Chapter 1 - Introduction

Abstract

The general objects of study of nanochemistry are nanomaterials, i.e., materials with nanoscale features in at least one dimension. The subject of nanochemistry is the chemistry associated with these materials, including their composition and structure, formation and transformations, chemical interactions with various environments and chemical reactivity. Nanomaterials include nanoparticles, materials constructed from such particles, continuous bulk materials with nanoscale pores or channels, and hybrid bulk materials that have distinct nanoscale domains. A plethora of natural and synthetic materials fall under the definition of a nanomaterial, making the scope of nanochemistry very broad. One way to narrow down the scope in order to build a basic understanding of nanochemistry is to select a subset of nanomaterials for discussion. Nanoparticles are good candidates for this purpose, as they are often seen to be at the core of nanotechnology due to the many unique physical properties that they offer for a variety of applications. Furthermore, many fundamental aspects of the chemical behaviour of nanoparticles are relevant to the understanding of the chemistry of other types of nanomaterials, although those certainly have specific chemical characteristics that are not discussed in the context of nanoparticles. This book focuses on the chemistry of nanoparticle formation and interactions. The aspects of nanochemistry pertaining to continuous two- and three-dimensional materials are not covered here. Instead, here we cover specifically the mechanisms of nanoparticle formation and the interactions of nanoparticles with each other, as well as with the environment in the context of stability. This book provides a focused general guide to understanding the foundations of nanoparticle formation and behaviour from the chemistry standpoint.