This paper summarizes the results of the investigations on selected topics from the field of materials science, such as: composition and stability of the passive films on metal alloys and the effect of electrochemical and chemical modifications on the catalytic activity and selectivity of Cu-based amorphous alloys as well as of Raney Ni catalysts doped with Cr. Microscopic and surface analytical techniques like scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) provide an in sight into the mechanism of the functionalization of the materials studied. The local chemical and morphological inhomogeneities at a micro- and nano-scale have been monitored. An attempt has been made to find an interrelation between the composition, structure and morphology of materials and their specific behavior in the processes considered.