This special volume on materials integration is based upon peer-reviewed papers selected from those presented at the international symposium on the global COE program, in conjunction with the 2nd international symposium on advanced synthesis and processing technology for materials (ASPT2011) and the 8th materials science school for young scientists, institute for materials research, tohoku university (kinken-wakate 2011). Volume is indexed by thomson reuters CPCI-S (wos).This volume covered the principal research fields of (i) infrastructural and bio- materials, (ii) electronic materials, (iii) energy and environmental materials and (iv) basic materials science. Materials integration is expected to produce a synergistic effect and permit the development and production of non-conventional materials exhibiting new functionalities.
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