Supported binary hybrid nanomaterials and their applications

• Preparation and synergetic properties of supported binary hybrid nanostructured materials.
• Hybridization that incorporates a second component or characteristic or feature into its pristine host material.
• Novel applications in chemical sensing, green energy and advanced nanotechnology.

Hybrid nanostructured materials provide new functionalities not found in their individual pristine nanocomponents. The present review focuses on successful extension from single-component materials to different hybrid nanostructured materials and on their novel applications in chemical sensing, green energy, and advanced manufacturing. Hybridization is performed mainly by electrochemical deposition and a number of advanced dry deposition techniques, including pulsed laser deposition and size-selected magnetron sputtering. Hybrid nanostructured materials are classified into two main categories: A + B systems consisting of two materials of different chemical identities including metal–metal, metal–metal oxide, metal–biomolecule, and metal oxide–metal oxide; and A + A′ systems consisting of one material but with two components of different crystalline phases, with and without dopants, and with and without defects. The novelties and synergistic properties of these hybrid nanomaterials are exploited for the development of emerging applications.