Condensed matter chemistry: goals and major scientific issues

The concept of condensed matter chemistry is proposed as a new scientific discipline. It studies the composition, multilevel structure, chemical properties, and reactions of matters in condensed states formed via stable adhesions. This compares to classical chemistry, which studies more localized issues, namely the properties of basic particles like atoms, ions, and molecules and their electron-moving reactions. In this article, we use certain examples from solid-state matters to illustrate some typical cutting-edge research issues related to (1) the multilevel structures, (2) chemical properties and reactions, (3) constructive chemistry, and (4) novel characterization techniques of condensed matters. In-depth discussions regarding key scientific questions of this new discipline are presented, to set a stage enabling us to reexamine the core scientific issues in classical chemistry, that is, chemical reactions, in a fresh but larger context, and to study the relationships among multilevel structures of condensed matters, chemical properties and reactions, and construction rational synthesis and precision preparation for materials in condensed matter states. The goals are to develop/expand the present theories of “condensed matter organization” and “chemical reactions,” leading to the full development of the science of condensed matter chemistry as well as the molecular engineering of functional condensed matter.