Design and Developmentof Nanostructured Thin Films - Book (Nanomaterials, MDPI)

Nanostructured thin films have attracted a considerable interest due to their unique size-dependent physicochemical properties, which are appealing for a multitude of applications. A thin film is traditionally defined as a material layer ranging from few nanometers to several micrometers in thickness. Due to their width, thin films are often used to coat surfaces or layers previously deposited. However, recent technological breakthroughs have enabled the development of freestanding thin layers, extending the application perspectives. Depending on both the target applications and the deposition technique used, nanostructured films can be designed and developed by tuning their atomic-molecular 2D and/or 3D aggregation, thickness, crystallinity, and porosity, as well as their optical, mechanical, catalytic, and conductive properties. The resulting structures can be exploited in electronic devices, electronic semiconductor devices (superconductive, semiconductive, magnetic, thermal, and insulating layers), energy storage and conversion (battery, solar, and fuel cells), optical and protective coating, and functional tools (catalysts, sensors, and biosensors). This book contains 27 scientific articles covering most of the recent advances in designing and preparing nanostructured films for target functions and applications, focusing on the improvements resulting from adjustments of the fabrication processes and the materials employed. The emphasized advances in thin film growth technologies here reported are noteworthy because they addressing environmental issues such as the use of eco-friendly materials and procedures, more efficient adsorption/detection systems, alternative energy applications, and removal of pollutants or toxic substances. To conclude, this book reports an overview on the design, synthesis, and applications of thin films of different natures and nanostructures, highlighting the latest advances as well as the challenges to be tackled, especially from an environmental standpoint. We hope that it can be useful and inspiring for a vast audience from academia and industry.