ABSTRACT
There is perhaps no single eld in scientic history that has developed so explosively and prolically as that of nanotechnology. Intensive research over the past decade in the burgeoning eld has resulted in nanomaterials that have unique properties with at least one dimension between 1 and 100 nm, of tightly controlled size and structure, composed of a variety of materials including metals, oxides, ceramics, organics and hybrids. Nanostructuring of materials results in an amplied ratio of reactive surface atoms to inert core atoms and subsequent increased surface reactivity.1 The increased reactivity more often than not produces nanomaterials that exhibit properties and behaviors that differ drastically to corresponding bulk materials of the same chemical composition. Accordingly, current nanotechnology focuses on deliberately fabricating nanomaterials to take advantage of the enhanced magnetic, electrical, optical, mechanical, and biological properties.2
