A Special Section on Nanostructured Ceramic Oxides:Challenges and Opportunities

摘要

Developing advanced functional materials and devices with controlled features on the nanometer scale is at the core of R&D innovation. Unique electronic, optical, magnetic, as well as chemical properties of nano-scale materials are making these materials attractive for the new generation of devices. There is ample evidence which suggests fundamentally new behavior in nanomaterials that otherwise cannot be predicted by simple scaling laws. Semiconducting nanoclusters display interesting optical, electronic, and chemical properties, making them potential candidates for sensing, catalysis, and optoelectronic devices. Also, while conductivity enhancement by several orders of magnitude is seen in some nanocrystalline oxides, improved chemical and photo-chemical activity is evident in other nanostructured oxides due to enhanced surface area. However, the widespread utilization of nanostructured materials is often complicated by the conflicting demands for precise control of hyperfine features and large-scale production.