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3.4.3 State of R&D

The majority of applications of nanoscale metals and alloys is currently in the state of applied research with some way to go until broader market relevance. However, espe-cially the utilization of titanium and noble metal nanoparticles for e. g. implants, anti microbial coatings or catalysts is quite advanced and some nanoparticulate metal pow-ders of nickel and aluminium-transition metal alloys have already found their way to market application as sealing and coating material or as material for bio-medical im-plants.

Despite some first applications of nanocrystalline metals and alloys particularly for me-chanical lightweight construction purposes, even this material type is still in a research state and will need further effort for market maturity. Concerning nanocrystalline metals fabrication and processing methods as well as the resulting properties of the materials are so far well investigated. There is even a good agreement on the application poten-tial. However, there is still no commonly agreed scientific model describing the micro-scopic processes being responsible for the plasticity mechanisms of the material. Basic research is currently spent on the investigation of these "nanoplasticity" phenomena.

In a much earlier R&D-state are utilizations of plasmonic metal nanostructures. On a longer run they are prone to numerous applications in electronics, sensors, lithography, LED-technology etc. However, plasmonics is currently in basic research with numerous questions remaining open so far.