The main objective of the Action is to increase the fundamental knowledge and understanding of the chemistry occurring at surfaces and interfaces and the factors that tune it. An interdisciplinary, combined effort is the approach. A fundamental approach is advocated, even for industrially oriented research projects. This requires precisely defined problems at all levels and an interdisciplinary approach i.e. synthesis and activation of the materials; measurement of the surface properties; understanding surface properties at the atomic, molecular or cluster level and theoretical understanding of these properties in relation to chemical composition and the structure of the surface. As a consequence, the secondary objective is to gain advanced knowledge for modelling/predicting of the structure/composition reactivity/surface properties relationships of the materials, by means of characterisation of the bulk and surface properties under real operation conditions and for preparing materials with tuneable properties.
