| AVS 55th International Symposium & Exhibition | |
| Biomaterial Interfaces | Monday Sessions |
| Session BI+SS+NC-MoA |
| Session: | Honorary Session for Bengt Kasemo |
| Presenter: | B. Kasemo, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden |
| Correspondent: | Click to Email |
The development of surface science can, depending on ones background and focus, be regarded as a bottom up outgrowth of, e.g., solid state physics towards surfaces (structure, electron structure,..) or molecular physics towards interfaces (collision dynamics, adsorption,…), or one can alternatively see it as the result of a top down process, where technologically important areas, such as semiconductor technology, materials science, catalysis and biointerfaces [1], stimulated development of more knowledge about and better tools to study interface properties and processes. The strength of surface science originates to a large extent from the strong feed back loop between the top down and bottom up processes, connecting a manifold of interesting fundamental questions with a large diversity of applications. Historically the focus of surface science has moved from simple model systems of small molecules on metal surfaces in UHV, to more complex systems in UHV or at higher gas pressures (e.g. in catalysis), to the liquid phase (e.g. electrochemistry), and further to very complex systems (biointerfaces, tribology,…), involving also more complex materials like oxides and polymers. The evolution sketched above is here exemplified by a personal and subjective choice of examples, like surface scattering and charge transfer processes, catalysis, and biomimetic membranes. The “newest” addition on the arena is nanoscience and nanotechnology, which has connected to almost all fields of traditional surface science. Although one can claim in catalysis, and several other fields, that there has always been a “nano-“ element, the control of the latter through fabrication and characterization, is what has changed dramatically over the past decade or so. Specific examples chosen here to illustrate this latter development is taken from nanotechnology for sustainable energy [2], namely (i) so called LSPR applications for solar cells and sensing, (ii) metal hydrides, and (iii) exhaust cleaning catalysis and (iv) fuel cells.
1Kasemo, B., Biological Surface Science. Surface Science, Vol. 500 (2002) 656.
2Zaech M., Haegglund C., Chakarov D., Kasemo B., Current Opinion in Solid State and Materials Science Vol. 10 (2006) 132.