This issue includes reviews and research papers based on lectures presented
at the 2nd IUPAC Workshop on Advanced Materials (WAM II),
Bangalore, India, 13-16 February 2002.
Preface
The future goals and mission of the International Union of Pure and
Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) must rest on globalization of science and
technology, interdisciplinary unification of chemistry, fast expansion
of the chemical sciences beyond their traditional boundaries, and mission-oriented
service of chemistry. The core scientific activities of IUPAC will rest
on the principles of quality, relevance, impact on broad fields, merging
of science and technology, international dimensions, openness, and communication.
New research fields, where the activity is truly international, are
expected to contribute to high-quality, significant scientific developments
and to constitute the cutting edge for new technologies. In 1999, IUPAC
became involved in the identification, characterization, and recommendation
of novel research directions by the organization of conferences, with
the involvement of the world scientific leadership, on New Directions
in Chemistry. This enterprise has been successfully inaugurated and
perpetuated with a series of Workshops on Advanced Materials: Nanostructured
Systems. The first Workshop
was held from 14-18 July 1999 in Hong Kong, China, and the second
Workshop, the IUPAC Conference on New Directions in Chemistry, Workshop
on Nanostructured Materials (WAM II) was held from 13-16 February 2002
in Bangalore, India, under the leadership of Prof. C. N. R. Rao.
These IUPAC Conferences on New Directions in Chemistry constitute high-quality
core activities of IUPAC, while moving to the new century.
The fascinating and rich subject of nanoscience and nanotechnology
pertains to the synthesis, characterization, exploration, interrogation,
exploitation, and utilization of nanostructured materials, which are
characterized by at least one dimension in the nanometer domain. Modern
nanoscience interrogates and manipulates the unique physical and chemical
properties of nanostructures and their assemblies, establishing the
relations between structure, nuclearelectronic level structure,
electric-optical response, and dynamics to control the function of these
systems. The novel basic science paradigm provides the basis for new
nanotechnologies.
WAM II addressed recent developments in the broad, interdisciplinary
research field of nanostructured materials, focusing on:
(i) Quantum structures, i.e., nanoparticles and nanocrystals of metals
and of semiconductors, nanostructures, nanowires, and nanobiological
systems.
(ii) Assemblies of nanostructures, e.g., nanoparticles and nanowires,
and the use of biological systems, e.g., DNA, as molecular nanowires,
as well as templates for metallic or semiconducting nanostructures.
(iii) Theoretical and computational studies provided the conceptual
framework for dynamics, response, and transport in nanostructures. Strong
theoryexperiment mutual interaction was manifested in this field.
WAM II convened at the J. Nehru Center for Advanced Scientific Research,
Jakkur, Bangalore, India, with its remarkable scientific atmosphere,
providing inspiration to this scientific endeavor. The program consisted
of 20 plenary lectures and 10 invited lectures. International scientific
leaders in the field delivered the plenary lectures. The geographical
distribution of the plenary lectures was: USA, 8; India, 4; Israel,
3; UK, 2; France, 1; Germany, 1; Hong Kong/China, 1. The disciplinary
distribution of the lectures involved chemists, materials scientists,
biophysicists, and physicists. Indian scientists delivered most of the
invited lectures. This provided the opportunity for young scientists
to present their impressive scientific work before an international
audience. In addition to the plenary and invited lecturers, about 50
additional scientists, mostly from India but also from the United States,
the United Kingdom, and Slovenia, participated in WAM II.
WAM II constituted a remarkable scientific accomplishment. The high-quality
lectures were characterized by frontier, up-to-date scientific technological
results and information, merging between experiment and theory, together
with the integration between scientific results and potential technological
applications. The major accomplishments of WAM II involved high-quality
scientific technological core activities, in conjunction with a most
successful and significant pedagogical activity for young scientists.
It was most important for the young generation of local scientists (from
India in this case) to interact extensively with the leadership in the
field.
The International Organizing Committee consisted of Profs. John Corish,
Joshua Jortner, Mostafa El-Sayed, and C. N. R. Rao (Chairman). The Organizing
Committee contributed to the shaping of an important area of emerging
science and technology. Thanks and appreciation are due to the Local
Organizing Committee under the chairmanship of Prof. G. U. Kulkarni
for the efficiency and excellence of the local arrangements and for
the gracious hospitality. We would like to express our gratitude to
the scientific, technical, and administrative staff of the Nehru Center
for the perfect local arrangements.
The scientific program of WAM II reflected on the current status of
the novel field of nanoscience and technology, and its international
participation and appeal. It is fitting that IUPAC should also seek
to promote this important subject through publication of a special topic
issue of Pure and Applied Chemistry devoted exclusively to a
collection of review articles and research papers based upon presentations
made at the Workshop. Those participants who contributed to this issue
deserve our gratitude for their willingness to share their results and
insights with a wider audience.
C. N. R. Rao
Bangalore, India
Joshua Jortner
Tel-Aviv, Israel
* Special Topic Issue on the Theme
of Nanostructured Advanced Materials