Nanorods are nanostructures that are the object of fundamental and applied research. They may be prepared from carbon, gold, zinc oxide, and many other materials. They are bigger than individual atoms (measured in angstroms, 1Å=10 À10 m) and also than small molecules. The turning point for nanomaterials research was the discovery of carbon nanotubes in 1991. Their mechanical, electrical, and optical properties depend upon their size, allowing for multiple applications. Also, nanorods may be

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... tionalized for different applications. In this Chapter, the methods of synthesis and analysis, and the applications of carbon, zinc oxide, gold, and magnetic nanorods are reviewed.