Condensed matter physics is the field of physics that deals with the macroscopic and microscopic physical properties of matter. In particular, it is concerned with the "condensed" phases that appear whenever the number of constituents in a system is extremely large and the interactions between the constituents are strong. This book discusses calcium orthophosphate cements and concretes, sinter-alloying properties of manganese steels; composite laminates performance enhancement by nanoparticle dispersion; fullerenol research; the application of liquid crystals in cholesteric and pretransitional phases; biodegradable hydrogels as drug delivery systems for tissue engineering; and other related topical data. This series presents a collection of papers exploring the most current and cutting edge research in the condensed matter field.