In nanochemistry, the rules of bonding are extended from atoms and molecules to larger objects having the dimension of from 1 to 100 nanometers, where one nanometer is one-billionth of a meter. In this regime, new chemical and physical properties appear that depend on the size and shape of the particles. Nanochemistry undertakes the synthesis of precisely defined nanoparticles to achieve novel materials for specific applications in such fields as advanced catalysis, ultrathin films and membranes (separation and adsorption), storage devices, and optical and electronic devices. The nanometer regime is of particular interest because it is this region where phenomena associated with atomic and molecular interactions begin to be strongly influenced by the macroscopic properties of materials.

In mechanochemistry, individual chemical reactions at the molecular or atomic level are achieved by pressing the reactants together to overcome the normal reaction barriers. This requires positioning of the reactants on a nanometer...