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Scientific and technological quality


      Surface science and surface engineering have been developed since early sixties at the last century. Fast development of these fields was stimulated by progress in vacuum technology. Surface science and surface engineering include studies on formation of surfaces with defined chemical composition, structure and physical parameters as well as studies on phenomena and chemical reactions at surfaces. The results make it possible to select the technology to obtain materials with well defined surface parameters.
      Surface phenomena on the boundaries of solids, liquids and gases play an important role in industrial technology and their recognition can influence engineering projects. The processes important in industry and technology include chemical catalysis, corrosion protection, power industry (fuel and solar cells), processing of plastics, modern electronics of integrated circuits, industry of machine design, and systems of specific detection (membrane microsensors leaning on the modern selective receptor systems).
      Finding out mechanisms of the physicochemical processes, running under known thermodynamic conditions at the phase boundaries, is the way to control the formation or modification of the surface with well defined properties. In order to obtain them it is necessary to carry on the studies applying large set of experimental and theoretical methods which allow characterisation of the surface as well as monitoring and describing the processes running on them. The set of apparatus include: Auger electron spectroscopy AES, photoelectron spectroscopy UPS and XPS (ESCA), infrared spectroscopy IR, isotherm desorption spectroscopy IDS and thermally stimulated desorption TDS, atomic force microscopy AFM, scanning tunnelling microscopy STM, low energy electron diffraction LEED, X-ray diffraction.

      The main problems the Centre is engaged in are:

Institute co-operates with industry in performing evaluations, designing the apparatus and working up the technological methods.

      The following scientific achievements of the IPCh scientists can be recognised as the most important for SURPHARE:

The most important technological studies include:

      IPCh was the organiser or co-organiser of national and international conferences and workshops. During last decade, the Institute took part as the organiser of 44 conferences and scientific symposia, including 27 meetings in 1997-2001.

      The Institute participates in about 150 projects including 14 international projects within:

      The scientists from the Centre of Excellence are involved in the following international projects:

      The scientists of the IPCh actively participate in work of Editorial Boards. They are engaged in 26 Journals. SURPHARE has the representatives as follows:

  1. J. Flis, Associate Editor of Ochrona przed korozją, published by SIGMA-NOT, Ltd.
  2. R. Hołyst, Advisory Board of Physica A, published by Elsevier.
  3. R. Hołyst, Member of the International Advisory Board of Macromolecular Theory and Simulations, published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
  4. A. Jabłoński, Member of the International Advisory Board of Surface and Interface Analysis, published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
  5. A. Jabłoński, Associate Editor of Surface Science Spectra, published by American Institute of Physics.
  6. A. Jabłoński, Member of the International Advisory Board of Journal of Surface Analysis, published by Surface Analysis Society of Japan.
  7. W. Kutner, Guest Editor of Bioelectrochemistry, 2003-2005.
  8. W. Kutner, Member of the A-page Advisory Panel of Analytical Chemistry, 2003-2005.
  9. J. Lipkowski, Member of the Editorial Board of Inclusion Phenomena and Molecular Recognition in Chemistry, published by Kluver Academic Publishers.
  10. J. Lipkowski, Member of the Editorial Board of Journal of Co-ordination Chemistry, published by Overseas Publishers Association (OPA).
  11. J. Lipkowski, Member of the Editorial Board of Journal of Chemical Crystallography, published by Plenum Publishing Corporation.
  12. J. Lipkowski, Member of the Editorial Board of Supramolecular Chemistry, published by Overseas Publishers Association (OPA).
  13. J. Lipkowski, Member of the Editorial Board of Crystall Engineering, published by Pergamon.
  14. J. Lipkowski, Member of the Editorial Board of Wiadomości Chemiczne, published by Polish Chemical Society.

      IPCh has been judged as one of the leading scientific institutions in Poland. In THE last five years, the number of publications in respected magazines exceeded 1100 and the number of monographs exceeded 40.

      The scientific activity of the Institute manifests in many lectures and communication presented at scientific meetings.

      The Institute is the editor of scientific journals and publishing series:

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