Preface

Nanotechnology is a multidisciplinary field benefitting from efforts and developments in the various spheres of science and technology, such as applied physics, materials science, interface and colloid science, supramolecular chemistry, chemical engineering, biological engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and computer engineering. Its theme is the design, fabrication, characterization and application of structures, devices and systems by controlling shape and size at the nanometer scale. This book focuses on the synthesis, characterization and multifaceted potential applications of semiconductor nanostructures, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and nanostructure-impregnated MOFs, along with some glimpses of doped glasses, functionalized carbon nanotubes, doped graphene and graphene nanoribbons. Numerous bottom-up and top-down synthesis techniques opted for the synthesis of various morphologies of semiconductor nanostructures have been discussed at length, along with details of synthetic metal-organic frameworks and nanostructure-impregnated MOFs constructed from a variety of inorganic and organic components. The photocatalytic activity potential of synthetic materials for hydrogen production, wastewater treatment, carbon dioxide reduction, environmental pollution monitoring and management, as well as oxidation of alcohols has been described comprehensively. The sensing ability of nanostructures and MOFs has been thoroughly illustrated to utilize these materials as chemical sensors, gas sensors and biosensors. Many other smart applications in gas separation, gas storage, drug delivery, nanomedicine, nano-cosmetics as well as antibacterial uses have been reported lucidly in this book. This book also deals with the geometric and electronic properties of doped graphene and graphene nanoribbons. Spin-polarized density functional study results have been included to describe the structural, electronic and magnetic properties of strained graphene nanoribbons.

Although this book is not edited with any special course in mind, it may serve as a unique source of knowledge for postgraduate students, academicians, researchers and technocrats, who want to carry out R&D activities with nanomaterials and metal-organic frameworks.