Synthesis methods and paradigms of nanomaterials

Nanomaterials refer to the three-dimensional spatial scale of at least one dimension in the nanometer scale (1–100 nm), and it is a new generation of materials composed of nano units between the size of atoms (molecules) and macroscopic system. The preparation strategies of nanomaterials include two general directions: bottom-up (from small atom to nanoscale) and top-down (from large block to nanoscale) strategies. Typical preparation methods of nanomaterials include as follows: hydrothermal/solvothermal method, chemical coprecipitation method, sol-gel synthesis method, electrodeposition method, chemical vapor deposition method, high-temperature solid phase method, mechanochemistry method, and other high energy physics methods. In this chapter, we will pay special attention to the description of the definitions/history, physicochemical principles of different synthesis methods, and their paradigm summary of our or other group's work in recent years.