Transworld Research Network 37/661 (2), Fort P.O., Trivandrum-695 023, Kerala, India
Abstract
Inorganic nanomaterials represent one of the most fertile grounds on which the
current scientific revolution of nanoscience is being founded. The unique size and shape
dependent chemical-physical properties of nanostructures bring them into a key position
as constituent elements for realizing a large spectrum of unprecedented self-assembled
functional materials, smart devices, and processes. Among the various "bottom-up"
fabrication approaches, wet-chemical routes have universally distinguished for their
ability to provide high-quality nanocrystals with a number of desirable prerequisites,
such as controlled composition and crystal phase, tailored geometric parameters,
programmed surface functionalities, chemical robustness, and ease of processability.
Disparate applications in fields as diverse as optoelectronics, photovoltaics, sensing,
environmental remediation, catalysis, fuel cells, fabrication of novel materials, and
biomedicine, are already on the way toward commercialization.
Efforts of nanochemistry research toward effective synthetic methods to purpose-built
nanomaterials have incredibly proliferated over the past 30 years, and have now reached a
high level of advancement. In this book, we venture through this exciting field, addressing
the most relevant technical and mechanistic aspects involved in solution-phase synthesis of
nanostructures made of inorganic semiconductor, metal and oxide materials.
Chapters 1 to 3 provide fundamental concepts for the understanding of wet-chemical
processing of inorganic nanomaterials in liquid media. General organic chemistry
pathways of transformation of molecular precursors into inorganic frameworks,
mechanistic aspects underlying nucleation and growth of nanoparticles, as well the
influence of crystal symmetry, surfactants, ligands, solvents, interfaces, and catalysts, on
the formation of nanostructures, are described and discussed. Subsequent chapters are
individually dedicated to address specific synthetic issues related to the preparation of
principal classes of technologically relevant nanoscale materials, with particular
emphasis on rationalization of criteria leading to compositional, size and shape control of
nanostructures. Chapter 4 provides the basics of sonochemistry and its application to the
synthesis of metallic nanoparticles. Chapter 5 focuses on methods for the preparation of
functional magnetic nanostructures and nanocomposite systems, addressing their impact
on the relevant chemical-physical behaviour of the as-derived nanomaterials. Chapters 6
to 8 describe routes to both free-standing and carbon-supported plasmonic and alloyed
metallic nanoparticles, that are relevant to a number of magneto-optical and catalytic
uses. Chapters 9 and 10 offer an overview of synthetic approaches to valuable transition
metal oxide materials (with special focus on titania) and to nanocomposite systems based
thereof, which are desired in photoelectrocatalytic applications. Chapters 11 to 13 deal
with synthetic design of various categories of luminescent materials, including core/shell
semiconductor and doped oxide nanocrystals on one side, and hybrid organic/inorganic
lamellar nanostructures, on the other side. Finally, Chapter 14 illustrates advanced
synthetic strategies to multimaterial hybrid nanocrystals with a spatially controlled
distribution of their chemical composition, which represent last-generation breeds of
colloidal nanostructures with multiple functional capabilities.
The book provides a variety of examples of current developments and supports the text descriptions with appropriate characterization data, reaction schemes and explanatorysketches. The result is an up-to-date monographic compendium on wet-chemistrymethods to inorganic nanomaterials, which can appeal to a broad readership of bothpracticing students and more specialized scientists. Enjoy reading