TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ELECTRICAL POWER AND ENERGY - Preferred Device: In the device, at least a portion of the nanoparticles are disposed within a film and/or a layer. At least a portion of the device is flexible or is positioned on at least a portion of a flexible substrate. The device comprises a light absorbing layer, where the light absorbing layer comprises no or substantially no pores, or several non-spherical and/or substantially non-spherical self-assembled nanoparticles, or a composition gradient through at least a portion of the absorbing layer, or a uniform or substantially uniform composition through at least a portion of the absorbing layer. At least a portion of the light absorbing layer comprises a controller crystallographic orientation. The device comprises a buffer layer; at least two functional layers, where at least one of the two functional layers comprises a light absorbing layer and/or a metal contact layer. Each functional layer within the device is printed from an ink. The light absorbing layer comprises the nanoparticles. The device further comprises a cathode and an anode; and a semiconducting buffer layer. The light absorbing layer further comprises an organic semiconductor.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - IMAGING AND COMMUNICATION - Preferred Ink: The ink is capable of being drop-cast, dip-coated, spin-coated, painted, sprayed, deposited, or printed onto a substrate.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Nanoparticle: The nanoparticle has a diameter of about 1 run to about 100 nm. The nanoparticle is a ternary composition; a quaternary composition; or a uniform or substantially uniform composition. The nanoparticle comprises at least one of CuInSe2, CuInS2, CuInxGa1-xSe2, CuInTe2, CuGaTe2, CuGaxIn1-xTe2, Cu2ZnSnS2, Cu2ZnSnS4, Cu2ZnSnSe4 and/or Cu(InxGa1-x)Se2 (where x is 0-1). The nanoparticle is non-spherical; or comprises a tetrahedron shape, a triangular shape, or a prismatic shape. The nanoparticle is semi-conducting. The nanoparticle further comprises at least one dopant; and a coating (where the coating comprises an inorganic material and/or organic material (preferably a metal or at least one organic capping ligand); at least one conjugated molecule; or at least one of alkane, aliphatic, heterocyclic amine and/or phenyl moiety), where the coating provides dispersibility of the nanoparticle in an ink vehicle, the coating is electrically conductive or electrically insulating, and at least a portion of the coating is capable of being removed after the formation of a film. The nanoparticle comprises at least one of copper indium gallium selenide and/or copper indium sulfide. The nanoparticle is capable of being drop-cast, dip-coated, spin-coated, painted, sprayed, deposited, or printed onto a substrate. The nanoparticle is at least partially crystalline or a nanocrystal. Preferred Components: In the methods (M1) and (M2), the copper precursor comprises Cu(acac)2 and/or CuCl; the indium precursor comprises In(acac)3 and/or InCl3; the gallium precursor comprises GaCl3 and/or Ga(acac)3; the selenium precursor comprises at least one of elemental selenium, selenourea and/or bis(trimethylsilyl)selenide. In the method (M3), the substrate comprises paper, polymer, non-woven, metal, metal alloy, nanowire, nanotubes, indium tin oxide and/or transparent conducting substrate; and the substrate is electrically conductive. Preferred Film: In the film, at least a portion of the nanoparticles are fused. The film has a predetermined stoichiometry; or a stoichiometry matching or substantially matching a stoichiometry of at least a portion of the nanoparticles. The film comprises a composition gradient through at least a portion of the film. At least a portion of the film has a crystallographic orientation at least partially determined by the shape of at least a portion of the nanoparticle disposed in it. The film is resistant to or substantially resistant to cracking, spalling, and/or flaking during formation of the film and use. Preferred Layer: In the layer, at least a portion of the nanocrystals comprise a coating; and at least a portion of the layer is electrically conductive or electrically insulating. At least a portion of the nanoparticles comprise ternary composition and/or quaternary composition. The layer is optically absorbing. At least a portion of the nanoparticles comprise CuInSe2. The layer comprises a composition gradient through at least a portion of the layer. Preferred Method: In the method (M1), at least at least a portion of the copper precursor, indium precursor, sulfur and/or sulfur containing species are degassed and/or sparged with an inert gas; and at least two of the copper precursor, indium precursor, and sulfur and/or sulfur containing species are contacted separate from any remaining components prior to contacting with the aliphatic amine. In the method (M1), the copper precursor and indium precursor are first contacted with a solvent to form a first mixture, where sulfur and/or sulfur containing species are separately contacted with a same or different solvent to form a second mixture, the aliphatic amine is contacted with the first mixture, and the first mixture and the second mixture are contacted. The method (M1) further involves heating the mixture; and heating at least one of the first mixture and/or the second mixture. In the method (M2), at least two of the copper precursor, indium precursor, gallium precursor, and selenium precursor are contacted separate from any remaining components prior to contacting with the aliphatic amine; and at least a portion of the copper precursor, indium precursor, gallium precursor, and selenium precursor are degassed and/or sparged with an inert gas. The method (M2) further involves heating the contacted composition. In the method (M2), the copper precursor, indium precursor, gallium precursor, and selenium precursor are contacted prior to contacting with the aliphatic amine; the copper precursor, indium precursor, and gallium precursor are first contacted to form a mixture, where the mixture is contacted with the aliphatic amine to form a second mixture, and the second mixture is then contacted with a selenium precursor, and the second mixture is degassed and/or sparged with an inert gas prior to contacting with a selenium precursor. In the method (M2), at least one of the shape and/or size of at least a portion of the nanoparticle composition can be controlled. In the method (M1) and (M2), the nanoparticle composition is further at least partially purified by precipitation with a solvent; and at least a portion of the nanoparticle composition comprises a chalcopyrite crystal structure. In the method (M3), the nanoparticles are disposed in a solvent as an ink. In the method (M3), contacting involves an inkjet technique. The method (M3) further involves, after contacting, annealing the nanoparticles at a temperature of up to about 600 (preferably up to about 250) degrees C, where annealing is performed in a selenium containing atmosphere; selecting at least one nanoparticle having a predetermined shape, and then contacting the nanoparticles such that the resulting film has a desired crystallographic orientation; and assembling a photovoltaic device comprising the nanoparticles contacted with the substrate. In the method (M3), at least a portion of the nanoparticles comprise a coating, and further involves, after contacting, removing at least a portion of the coating from at least a portion of the nanoparticles.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The aliphatic amine is a component of a solvent (preferably dichlorobezene). The aliphatic amine comprises oleylamine. EXAMPLE - An exemplary reaction was carried out by adding Cu(acac)2 (0.26 g) and In(acac)3 (0.41 g) to ortho-dichlorobenzene (DCB) (7 ml) in a flask under ambient conditions. In a separate flask, elemental sulfur (0.064 g) was dissolved in DCB (3 ml) under ambient conditions. The degassing of the reaction precursors was done using standard airless techniques. Both flasks were purged of oxygen and water by pulling vacuum at room temperature for 30 minutes, followed by bubbling with N2 at 60 degrees C for 30 minutes. Between 0.5-2 ml of OLA were added to the (Cu, In)-DCB mixture and both flasks are heated to 110 degrees C and combined, maintaining a N2 flow. The reaction mixture was refluxed for one hour under N2 flow to give CuInS2 nanocrystals.