For most of the materials developed in the AIME laboratory, tailored or designed surfaces and interfaces are important, both as model systems for detailed study of processes that occur on complex materials and to design materials with new properties for use, such as energy production, catalysis or clean processes for the environment. Research on interfacial activity and properties of colloidal systems (electrically neutral or charged), and natural and synthetic materials (porous, lamellar and hybrid) is being pursued through experimental and modelling studies. The main emphasis is on the interactions and molecular orientations at interfaces involving confinement and curvature effects. Use is being made in of the complementarity between modern calorimetry (immersion, titration, gas and liquid flow techniques) and NMR spectroscopy (1H, 129Xe). Surface characteristics of various solids, and their evolution under varying conditions of use, are inferred from systematic study of interfacial phenomena (adsorption, immersion, wetting, ionic double layer-related phenomena) making use of probe fluids (gases, vapours, liquids, solutions) giving specific interactions with porous solids or nanoparticles. Effort is being focused on deriving quantitative and qualitative correlations among the results obtained. The laboratory is currently involved in the ANR NanoSurf (PNANO 2007-2010) on the relationship between nanoscale particle size and their surface energy, in collaboration with several national laboratories.

A second research area concerns the ionic double layer and kindred phenomena in multi-component systems containing aqueous solutions of ionic surfactants, polymers, and radionuclides. Here the principal challenge is to describe the effects related to the displacement of interfacial water and hydration/dehydration of adsorbing/desorbing ions. Interfacial phenomena are studied experimentally and modelled under conditions of competitive and selective ions adsorption in the framework of an ANR Young Researchers project (2007-2010). A third aspect concerns interfacial phenomena related to mixed colloidal systems containing self-assembling amphiphile structures, molecular substances partially soluble in water, as well as porous and divided solids. The main objective here is to study orientations, locations and competitive interactions of additives within the mixed host structures at various stages of systems evolution. The progress in such research is of great importance to both the conception of solid state nanostructures for energy conversion and storage materials, and the development of advanced applications in the field of environmental remediation, transport of hydrophobic substances in aqueous streams, or drug delivery. Validation of the “LEGO” approach through preparation of multifunctional catalysts and testing for their catalytic performance in reactions including biomass-derived products is be a key point in the conception of new materials for high-added-value applications.