From Nano‐Object to Nanomaterial

Abstract

We have presented nano-objects and drawn attention to their importance in the exploration of the nanoworld, which can lead to entirely original physical properties, resulting in a new generation of materials. However exciting, innovative and fruitful this may be, this development is only a part of nanosciences. For chemists, the main objective of nanosciences is the discovery of new preparations of nanomaterials by the bottom-up approach. A nano-object is not a material, only a chemical product with a certain property. Without assemblage and shaping, it remains a laboratory curiosity.The purpose of this chapter is to present some different types of nanomaterials currently available and to describe their likely development in the near future. THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF NANOMATERIALSWhat do we mean by nanomaterials? As with any materials, nanomaterials are stable solids exhibiting usable (physical, chemical, mechanical, even biological) properties. They must be shaped, i.e. they must come as films, matrices or fibers. In other words, they must present specifications well defined for a precise application. However, nanomaterials differ from classical materials on several points. First, molecular (organic, organometallic, coordination, etc.) chemistry is extensively involved. Secondly, Molecular Chemistry of Sol-Gel Derived Nanomaterials Robert Corriu and Nguyên Trong Anh