Size-Dependent Effects in Materials for 
Environmental Protection and Energy Application

Radostina Stoyanova1 and Petar Petrov2

1 Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria. E-mail: radstoy@svr.igic.bas.bg
2 Faculty of Chemistry, University of Sofia, 1126 Sofia, Bulgaria. 

Understanding size-dependent materials properties is the most challenging issue in the advanced materials science [1]. To a great extent this is a result of the technological requirements concerning the development of materials with controlled properties, as well as of the recent progress in materials science, nanotechnology and computational chemistry. 
The first workshop of the SizeMat series was devoted to size-dependent phenomena as a promising way to control the materials properties. The thematic area of SIZEMAT-1 comprised materials forming the basis of modern technologies: materials for clean energy storage and catalysts/sorbents for environmental protection. 
The present workshop (SizeMat-2) will highlight recent advances in experimental and theoretical methods to examine materials properties. The focus will be on the materials characteristics at molecular and cluster level and their relation to the properties of the bulk phase. The workshop will also cover materials characterization techniques like spectroscopic and computational methods. 
The sessions on the specific topics will start with presentations of key lectures followed by specific case studies and discussions. Workshop duration of three days is planned. During this time, a book of abstracts will be available for all participants. 

References
1.	I. Ivanov, P. Petrov and R. Stoyanova, Inorg. Chem 49 (2010) 1932.