Felületkémia

Felületkémia is the branch of chemistry that studies chemical phenomena that occur at the interfaces of phases or at solid surfaces. These interfaces can be between different solid materials, or between a solid and a liquid, a solid and a gas, or a liquid and a gas. Surface chemistry is crucial in understanding many natural and industrial processes. Key phenomena studied include adsorption, where atoms, ions or molecules from a substance adhere to a surface, and catalysis, where a catalyst is used to speed up a chemical reaction, often at a solid surface. The properties of materials are often dominated by their surface characteristics, especially for nanomaterials where the surface area to volume ratio is very high. Applications of surface chemistry are widespread, including in areas like detergency, paints, plastics, pharmaceuticals, and in the development of new materials for electronics and energy storage. Understanding the interactions at interfaces allows for the design and control of chemical reactions and material properties.