This course will be dedicated to the application of surface analytical techniques for the characterization of nanostructured materials and the understanding of their reactivity. Applications to innovative materials relevant for industries will be provided during the course.

Capabilities and limitations of quantitative analysis with the most commonly used surface-analytical methods: XPS or ESCA, AES and SIMS.The emphasis is on the acquisition of a sound basis in qualitative and quantitative analysis of experimental data based on practical examples and exercises from tribology, polymer science, biomaterials, passivity, etc.