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The self-assembly process underlies a plethora of natural phenomena from the macro to the nano scale. Often, technological development has found great inspiration in the natural world, as evidenced by numerous fabrication techniques based on self-assembly (SA). One striking example is given by epitaxial growths, in which atoms represent the building blocks. In lithography, the use of self-assembling materials is considered an extremely promising patterning option to overcome the size scale limitations imposed by the conventional photolithographic methods. To this purpose, in the last two decades several supramolecular self-assembling materials have been investigated and successfully applied to create patterns at a nanometric scale. Although considerable progress has been made so far in the control of self-assembly processes applied to nanolithography, a number of unresolved problems related to the reproducibility and metrology of the self-assembled features are still open. Addressing these issues is mandatory in order to allow the widespread diffusion of SA materials for applications such as microelectronics, photonics, or biology. In this context, the aim of the present Special Issue is to gather original research papers and comprehensive reviews covering various aspects of the self-assembly processes applied to nanopatterning. Topics include the development of novel SA methods, the realization of nanometric structures and devices, and the improvement of their long-range order. Moreover, metrology issues related to the nanoscale characterization of self-assembled structures are addressed.

block copolymer self-assembly --- analytical ultracentrifugation --- tannic acid --- 3D printing --- nano-resolution --- arbitrary distribution --- multimaterials --- deposition surface --- rapidity --- large scale --- conjugated polymers --- polyfullerenes --- processing by convective self-assembly --- thin films and microstructure --- photoluminescence quenching --- block copolymers --- self-assembly --- polymer interface --- nanostructure metrology --- line edge roughness LER --- (S)TEM --- STEM-EELS of PS and PMMA --- directed self-assembly --- nanospheres lithography --- colloidal nanospheres --- direct laser-writing --- directed self-assembly (DSA) --- block copolymers (BCPs) --- chemo-epitaxy --- polystyrene-block-polymethylmethacrylate (PS-b-PMMA) --- line/space patterning --- line edge roughness (LER) --- line width roughness (LWR) --- sequential infiltration synthesis --- block copolymer --- nanoparticles --- colloidal clusters --- colloidal molecules --- sedimentation --- separation --- classification of nanoparticles --- analytical centrifugation --- differential centrifugal sedimentation --- disk centrifuge --- density gradient centrifugation

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This Special Issue deals with the fascinating material class of nanocomposites consisting of extremely small particles (nanoparticles) which are embedded in polymers. Such materials are of paramount interest in various disciplines, especially chemistry, physics, biomedicine and materials science. Due to the diversity of the components of nanocomposites, they provide a broad spectrum of material properties and applications. The versatility of nanocomposites is indeed reflected by the research covered in this Special Issue. The field of nanocomposites includes innovative science and a source of inspiration for currently relevant economic topics as well as for envisaged technologies of the future. Indeed, this volume alludes to strategies for the preparation of nanocomposites and possibilities for a variety of applications, such as catalytic reactions, gas barriers, high refractive index materials, corrosion protection, electromagnetic inference (EMI) shielding, lithium ion batteries, tissue engineering and plastic surgery.

broadband dielectric spectroscopy --- dielectric strength --- loss factor --- magnesium oxide --- nanocomposite --- relative permittivity --- surface functionalization --- voltage response --- lithium-ion battery --- ionic-liquid-based separator --- hot-pressing --- inorganic nanoparticle --- fractal cluster --- nanostructures --- polymer matrix composites (PMCs) --- mechanical properties --- thermal properties --- elastomeric foam --- plastic reconstruction --- hydroxyapatite/polyurethane --- nanosized dispersion --- viscoelasticity --- biocompatibility --- nanoreactor --- catalyst confinement --- Flash Nanoprecipitation --- diffusion --- poly(vinyl alcohol) --- nanofiller --- film --- catalytic durability --- nanoparticle --- supported catalyst --- radical reactions --- platinum (Pt) --- H2O2 decomposition --- contact lens cleaning --- polymer brushes --- nanoparticles --- SPION --- thin magnetic films --- ATRP --- hybrid polymer/inorganic composites --- titanium oxide --- hybrid material --- anatase --- organic-inorganic hybrid --- high refractive index material --- MXene --- oxidized carbon nanotube (CNTO) --- nanoparticle decoration --- functionalization --- electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding --- anti-corrosion --- tin sulfide (SnS) --- molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) --- electrochemical test --- composite coating --- nanocomposites --- surface-functionalization --- secondary dispersion --- hot-stretching --- metal–polymer interface --- multilayer --- structure–function correlation --- indirect band gap --- GISAXS --- GIWAXS --- UV-Vis