Introduction to Volume 2

The vast array of supramolecular systems, as well as the concepts that control their assembly, are described in much detail in the other volumes of this major reference work. Whatever we currently know about these systems has only been made possible by the advent of advanced methods for quantitative analysis and atomic/molecular level imaging techniques. Most studies of supramolecular assemblies require the application of a number of complementary analytical methods, many of which are the remit of specialists who have invested many years in building up their expertise. The objective of Volume 2 is to provide the reader with a broad overview of the most important experimental and computational techniques that are critical to our understanding of the molecular world. Each chapter has been prepared by an expert in the field and discusses the technique in the context of its historical development, recent innovations, and its application to the analysis of supramolecular assemblies.