Synthesis and properties of nanophase materials

Abstract

Nanophase materials, with their grain sizes or phase dimensions in the nanometer size regime, are now being produced by a wide variety of synthesis and processing methods. The interest in these new ultrafine-grained materials results primarily from the special nature of their various physical, chemical, and mechanical properties and the possibilities of controlling these properties during the synthesis and subsequent processing procedures. Since it is now becoming increasingly apparent that their properties can be engineered effectively during synthesis and processing, and that they can also be produced in quantity, nanophase materials should have considerable potential for technological development in a variety of applications. Some of the recent research on nanophase materials related to their synthesis and properties is briefly reviewed and the future potential of these new materials is considered.