Inorganic self-assembly

Self-assembly processes provide an effective and environmentally benign method for synthesising novel ceramic and composite materials. The development of self-assembly methodology, which is the archetypal bioinspired synthesis route, has greatly expanded the methods of producing nanostructures. In the design of complex materials such as electrical devices, we currently rely on our ability to create designed patterns lithographically. New ways of bonding, assembly, and linking macromolecules and nano-objects have been developed that are based on interactions that are both more complex and individually weaker (e.g., steric, electrostatic, hydrophobic, and hydrogen bonding) than the classical electronic bond. These interactions are the basis for coding information into nanostructures. In the last decade, nanoscale objects such as nanoparticles or nanocrystals have been assembled into periodic arrays, or supercrystals. The quest in this area is not necessarily to obtain self-assembled materials than can behave as classical solid state materials, but to produce materials that may exhibit completely new physical properties or types of functionality. Several proposals have been put forward for how to pattern nanocrystals and nanotubes. In this paper self-assembled inorganic materials have been reviewed on the basis of their dimensionality (0, 1 and 2/3) and recent developments and trends in the field are discussed. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.