Heterosupramolecular chemistry: toward the factory of the future

Summarised are the findings of recent studies in which a nanocrystal has been programmed to recognise and selectively bind in solution the following. a molecule, another nanocrystal, or a suitably patterned substrate. These studies form part of sin ongoing effort to develop a systematic covalent and non-covalent chemistry of condensed phase and molecular components. Such a chemistry will under-pin emerging post-information technologies and point the way to the factory of the future. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.