Chemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

Advanced Nanohybrid Materials: Surface Modiﬁcation and Applications

Li-Hung Liu, Portland State University
Rémi Métivier, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Cachan
Shanfeng Wang, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Hui Wang, University of Massachusetts Lowell

Published In

Journal of Nanomaterials

Document Type

Editorial

Publication Date

2012

Subjects

Nanohybrid Materials -- Applications, Nanostructured materials -- Research

Abstract

The field of functional nanoscale hybrid materials is one of the most promising and rapidly emerging research areas in materials chemistry. Nanoscale hybrid materials can be broadly defined as synthetic materials with organic and inorganic components that are linked together by noncovalent bonds (Class I, linked by hydrogen bond, electrostatic force, or van der Waals force) or covalent bonds (Class II) at nanometer scale. The unlimited possible combinations of the distinct properties of inorganic, organic, or even bioactive components in a single material, either in molecular or nanoscale dimensions, have attracted considerable attention. This approach provides an opportunity to create a vast number of novel advanced materials with well-controlled structures and multiple functions. The unique properties of advanced hybrid nanomaterials can be advantageous to many fields, such as optical and electronic materials, biomaterials, catalysis, sensing, coating, and energy storage. In this special issue, the breadth of papers shows that the hybrid materials is attracting attention, because of both growing fundamental interest, and a route to new materials. Two review articles and seven research papers that report new results of hybrid materials should gather widespread interest.