ABSTRACT
Nanostructured material is one billionth of a meter. It is 10-5 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair. These materials are classified as zero-dimensional, one-dimensional, two-dimensional, and three-dimensional nanomaterials, which are represented by OD, 1D, 2D, and 3D, respectively. Examples of nanomaterials are quantum dots, nanowires, nanosheets, and nanocrystals. These nanomaterials are unique in nature because they have a high surface-area-to-volume ratio, surface plasmon resonance, and quantum confinement effect. These can be prepared by many methods but they can be categorized either in top-down or bottom-up approaches, that is, either converting bulk or macroparticles to nanoparticles or from atoms/molecules or clusters to build up nanoparticles. These materials show interesting properties like optical, electrical, magnetic, or mechanical properties making them quite useful with potential applications in sensors, water purification, targeted drug delivery, scratch resistant, data storage, displays, food packaging, catalytic convertor, antimicrobial, smart solar panel, coating, self-cleaning glass, magnetic resonance imaging, lighter sporting goods, and many more. This is all possible due to change in conductivity, catalytic behavior, lighter weight, high strength (stronger), elastic modulus, rigidity, toughness, hardness, plasticity, etc.
