Scientific research fundamental, interactions with applications

Since the fundamental studies of the Russian schools of Dubinin and Kiselev were carried out in the 1960s, the change in the approach of science toward application and concerns about environmental pollutions, directed the focus of scientific research toward studies of the adsorption of VOCs on carbons from the point of view of the feasibility of the removal process. Of course, this feasibility is related to the strength of the interactions, especially important at low concentrations, and the adsorption capacity (for high concentrations). Since that time also more has been done to understand specific interactions with the carbon surfaces, especially those decorated with functional groups containing heteroatoms [62, 63]. 

I could complete this book thanks to the cooperation and interaction with others. For about 40 years, I worked in the scientifically fertile environment of the Laboratory of Physical Chemistry and Colloid Science of Wageningen University, where I was involved in fundamental research with an open eye for applications, especially in the fields of food and health as well as soil and water. I greatly benefited from collaboration and discussions with colleagues, in particular Hans Lyklema, Martien Cohen Stuart, Gerard Fleer, Frans Leermakers, Arie de Keizer, Mieke Kleijn, Luuk Koopal, and Pieter Walstra. 

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