TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The nanostructures are arranged on a substrate (10). The substrate comprises a substantially flat surface or substantially nonplanar surface. The substrate comprises alumina, silicon, carbon, ceramic or metal. The substrate is a fiber, weave or tow. The nanostructures comprise nanotubes, nanofibers or nanowires. The nanostructures comprise carbon-based nanostructures, which comprise carbon nanotubes. The volume fraction of the nanostructures within (I) is at least 0.01%. The nanostructures have an average diameter of 75 nm or less. The nanostructures extend a distance at least 10 times greater than the average distance between adjacent nanostructures in each of two orthogonal directions each perpendicular to the long axes. The average distance between the nanostructures is less than 80 nm. The substrate is substantially transparent to visible light and/or infrared radiation. The nanostructures have an average distance between adjacent nanostructures. The fluid further comprises a third population of particles with maximum cross-sectional dimensions smaller than the particles in the second population. Preferred Method: The conformally coated nanostructures have a first average distance between adjacent nanostructures upon exposure to a first stimulus condition, and the conformally coated nanostructures have a second average distance between adjacent nanostructures that is different from the first average distance upon exposure to a second stimulus condition that is different from the first stimulus condition. The act of providing comprises: growing the nanostructures on a surface of a substrate, where the long axes of the nanostructures are substantially aligned and non-parallel to the substrate surface, to form an assembly of nanostructures having a thickness defined by the long axes of the nanostructures. The act of forming comprises: chemical vapor deposition; dry chemical vapor deposition; oxidizing chemical vapor deposition; and initiated chemical vapor deposition. In the method, prior to the act of forming, each nanostructure is positioned relative to an adjacent nanostructure at a distance so as to together define a first average distance between adjacent nanostructures, and, after the act of forming, each nano structure is positioned relative to an adjacent nanostructure at a distance so as to together define a second average distance between adjacent nanostructures, where the first and second average distances are substantially the same or substantially different. The method further comprises: establishing a flow of a fluid containing a first population of particles and a second population of particles, where the first population includes particles with maximum cross-sectional dimensions greater than the average distance between adjacent nanostructures, and the second population includes particles with maximum cross-sectional dimensions smaller than the average distance between adjacent nanostructures; and at least partially separating the first population of particles from the second population of particles by flowing the fluid through the nanostructures. The method further comprises: exposing the nanostructures to a first stimulus condition to establish a first average distance between adjacent nanostructures; and exposing the nanostructures to a second stimulus condition, different from the first stimulus condition, to establish a second average distance between adjacent nanostructures. The method further comprises: exposing the nanostructures to a first stimulus condition to establish a first average distance between adjacent nanostructures; establishing a flow of a fluid containing a first population of particles and a second population of particles, where the first population includes particles with maximum cross-sectional dimensions greater than the first average distance between adjacent nanostructures, and the second population includes particles with maximum cross-sectional dimensions smaller than the first average distance between adjacent nanostructures; and at least partially separating the first population of particles from the second and third populations of particles upon flowing the fluid through the nanostructures. The method further comprises: exposing the nanostructures to a second stimulus condition, different from the first stimulus condition, to establish a second average distance between adjacent nanostructures that is smaller than the maximum cross-sectional dimensions of the particles in the second population and larger than the maximum cross-sectional dimensions of the particles in the third population; establishing a flow of the fluid containing the second and third population of particles; and at least partially separating the second population of particles from the third population of particles upon flowing the fluid through the nanostructures. The first and second populations are substantially completely separated. The second and third populations are substantially completely separated. The method further comprises: applying, to the nanostructures, a first force with a first component normal to the long axes of the nanostructures, where the application of the first compressive force reduces the average distance between the nanostructures. In the method, each nanostructure is positioned relative to an adjacent nanostructure at a distance so as to together define an average distance between adjacent nanostructures, and the nanostructures extends a distance at least 10 times greater than the average distance between adjacent nanostructures in each of two orthogonal directions each perpendicular to the long axes, where the method further comprises applying, to the nanostructures, a first force with a first component normal to the long axes of the nanostructures, and the application of the first compressive force reduces the average distance between the nanostructures. The first force component is applied using a mechanical tool. The method further comprises applying a second compressive force with a second component, where the second component is normal to the average direction of the long axes of the nanostructures and orthogonal to the first component, where the application of the second compressive force reduces the average distance between the nanostructures, where the average distance between the nanostructures is reduced by at least 25%. The method further comprises adding support materials to the nanostructures. The method further comprises: applying a support material precursor to the nanostructures such that the support material precursor is transported between the nanostructures; and solidifying the support material to form a nanocomposite material. The support material precursor is transported between the nanostructures by capillary forces. In the method, solidifying the support material comprises polymerizing the support material. The method further comprises the act of annealing the nanostructures. The method further comprises exposing the nanostructures to a chemical reagent such that the nanostructures are delaminated from the substrate, where exposing the nanostructures to a chemical reagent comprises exposing the nanostructures to hydrogen.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INSTRUMENTATION AND TESTING - Preferred Components: The material comprises a first property along a first dimension of the material and a second, different property along a second dimension of the material. The thickness of the assembly and the magnitude of the force are together selected to compress the nanostructures to form a device having a predetermined level of absorption of electromagnetic radiation. The thickness of the assembly and the magnitude of the force are together selected such that the device absorbs at least 90% of incident visible radiation. The thickness of the assembly and the magnitude of the force are together selected such that the device absorbs at least 90% of incident infrared radiation.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - Preferred Components: The conformal polymer coating comprises a conducting polymer, where the conducting polymer comprises a polythiophene, polypyrrole, polyacetylene, polyphenylene or their copolymers, or polypyrrole, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene), poly(thiophene-3-acetic acid), or their copolymers. The conformal polymer coating comprises an insulating polymer, which is at least one of Teflon (RTM: Polytetrafluoroethylene), poly(glycidyl methacrylate), poly(maleic anhydride-alt-styrene), poly(maleic anhydride-co-dimethyl acrylamide-co-di(ethylene glycol)divinyl ether), poly(furfuryl methacrylate), poly(vinyl pyrrolidone), poly(para-xylylene), poly(dimethylaminomethyl styrene), poly(propargyl methacrylate), poly(methacrylic acid-co-ethyl acrylate), poly(perfluoroalkyl ethyl methacrylate), poly(perfluorodecyl acrylate), poly(trivinyl trimethoxycyclotrisiloxane), poly(furfuryl methacrylate), poly(cyclohexyl methacrylate co-ethylene glycol dimethacrylate), poly(pentafluorophenyl methacrylate), poly(pentafluorophenyl methacrylate co-ethylene glycol diacrylate), poly(methacrylic acid-co-ethylene glycol dimethacrylate), poly(methyl methacrylate) or poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene). The conformal polymer comprises a stimulus-responsive polymer, which is a hydrogel. The hydrogel comprises at least one of poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate), poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-co-ethylene glycol diacrylate), poly(methacrylic acid-co-ethylene glycol dimethacrylate), poly(para-xylylene), or poly(trivinyl trimethylcyclotrisiloxane). The stimulus-responsive polymer is responsive to changes in pH, temperature, wavelength of electromagnetic radiation to which the polymer is exposed, or the concentration of a chemical species. (I) further comprises at least one support material associated with many nano structures. The support material comprises a monomer, polymer, fiber or metal. Preferred Method: The polymer has a first dimension upon exposure to a first stimulus condition, and the polymer has a second dimension that is different from the first dimension upon exposure to a second stimulus condition that is different from the first stimulus condition.