Liquid water is one of the most ubiquitous materials on earth and is intrinsically associated with life. Its anomalous behavior is recognized as the origin of various phenomena in chemistry and biology, so that the basic aspects of liquid water have been investigated from the viewpoint of physics. However, for reasons that include a lack of full understanding of liquid water (despite the accumulation of a vast body of experimental evidence and theoretical approaches), the role of water at interfaces has yet to be fully elucidated. Recent advances in neutron and X-ray scattering techniques have opened up a way to unravel various roles of water at the interface of functional materials. Thus here we propose this Research Topic toward an understanding of the physical chemistry of interfacial water.
Potential themes for submitted manuscripts may include, but are not limited to:
1. The structure and dynamics of water in the vicinity of material surfaces: experimental methods and theoretical developments including computer simulations
2. The self-organization of water and materials at the interface: hydration and hydrophobic interactions, surface charge and electrical double layer
3. The impact of water on material functions: biological (bio-compatibility, protein folding, etc.), chemical (molecular recognition, etc.), and physical (friction and lubrication, crystal growth, etc.).
4. Challenges in operating materials in water: common properties and differences between organic and non-organic materials.
Liquid water is one of the most ubiquitous materials on earth and is intrinsically associated with life. Its anomalous behavior is recognized as the origin of various phenomena in chemistry and biology, so that the basic aspects of liquid water have been investigated from the viewpoint of physics. However, for reasons that include a lack of full understanding of liquid water (despite the accumulation of a vast body of experimental evidence and theoretical approaches), the role of water at interfaces has yet to be fully elucidated. Recent advances in neutron and X-ray scattering techniques have opened up a way to unravel various roles of water at the interface of functional materials. Thus here we propose this Research Topic toward an understanding of the physical chemistry of interfacial water.
Potential themes for submitted manuscripts may include, but are not limited to:
1. The structure and dynamics of water in the vicinity of material surfaces: experimental methods and theoretical developments including computer simulations
2. The self-organization of water and materials at the interface: hydration and hydrophobic interactions, surface charge and electrical double layer
3. The impact of water on material functions: biological (bio-compatibility, protein folding, etc.), chemical (molecular recognition, etc.), and physical (friction and lubrication, crystal growth, etc.).
4. Challenges in operating materials in water: common properties and differences between organic and non-organic materials.
