The synthesis of nanoparticles of controlled size, shape, size distribution and surface state is nowadays recognized to be of prime importance both from a fundamental point of view and for applications. Among all nanomaterials, nanoparticles of metal oxides are very attractive as their unique characteristics make them the most diverse class of materials with properties covering almost all aspect of solid-state physics, materials science and catalysis. In this feature article, we present our efforts toward the synthesis of metal oxide nanoparticles of controlled size and shape using organometallic chemistry. We show that this approach is versatile and can be generalized to several metal oxides from semiconducting to magnetic materials as well as from monometallic to mixed-metal-oxide nanomaterials. We point out that the control over the size, the shape, and the surface state of such materials is of prime importance for understanding and controlling their physical properties. We also report the use of such semiconducting nanoparticles for two different applications, highlighting the importance of the implementation of the nanoparticles in the fabrication of devices.

Here we report the synthesis of a novel liquid crystal based on zinc oxide nanoparticles. Due to the presence of fluxional ligands, the hybridized material presents mesomorphic behavior even for a high content of inorganic material. In combination with promising luminescent properties, it may well be exploited for electro-optical applications.