The aim of this special issue of Journal of Nanomaterials is to provide the readers with the latest achievement of nanocrystals-related synthesis, assembly, and energy applications. The unique size- and shape-tunable functionalities of nanocrystals have dramatically changed our perception of fundamental material properties, promising a new range of applications. To realize these extensive applications, the first step should be the design of appropriate synthetic strategies for high-quality nanocrystals. Although great progress on the synthesis of nanocrystals has been made in the last two decades, there is still lack of green and efficient approaches for the synthesis of safe nanocrystals acceptable for real-world applications. Another recent effort tends to employ the as-prepared nanocrystals as building blocks for self-assembly. Well-ordered self-assembly composed of tailored nanoscaled building blocks provides new opportunities to enhance the nanocrystal performance. The complex and lengthy procedures, however, make the design and construction of the nanocrystal self-assembly a great challenge in material science. Additionally, in response to the ever-growing energy demands along with the concerns of global warming and climate change, an enormous emphasis is placed on the exploration of energy saving, toward the deployment of “the cheapest, cleanest, fastest energy source”. In such an exploration, semiconductor nanocrystals are promising because of the facts that they have very high quantum yield, strong absorption, and high resistance to photo-oxidation, in contrast to the common emissive materials.

This special issue will be focused on the fundamental science and technical applications of nanocrystals, accompanied with our solicitation for research and review papers. It intends to cover the entire range of nanocrystals-related research in synthesis, characterization, functionalization, processing, computer modeling, assembly, films, nanocomposites, and devices for energy applications. Also, we welcome papers presenting fundamental understanding of nucleation and growth mechanisms in nanoscaled materials as well as their optical, electronic, and mechanical properties, their size dependence, and their surface features.

Topics of interest include, but not limited to the following areas:

• Synthesis, processing, and assembly of nanocrystals
• Characterization of nanoscaled materials
• Fundamental phenomena, size-dependent features, and surface properties in nanocrystals
• Surface functionalization of nanocrystals
• Computer modeling and theoretical analysis in nanocrystals
• Nucleation and growth mechanism of nanoscaled materials
• Develop nanoscaled films and nanocomposites
• Device design for energy applications

Before submission authors should carefully read over the journal's Author Guidelines, which are located at http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jnm/guidelines/. Prospective authors should submit an electronic copy of their complete manuscript through the journal Manuscript Tracking System at http://mts.hindawi.com/ according to the following timetable: