The fascinating world of nanoparticle research

Nanoparticle research is a fascinating branch of science. The strongly size-related properties of nanoparticles offer uncountable opportunities for surprising discoveries. The often unexpected and unprecedented behavior of nanoparticles bears great potential for innovative technological applications, but also poses great challenges to the scientists. They have to develop highly controllable synthesis approaches, more sensitive characterization tools and finally new models and theories to explain the experimental observations. In this review, we discuss a personal selection of papers dedicated to nanoparticle research, which we believe provide an illustrative overview of current research directions in this rapidly developing field. We have structured the text in five sections: introduction, nanoparticle synthesis, formation mechanisms, nanoparticle assembly, and applications. The chosen examples within these sections are not directly related to each other, but reflect the remarkable broadness of nanoparticle research covering historical aspects, basic and applied science as well as commercial applications.

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[23]  Francisco Zaera,et al.  Probing liquid/solid interfaces at the molecular level. , 2012, Chemical reviews.

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[33]  Liguang Xu,et al.  Dynamic nanoparticle assemblies. , 2012, Accounts of chemical research.

[34]  Shu-Hong Yu,et al.  Macroscopic-scale assembled nanowire thin films and their functionalities. , 2012, Chemical reviews.

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[43]  Philippe Colomban,et al.  The Use of Metal Nanoparticles to Produce Yellow, Red and Iridescent Colour, from Bronze Age to Present Times in Lustre Pottery and Glass: Solid State Chemistry, Spectroscopy and Nanostructure , 2009 .

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[45]  Markus Niederberger,et al.  Oriented attachment and mesocrystals: non-classical crystallization mechanisms based on nanoparticle assembly. , 2006, Physical chemistry chemical physics : PCCP.

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[51]  P. Liljeroth,et al.  Physicochemical evaluation of the hot-injection method, a synthesis route for monodisperse nanocrystals. , 2005, Small.

[52]  Yuval Golan,et al.  The role of interparticle and external forces in nanoparticle assembly. , 2008, Nature materials.

[53]  A. Henglein.  Photo‐Degradation and Fluorescence of Colloidal‐Cadmium Sulfide in Aqueous Solution , 1982 .

[54]  Andreas Kornowski,et al.  Tuning size and sensing properties in colloidal gold nanostars. , 2010, Langmuir : the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids.

[55]  Jun Li,et al.  Size control of gold nanocrystals in citrate reduction: the third role of citrate. , 2007, Journal of the American Chemical Society.

[56]  R. Noble,et al.  Natural gold nanoparticles , 2011 .

[57]  M. Süess,et al.  Mechanistic aspects of molecular formation and crystallization of zinc oxide nanoparticles in benzyl alcohol. , 2012, Nanoscale.

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[59]  Bruce Dunn,et al.  Enhancing pseudocapacitive charge storage in polymer templated mesoporous materials. , 2013, Accounts of chemical research.

[60]  Markus Niederberger,et al.  Nonaqueous sol-gel routes to metal oxide nanoparticles. , 2007, Accounts of chemical research.

[61]  Markus Niederberger,et al.  Study of the chemical mechanism involved in the formation of tungstite in benzyl alcohol by the advanced QEXAFS technique. , 2012, Chemistry.

[62]  Scott C. Warren,et al.  Responsive and Nonequilibrium Nanomaterials , 2012 .

[63]  M. Roberts,et al.  Grey Goo on the Skin? Nanotechnology, Cosmetic and Sunscreen Safety , 2007, Critical reviews in toxicology.

[64]  Helmut Cölfen,et al.  Prenucleation clusters and non-classical nucleation , 2011 .

[65]  P. Sciau,et al.  Double Nanoparticle Layer in a 12th Century Lustreware Decoration: Accident or Technological Mastery? , 2009 .

[66]  E. Kumacheva,et al.  Properties and emerging applications of self-assembled structures made from inorganic nanoparticles. , 2010, Nature nanotechnology.

[67]  Yasuhiro Sakamoto,et al.  Magnetic field-induced assembly of oriented superlattices from maghemite nanocubes , 2007, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

[68]  Taeghwan Hyeon,et al.  Synthesis of monodisperse spherical nanocrystals. , 2007, Angewandte Chemie.