Book excerpt: In this new handbook, top researchers from around the world discuss recent academic and industrial advances in designing ceramic coatings and materials. They describe the role of nanotechnology in designing high performance nanoceramic coatings and materials in terms of the unique advantages that can be gained from the nano scale, including the latest techniques for the synthesis and processing of ceramic and composite coatings for different applications. - Focuses on the most advanced technologies for industry-oriented nano-ceramic and nano-composite coatings, including recent challenges for scaling up nano-based coatings in industry - Covers the latest evaluation methods for measuring coatings performance - Discusses novel approaches for improving the performance of ceramic and composite coatings and materials via nanotechnology - Provides the most recent and advanced techniques for surface characterization