Characterization of materials at the nanoscale has recently attracted significant attention due to the emergence of various novel nanoscale materials and structures over the past decade. Nanomaterials have shown great potential in a broad range of applications from nanocomposites to nanoelectronics and nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS). Before the prevailing applications of these nanostructures, it is of particular relevance to well understand their mechanical, electrical, thermal, optical, and biological properties. However, due to the very small size of particles/grains, they have presented new challenges during testing, measurement, and characterization of their properties.

We invite investigators to contribute original research articles as well as review articles that will stimulate the developing of novel techniques to test and characterize nanomaterials. We are particularly interested in articles describing the new techniques to characterize the properties of bioinspired nanomaterials.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

• In situ electromechanical testing of nanowires and nanotubes
• In vivo characterization of bionanomaterals
• Measurement of the thermal properties of nanomaterials
• Optical characterization of nanomaterials
• AFM based nanoscale testing
• Nanomanipulation of structures and objects
• Nanoindentation
• TEM and HRTEM
• Other characterization and testing methods of nanomaterials