	Permanent, or hard, magnets deliver high magnetic flux combined with high stability against demagnetization. These properties render them essential in modern life: they are key components in efficient motors and electric machines and are integral in energy harvesting and conversion, power generation, sensors and in a plethora of automation-based devices. Permanent magnets are also highlighted as paradigmatic examples of the close relationship between basic research industry and technological implementation, as basic research advances may be directly transitioned to realization of better magnets with enhanced technical performance.  
	Throughout the 20th century, researchers have achieved advances (sometimes disruptive, sometimes just incremental) in diversification and improvement of candidates for numerous permanent magnetic applications. However, earlier researchers did not have the analytical probes and tools that are available today. In the last few years, recent insights derived from advanced tools, design of nanostructured magnets with controlled average crystallite size and orientation, optimized intergranular phase character and directed engineering of intrinsic features via atomic substitution will foster the realization of new materials that may be processed into the next generation of advanced permanent magnets. 
	This chapter is organized as follows: in the first section, concepts and tools utilized by researchers to develop, tailor and enhance the performance of permanent magnetic materials are presented; in the second section, an up-to-date report of materials synthesized and processed in diverse manners for development of the next generation of permanent magnets is described, with special attention devoted to technical achievements obtained on nanostructured magnets.	

	

	