Corrosion of materials in aqueous environments impinges on innumerable areas of everyday life from the failure of large scale industrial components to the degradation of medical implants, and from the long term containment of nuclear waste to the development of environmentally less damaging automobiles. Not surprisingly, therefore, extensive research efforts are underway to investigate the basic mechanisms controlling corrosion processes and to develop methodologies and procedures to control them.

These efforts have been aided by the development of increasingly sensitive experimental techniques and analytical probes to characterize and understand corrosion processes on a scale unimaginable a decade ago. In addition, it has proven necessary to adopt a combined experimental/modelling/computational approach, not only to determine essential basic mechanisms but also to determine reliable life predictions and fitness-for-service guidelines for major infrastructure, such as nuclear power plants, gas transmission pipelines and household water supply networks.

Many of these gains have required corrosion scientists to interface with other disciplines of chemistry, physics and engineering. It is this interdisciplinary approach which makes the study of corrosion science particularly challenging and interesting.

This meeting will continue the multidisciplinary trend established in recent meetings. It will discuss modern experimental, computational and theoretical developments in a range of areas of corrosion science, as well as attempting to cross the boundaries to other complementary disciplines of science and engineering. In so doing it will provide an outstanding forum for information exchange and the dissemination of improved understanding for both experienced leaders and inexperienced students in the field.