Nanoscale materials are materials with one, two or three dimensions or features in the nanoscale (ranging from approximately from 1-100 nm).
These materials can be classified based on their dimensionality as well as their elemental inputs. Materials with:
- One dimension in the nanoscale are often referred to as plates, sheets, or flat nanoparticles
- Two dimensions in the nanoscale include nanofibers (solid), nanotubes (hollow), nanowires (electrically conducting), and nanorods (solid)
- Three dimensions in the nanoscale are referred to as nanoparticles, spherical nanoparticles, nanoencapsulators (hollow center)
- Nanoscale features include nanostructured materials, nanoporous and thin films or nanolayers