of Technological Adventures 2. Materials in the Plural 3. Why a Biographical Approach? 4. How to Organize a Collection of Biographies? References Part 1 Old and New Materials Chapter 1 Clays and Zeolites 1. Introduction 2. Minerals with a Geological Life Cycle 3. Ubiquitous Materials 4. Surface, and Sorption Capacities 5. Ions and Exchange Capacity 6. Reactive Sites for Catalysis 7. Ideal Tools for Chemical Research 8. Conclusion References Chapter 2 Glass 1. Introduction 2. The Making of Glass 3. The Mechanical Strength of Glass 4. The Transparency of Glass 5. Flat Glass 6. Textile Glass Fibers for the Reinforcement of Composites 7. Optical Glass Fibers for Telecommunications 8. Concluding Remarks References Chapter 3 Steels 1. Introduction 2. Definitions and Designations of Steel 3. Early Processes for Steel Making 4. Methods and Markets 5. Industrial Processes 6. Conclusion References Chapter 4 Cement and Concrete 1. A Challenging Situation 2. Not Only a Material, also a Construction System 3. Reimagining Cement, Concrete and Construction 4. Making Better Concrete with Less Cement 5. Making Better Cement with Less Clinker 6. Using Locally Available Materials and Skills 7. Using Concrete More Efficiently Through Smart Design, Topology Optimization and Architectural Geometry 8. Toward Rebar-Free Concrete 9. Introducing Robotics in Construction 10. Toward a Cradle-to-Cradle Economy of Concrete 11. Conclusion References Part 2 Materials of Promise Chapter 5 Aluminum 1. Introduction 2. From Scientific Curiosity to Semi-Precious Metal 3. Everywhere in Daily Life 4. A Monopolistic Industry 5. The Dark Side of the Metal 6. Conclusion Chapter 6 Plastics 1. Introduction 2. Materials of a Thousand Uses 3. The Substance of Dreams 4. “The Substrate of Advanced Capitalism” 5. Plastics in the Ocean 6. Technofossils 7. Conclusion References Chapter 7 Silicon 1. Introduction 2. The Silicon p–n Junction 3. The Silicon Chip 4. A Fortunate Accident 5. Origin and Extraction 6. Solar Silicon 7. Nanosilicon References Chapter 8 Nanocarbons 1. A Zoo of Exotic Structures 2. Welcome to the Nanoworld 3. Mechanical Champions 4. A Rising Star in Electronics 5. From Laboratory to Industry 6. A Disruptive Innovation: Optoelectronics 7. Health Promises and Risks References Part 3 Controversial Materials Chapter 9 Chlorine 1. Introduction 2. The Cogency of a Material Biography 3. The Difficult Birth of Chlorine 4. The Strange Case of “Chlorine Chambers” 5. Organochlorines and the Environment 6. The Process of Research and Writing References Chapter 10 White Lead 1. Introduction 2. Entangled Whites: The Messy Chronology of a Scientific Controversy 3. Between Invisibility and Compartmentalization 4. When Poison Enters the Marketplace 5. Conclusion References Chapter 11 Asbestos 1. A “Magic Mineral” 2. Discovery and Confirmation of the Dangers of Asbestos 3. Industrial Manipulations and the Dynamics of the Scientific Field 4. Ignorance and Short Fibers 5. Confining the Risk to Occupational Populations 6. Illnesses and Deaths Primarily Affecting Workers 7. Conclusion References Chapter 12 Plutonium 1. Introduction 1. Pu at War 2. Pu Impact on Human Health 3. Consequences of Pu Bomb Tests 4. Waste 5. Post Cold War Discoveries 6. Conclusion: Plutonium’s Impact References Part 4 Critical Materials Chapter 13 Rubber 1. Bouncing Balls 2. The Substance of Colonial Empires 3. Huge Plantations and Exploitative Work 4. A Patriotic Material 5. The Quest for Synthetic Rubber in World War II 6. Conclusion References Chapter 14 Lithium 1. Introduction 1. The Two Lives of Lithium 2. Models and Performances 3. Global Division of Work 4. The Sociopolitical Criticality of Lithium for Energy 5. Ethical Criticality of Psychotropic Lithium 6. Conclusion References Chapter 15 Rare Earths 1. Introduction 2. A Long History of Industrial Applications 3. A Sudden Crisis 4. An Unsustainable Industry for the Ecological Transition References Index