  Many objects of nanoscopic dimensions involve fluid-tethered chain
interfaces. These systems are of interest for basic science and for several
applications, in particular for design of nanodevices for specific purposes. We
review recent developments of theoretical methods in this area of research and
in particular of density functional (DF) approaches, which provide important
insights into microscopic properties of such interfaces. The theories permit to
describe the dependence of adsorption, wettability, solvation forces and
electric interfacial phenomena on thermodynamic states and on characteristics
of tethered chains. Computer simulations for the problems in question are
overviewed as well. Theoretical results are discussed in relation to simulation
results and to some experimental observations.
