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Also
known as nanoscale
semiconductor crystals.
"nanocrystals are aggregates
of anywhere from a few hundred to tens of thousands of atoms that combine into a crystalline form of matter
known as a "cluster."
typically around ten nanometers
in diameter, nanocrystals are larger than molecules
but smaller than bulk solids and therefore frequently exhibit physical and
chemical properties somewhere in between. Given that a nanocrystal is
virtually all surface and no interior, its properties can vary considerably as
the crystal
grows in size." [lbl] see nanocrystals: the shapes of things to come.
The first atomic-scale images of nanocrystals that help reduce pollution show
a surprising triangular, rather than hexagonal, shape. The new information
should help researchers improve the chemical process. "nanocrystals
might be used to make super-strong and long-lasting metal parts. The crystals also might be added to plastics and other
metals to make new types of composite
structures for everything from cars to electronics."
see discovery could bring widespread uses for 'nanocrystals'. Single atoms caged inside nanocrystals gives you a "quantum confined atom",
or qca, "with potential uses ranging from clear-glass sunglasses to
bio-sensors to optical
computing and just about anything optical
in between." see nanocrystals technology
shines new light on optics, a good look at nanocrystals, and researchers turn
scrap to strength with nanocrystals.
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