Gerhard Ertl(German pronunciation:[ˈɡeːɐ̯haʁtˈʔɛʁtl̩]ⓘ; born 10 October 1936) is a Germanphysicistand a Professoremeritusat the Department of Physical Chemistry,Fritz-Haber-Institut der Max-Planck-Gesellschaftin Berlin, Germany. Ertl's research laid the foundation of modernsurface chemistry, which has helped explain how fuel cells produce energy without pollution, how catalytic converters clean up car exhausts and even why iron rusts, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said. His work has paved the way for development of cleaner energy sources and will guide the development of fuel cells, said Astrid Graslund, secretary of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry. He was awarded the 2007Nobel Prize in Chemistryfor his studies of chemical processes on solid surfaces. The Nobel academy said Ertl provided a detailed description of how chemical reactions take place on surfaces. His findings applied in both academic studies and industrial development, the academy said. “Surface chemistry can even explain the destruction of the ozone layer, as vital steps in the reaction actually take place on the surfaces of small crystals of ice in the stratosphere,” the award citation reads. Fields: Surface chemistry Education: University of Stuttgart Technical University of Munich