Preface
Authors: Wu Yuping 
Published: March 2014

Novelty and creativity make life more beautiful and enjoyable! As a result, the International Symposium on Novel Materials and their Synthesis (NMS) was initiated in 2005 [1]. This is the 3rd serial symposium (NMS-III) together with the 17th International Symposium on Fine Chemistry and Functional Polymers (FCFP-XVII), which was organized by Fudan University in Shanghai 17-21 October 2007. The National Natural Science Foundation of China, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Catalysis and Innovative Materials, Shanghai Society of Chemistry and Chemical Industry,and the National Basic Research Program of China (2007CB209700) provided valuable financial support.The symposium was carried out under the auspices of IUPAC.

The main objectives of the symposium were to present state-of-the-art preparation of novel materials, and to discuss their performance and application potentials. The wide scope of the symposium provided a valuable multidisciplinary academic exchange on new ideas and the latest findings for the scientific community. At the same time, the forum gave young scientists the opportunity to meet with the international authorities in their specialized areas and to quickly increase their knowledge. The symposium also opened other doors for the participants to learn something more about Fudan University, Shanghai, and China.

The symposium was joined by 212 overseas participants from 34 countries and areas and some local distinguished delegates. The scientific program comprised 206 lectures and 90 posters, including one plenary lecture and one public lecture delivered by Prof. J. M. Lehn from France, the 1987 Nobel laureate in chemistry. Detailed, active, and lively discussions were covered by the following five themes:

- innovative catalytic and other synthetic methods, including chiral and asymmetrical synthesis

- innovative polymer materials, including supramolecular (supermolecular, dynamers), conducting, semiconducting, optoelecronic, and biobased polymers, their properties, and characteristics

- innovative energy materials, including fuel cells, solar cells, lithium batteries, Ni-MH batteries, and supercapacitors

- innovative nanomaterials and their preparation, characteristics, and applications

- other novel materials, including drugs, perfumes, agricultural chemicals, electrical materials, photosensitive materials, displaying materials, and fine ceramics and their preparation

The program emphasized that novel materials and their preparation are dynamic research areas that are attracting growing interest from researchers, engineers, industries, and policy-makers. Furthermore, novel materials continue to find applications that serve the needs and interests of producers and consumers. Among these, energy and nanotechnologies are two urgent and important themes. A selection of 23 papers based on specially invited presentations to NMS-III/FCFP-XVII is published in this issue to demonstrate the quality and scope of the two themes of this symposium.

During the symposium, the role and contributions of this academic platform to novel materialsand their synthesis are well realized by the participants and sponsors. Holding this symposium inOctober of every odd year in Shanghai is strongly recommended by the advisory board and adopted bythe organization committee.

Yuping Wu

Conference editor

1. Y. P. Wu. Pure Appl. Chem.
78, iii (2006).