SYNTHESIS AND PROPERTIES OF NANOPHASE MATERIALS

Nanophase materials, with their gram sizes or phase dimensions in the nanometer size regime, are now being produced by a wide variety of syn thesis and processing methods. The interest in these new ultrafine-gra ined materials results primarily from the special nature of their vari ous physical, chemical, and mechanical properties and the possibilitie s of controlling these properties during the synthesis and subsequent processing procedures. Since it is now becoming increasingly apparent that their properties can be engineered effectively during synthesis a nd processing, and that they can also be produced in quantity, nanopha se materials should have considerable potential for technological deve lopment in a variety of applications. Some of the recent research on n anophase materials related to their synthesis and properties is briefl y reviewed and the future potential of these new materials is consider ed.