Positron and Positronium Chemistry

Book excerpt: This book describes the use and significance of positrons in several fields of chemistry, including chemical analysis, surface chemistry, quantum chemistry, the structure of molecular solids, radiation chemistry, the structures of supramolecular species (polymers, vesicles, micelles, etc.), clustering phenomena in gases, etc. Because the positron is an unfamiliar particle to most chemists, the first chapter provides an easily understood introduction to this fascinating chemical species. Applications of various positron techniques to practical problems in chemistry are described which will be interesting and useful to many chemists. Some will find new methods of enquiry into their own systems, and new ways of thinking about them. Practical details of how to set up experiments are given, and information about what can be learned from the data is provided. This is the first comprehensive treatment of the subject in almost 25 years. It will be of interest to those in all fields of chemistry as well as certain areas of biology and materials science. The book features an excellent subject index and a full authors' index and is illustrated by 139 graphs and drawings.