Phase equilibria and phase diagrams of nanoscaled systems

With nanostructured matter advancing from laboratory samples to application-relevant or even applied materials, basic and prevalent issues related to the stability of the nanoscale structures against coarsening need to be addressed. The assembly of nano-composites, where isolated nanoscaled particulates or fibrous components are encased in an inert matrix, gives one important processing option that stabilizes the microstructure against coarsening. However, the impact of heterophase boundaries between the nanoscale structures and the matrix or also between different phases in multicomponent nanoscale systems on the product properties yet remain to be understood.