Inorganic small colloidal particles

The emphasis of study of small inorganic particles is shifting from the single particle to self-assembled aggregates of particles. Accordingly, the colligative properties of ensembles have also become a focus of interest. Advances in the synthesis and in the understanding of the physical properties of ensembles have led to the practical utilization of such networks and arrays, and this trend seems set to continue in the future. Molecular control over the process of particle self-assembly will allow the tailoring of the production of two- and three-dimensional arrays of nanoparticles for a variety of specific applications, probably in optical microelectronics and sensor technologies.