[Neutron] 1st Announcement for Workshop on Scattering on Liquid-Liquid Interfaces

[Gutberlet Thomas]

1st Announcement for Workshop on Scattering on Liquid-Liquid Interfaces

June 22-24 2007 

Comwell Borupgaard Hotel and Conference Center in Snekkersten, Denmark. 
http://sinq.web.psi.ch/sinq/instr/amor/ws/liquid-ws.html

An international workshop on the topic of scattering from liquid-liquid interfaces by x-rays and neutrons will be organized from June 22-24 2007 at the Comwell Borupgaard Hotel and Conference Center in Snekkersten, Denmark. 

An outstanding problem in studies of interfacial phenomena is the determination of structure at liquid-liquid interfaces. Their structure is relevant, for example, to the understanding of electron and molecular transfer across biological membranes and to the partitioning of solvents and metal ions across liquid-liquid interfaces often important in addressing environmental issues. X-ray reflectivity is one of the few techniques available for structural investigation of liquid-liquid interfaces. Although neutron reflectivity has been used to study mixed surfactant monolayers at the liquid-vapor and solid-liquid interfaces, its utility for studies of the liquid-liquid interface has so far been limited. The isotopic contrast variation by neutron scattering is a tremendous advantage in the study of structure and interaction of liquid-liquid systems. The option for more intense neutron beams at new spallation neutron sources and the operation of new neutron reflectometers at several existing sources (FRM-II, ILL and outside Europe) opens the new possibilities to tackle the problems of liquid-liquid interfaces with neutrons.

The workshop aims to discuss among leading scientists in the field the opportunities and needs to study liquid-liquid interfaces with neutrons. An overview of the current work on liquid-liquid interfaces will be given, current instrument options and future developments will be outlined and a plan for co-operation in the future use of neutrons to investigate liquid-liquid interfaces will be developed.

Invited speakers at the workshop will be: 

Mark Schlossman, University of Chicago, USA 
Ali Zharbaksh, Queen Mary, University of London, UK 
Oleg Konovalov, ESRF, Grenoble, France 
Metin Tolan, University of Dortmund, Germany 
Alain Gibaud, Universite du Maine, Le Mans, France 
Robert Thomas, University of Oxford (tbc) 
John Ankner, SNS, Oak Ridge, USA 
Jean Daillant, CEA, Saclay, France 
Giovanna Fragneto, ILL, France 
John Webster, ISIS, Chilton, UK 

Interested participants are invited to submit contributions for oral or poster presentation. A short abstract should be sent as soon as possible to the organizers by e-mail <mailto:thomas.gutberlet at psi.ch> . There will also be extensive time for discussion and plans for future collaboration. 

The workshop will be held at the Comwell Borupgaard Hotel and Conference Center <http://www.comwell.com/Default.aspx?ID=3674>  in Snekkersten, Denmark, which is about 60 km north of Copenhagen. This is easily reached by frequent train connections from Copenhagen Airport. Participants who want to travel to the European Conference on Neutron Scattering (www.ecns2007.org) in Lund after the meeting can also take frequent trains with a journey time of a little over one hour. 

The conference fee will be 350 EUR covering full accommodation for two nights and lunch and dinner during the workshop at Comwell Borupgaard. 

To receive the first circular with further information on deadlines, program etc. one can register here via e-mail <mailto:thomas.gutberlet at psi.ch> . 
Further information please find at http://sinq.web.psi.ch/sinq/instr/amor/ws/liquid-ws.html