An overview of the advanced nanomaterials science

Modern technological solutions require more and more adequate material characteristics for their optimal operation; some of these requirements are: (i) fine control over the material properties, (ii) multiple properties combination (multi-functionality), and (iii) availability of new physical, chemical, mechanical, thermal, etc. characteristics. Most of such needs can be successfully achieved by nano-structuring the ordinary inorganic/ organic solid matter. Owing to surface effects, electron confinement, changes in the solid-state band structure, and many other size-dependent physical phenomena, nanoscopic matter behaves much differently from traditional massive materials. The success of nano-structuring is just related to the opportunity to diversify the characteristics of solids that such an approach offers to the traditional material science fields. Therefore, ceramics, metals, semicondutors, polymeric/organic materials can widely benefit of the extraordinary opportunities and potentialities of the nanoscaling methods. Here, the basic aspects of nanomaterials have been synthetically described in order to prove the efficacy of this approach and the variety of potentialities and opportunities offered to scientists working in this fascinating field of knowledge. In particular, it has been presented in some details the following advanced nanocristalline structures: metallic aerogels of silver and palladium, graphite nanoplatelets aerogel, single-crystal gold quantum-wells, natural clinoptilolite lamellas, polymer supported graphene, micronic silver nanowires, sub-micronic cobalt nanoparticles, graphite oxide; and the following semi-cristalline: gold, silver, palladium and iron nanoparticles embedded in an amorphous polymer.