Book excerpt: Since its inception in the mid-twentieth century, solid-state chemistry has matured within the chemical sciences. In the same way that chemistry itself is considered a central science, solid-state chemistry is central in its many relations to physics, in particular to solid-state physics and also to materials science and engineering. There are few problems in materials science or engineering in which the preparation of the material itself is not a central issue and, more often than not, this will be a solid-state chemical problem. For these reasons, it is not surprising that in the technological development of the last century, solid-state chemistry has grown in importance. It is not only a synthesis science, it is also the science of structures, defects, stoichiometry, and physical chemical properties. Most of these are explored in the book. Topics include: metal-to-insulator transition; porous materials; dielectric materials; nanomaterials; synthesis of materials; films and catalytic materials; CMR materials; thermoelectric materials; dielectrics, catalysts, phosphors, films and properties and synthesis and crystal growth.