A review of helical nanostructures: growth theories, synthesis strategies and properties

Helical nanomaterials represent an emerging group of nanostructures with unique spiral geometry as well as multiple functionalities owing to their enriched physical and chemical properties. With the novel properties enabled by their nanoscale dimension and unique geometry, the helical nanostructures may open opportunities to develop our understanding of new physics, chemistry and biology, and enable new nanodevice design and fabrication. This review article presents a comprehensive and in-depth overview of the latest progress in helical nanostructures synthesis, properties and potential applications. Specific attention is concentrated on the crystal growth theory for helical nanostructures, summary of the helical nanomaterials obtained so far, and their fabrication techniques as well as typical physical properties that can be potentially utilized for various applications.