The Symposium on Nanostructured Materials and Systems was held during the 8th Pacific Rim Conference on Ceramic and Glass Technology (PACRIM 8) from May 31-June 5, 2009 in Vancouver, Canada. This symposium aimed to review the progress in the state-of-the-art of nanoscience and nanotechnology including synthesis, processing, modeling, applications and assessment of toxicological potential of nanomatter. More than 55 contributions (invited talks, oral presentations, and posters), were presented by participants, from all over the world, representing universities, research institutions, and industry which made this symposium an attractive forum for interdisciplinary presentations and discussions and to elaborate their functional diversity. This issue contains 16 peer-reviewed papers (invited and contributed) incorporating the latest developments related to synthesis, processing and manufacturing technologies of nanoscaled materials and systems including one-dimensional nanostructures, nanoparticle-based composites, electrospinning of nanofibers, functional thin films, ceramic membranes, bioactive materials and self-assembled functional nanostructures and nanodevices. These papers discuss several important aspects related to fabrication and engineering issues necessary for understanding and further development of processing and manufacturing of nanostructured materials and systems.
