Today, inorganic (especially metallic) nanocrystals are widely studied with the aim of developing new processes and/or devices in chemistry, biology or physics. Understanding their specific properties and exploring their potential applications are the two major forces driving the development of these new nanomaterials. It is therefore important to have access to methods that enable particles to be manufactured on a nanometric scale, and with good control over size, shape and composition. This is the only way to form three-dimensional supercrystals or long-distance two-dimensional assemblies, and to control the physico-chemical properties of nanocrystals.
In this presentation, we have discussed the use of chemical methods (colloidal and metallo-organic) to produce metallic nanocrystals (Ag, Pt, Co, CoPt, ferrite...) with specific physical properties (optical or magnetic), focusing on the control of their size, shape and composition. These nanocrystals are the building blocks for the self-assembly of new nanostructured materials with specific optical or magnetic properties.
This seminar summarized a number of advances in this field, emphasizing the importance of controlling the synthesis of the nanobricks that make up the meso-ediments.
