Objective
The objective of COST D5 is to contribute to the understanding of fundamental aspects of surface chemistry by developing novel methods for the fundamental analysis and the corresponding theoretical description of surfaces and interfaces at the microscopic level. To achieve this goal requires costly computer facilities and advanced experimental equipment and instrumentation. Thus an international co-operation seems to be indicated in order to overcome the inherent financial and technical obstacles.
Preference is given to problems of potential practical importance and to efforts to establish general principles having practical implications for various technologies. Four sub-projects constitute the hard core of the programme :
analysis and theory of surfaces;
heterogeneous catalysis;
molecular surfaces;
chemistry of highly-dispersed systems.
Current status
The Action "Chemistry at Surfaces and Interfaces" started on 23 Sep 1992. Nineteen countries have signed the MoU; at the end of 1996, 111 groups were participating in 27 projects.
Evaluation of proposed projects was based on the procedure of refereeing used by acknowledged international journals. Special care has been taken to accept only proposals that :
focus on selected highly innovative topics within the objectives of the Action. There must be a clear distinction between the surface chemistry science and other related topics. In this respect collaboration with the COST Action "Materials" and with other relevant COST Actions has already started and will be promoted in the coming year;
demonstrate where the collaboration among various research groups yields new knowledge and strengthen European surface chemistry;
show that the innovative research work in the field can result in various applications.
During 1995 and 1996 the Management Committee (MC) has accepted objectives and topics on Catalysis, Analysis and Theory of Surfaces and Interface Chemistry and Highly Dispersed Systems. A working document for the topic of "Nanochemistry at Surfaces and Interfaces" has been prepared and is now nearly ready for submission. This document will be used as additional working material and will serve the MC for evaluation both of proposals and of annual and final reports of the accepted projects.
On the basis of the working document a workshop on "Highly Dispersed Systems" was organised in 1996 in order to promote work in this highly important field.
The MC has invited principal investigators of the accepted projects to participate at regular meetings to report about the current status of the research. Many interesting discussions concerning scientific, organisational and collaborative aspects of COST action have been extremely useful for future work of MC. Eighteen Working Group meetings, relating to on-going projects, were held in 1995 and 1996.
The scientific evaluation of the results obtained, and an assessment of the benefits of the collaboration and the transfer of research results into practical applications will be performed in February in Brussels and in May 1997 during the final workshop in Nieuwport (B) by two external referees (a well-known expert in the field and an industrial chemist) and two internal referees from the Technical Committee COST Chemistry, on the basis of final reports, joint publications and oral presentations.
COST Action D5 is scheduled to end on 23 Sep 1997 (five years after the signing of the MoU), but the Management Committee has decided that it will be necessary to request a year's prolongation to finish the Action's activities.
Programme(s)
Topic(s)
Call for proposal
Data not availableFunding Scheme
Data not availableCoordinator
1049 Brussels
Belgium