Recent Progress of Amorphous Nanomaterials

Amorphousmaterials are metastable solids with only short-rangeorder at the atomic scale, which results from local intermolecularchemical bonding. The lack of long-range order typical of crystalsendows amorphous nanomaterials with unconventional and intriguingstructural features, such as isotropic atomic environments, abundantsurface dangling bonds, highly unsaturated coordination, etc. Becauseof these features and the ensuing modulation in electronic properties,amorphous nanomaterials display potential for practical applicationsin different areas. Motivated by these elements, here we provide anoverview of the unique structural features, the general syntheticmethods, and the potential for applications covered by contemporaryresearch in amorphous nanomaterials. Furthermore, we discussed thepossible theoretical mechanism for amorphous nanomaterials, examininghow the unique structural properties and electronic configurationscontribute to their exceptional performance. In particular, the structuralbenefits of amorphous nanomaterials as well as their enhanced electrocatalytic,optical, and mechanical properties, thereby clarifying the structure-functionrelationships, are highlighted. Finally, a perspective on the preparationand utilization of amorphous nanomaterials to establish mature systemswith a superior hierarchy for various applications is introduced,and an outlook for future challenges and opportunities at the frontiersof this rapidly advancing field is proposed.

Automated summary

Amorphous materials are metastable solids with short-range order at the atomic scale due to local intermolecular chemical bonding. They possess unconventional and intriguing structural features, such as isotropic atomic environments and abundant surface dangling bonds. These unique properties, along with the modulation in electronic properties, endow amorphous nanomaterials with potential for practical applications in various areas. This article provides an overview of the structural features, synthetic methods, and potential applications of amorphous nanomaterials, as well as discussing the theoretical mechanisms and the structure-function relationships that contribute to their exceptional performance. It also introduces the preparation and utilization of amorphous nanomaterials for establishing mature systems with superior hierarchy, and proposes future challenges and opportunities in this rapidly advancing field.