Organic molecules as stabilizing ligands for nanomaterials have been used for many years, such as thiols, amines, or phosphors. However, desorption of the stabilizing ligands from nanoparticles surface due to the heat or other chemical conditions remains problematic. In 2014, the Crudden group demonstrated that replacement of sulfur-based ligands with N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) and resulting in an ultra-stable organic films on flat Au(111) surfaces. Furthermore, they recently reported the bidentate NHC-functionalized gold nanoparticles and resulting the most stable NHC-functionalized gold nanoparticles up to the date. Therefore, NHCs are shown great potentials as functionalized ligands for nanomaterials. In this presentation, we are going to present our recent developments from NHC-metal complexes syntheses to nanomaterials functionalizations. In addition, their possible applications will be addressed.