Ion Transport and electrical storage in small systems ("Nano-ionics")

The investigation of electrochemical phenomena in the nanometer range reveals a variety of exciting anomalies of fundamental significance and technological relevance. This applies to anomalies of mass transport and mass storage in nanocrystalline materials and nanocomposites. A bunch of examples are discussed including mesoscopic ionic heterostructures, mesoscopic accumulation and depletion layers at grain boundaries, novel soft matter electrolytes, the appearance of ferroelectricity in nanocrystalline SrTiO₃ and a new storage mode in nanocrystalline Li-battery electrodes.