Nanostructured Materials for Advanced Technological Applications

Nanoscience and nanotechnology are experiencing rapid development in many aspects, such as real-space atomic-scale imaging, atomic and molecular manipulation, and nano-fabrication. This progress will have a profound impact not only in every field of research but also on everyday life in the twenty-first century. The collaborative efforts of researchers from different countries and fields of science can bring complementary expertise to address emerging challenges and leverage nanoscale approaches in materials science.

Nanostructured materials, which are made with atomic accuracy, exhibit unique properties due to nanoscale size confinement, the predominance of interfacial phenomena, and quantum effects. By reducing the dimensions of a structure to the nanoscale, many unexpected properties emerge, potentially leading to novel applications ranging from nanoelectronics and nanophotonics to nanobiological systems and nanomedicine.

This advancement requires the collaboration of multidisciplinary teams of physicists, chemists, materials scientists, engineers, and biologists to work together on the synthesis and processing of nanomaterials and nanostructures. Understanding the properties related to the nanoscale, designing nano-devices, and developing new tools for the characterization of nanostructured materials are essential.

The primary objective of the NATO ASI on Nanostructured Materials for Advanced Technological Applications was to assess the current achievements and future perspectives of novel nanostructured materials, focusing on the relationships between material structure, functional properties, and possible applications.