What Are Nanocrystalline Materials?
Nanocrystalline materials are materials composed of grains (crystallites) that are on the nanometer scale, typically less than 100 nanometers. These materials exhibit unique properties due to their small grain size, including enhanced strength, hardness, and sometimes electrical, optical, or magnetic properties that differ from their bulk counterparts.
Characteristics of Nanocrystalline Materials
- High Surface-to-Volume Ratio
- Unique Mechanical Properties
- Electrical and Optical Properties
- Thermal Properties
Substrates Used for Fabrication
- Silicon (Si) Silicon Wafers
- Glass/Quartz
- Metal Substrates
- Ceramic Substrates
- Sapphire (Al₂O₃)
- Silicon-on-Insulator (SOI)
- Polymer Substrates
- Graphene or Graphite Substrates
- Fused Quartz or Silica (SiO₂)