Department of Inorganic Technology

Granting Departments:	Department of Inorganic Technology
Study Programme/Specialization:	Chemistry and Chemical Technologies ( in English language )
Supervisor:	doc. Ing. Jaromír Hnát, Ph.D.

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Alkaline energy conversion technologies represent one of the promising ways to increase the utilization of the installed renewable sources of energy. The advantage of the alkaline technologies lies in the possibility to avoid the necessity of the utilization of the Pt-group metals as catalysts for electrode reactions. On the other hand, the intensity of these technologies is generally lower when compare to alternatives. This work focuses on the synthesis and optimization of the new catalysts, their testing using standard procedures and under the real conditions of the energy conversion devices.

Granting Departments:	Department of Inorganic Technology
Study Programme/Specialization:	Chemistry and Chemical Technologies ( in English language )
Supervisor:	doc. Dr. Ing. Vlastimil Fíla

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The high attention on the processes of transformation of methane (C2, C3 hydrocarbons eventually) from natural gas or biogas to higher value products is paid at present time. The processes such as non-oxidative catalytic methane aromatization, selective oxidation to methanol or dimethyl ether are used. The suitable catalyst for chosen process will be developed. The effect of the reaction conditions, catalyst carrier and formation of active phase on catalyst on the methane conversion, catalyst stability and yield of products will be studied.

Granting Departments:	Department of Inorganic Technology
Study Programme/Specialization:	Chemistry and Chemical Technologies ( in English language )
Supervisor:	doc. Ing. Martin Paidar, Ph.D.

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Electrochemical methods are suitable for water treatment due its simplicity and high efficiency. Main disadvantage is usually high price. Therefore electrochemical methods are used in the case of water of high salinity or otherwise contaminated. This is not possible to be treated by biochemical methods. Application of individual method has to be evaluated with respect to the direct process water composition.

Granting Departments:	Department of Inorganic Technology
Study Programme/Specialization:	Chemistry and Chemical Technologies ( in English language )
Supervisor:	doc. Ing. Tomáš Bystroň, Ph.D.

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A highly selective oxidations of organic compounds belongs, especially in the case of highly added value products, among highly attractive processes. At present, such conversions are usually achieved using oxidation agents based on often toxic transition metals such as Cr(VI), Mn(VII), Ru(VI) či Os(VIII). An interesting „green“ alternatives to these oxidants represent benign hypervalent iodine based organic oxidation agents. The work will be focused on investigation of electrochemical behaviour of these compounds and their precursors. A motivation of the work is to use electrochemical oxidation for the production of hypervalent iodine oxidants allowing their application as industrial scale.

Granting Departments:	Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava Department of Inorganic Technology
Study Programme/Specialization:	Chemistry and Chemical Technologies ( in Czech language , Double Degree )
Supervisor:	doc. Ing. Jaromír Hnát, Ph.D. doc. Ing. Matilda Zemanová, PhD.

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The aim of this project is the development of an efficient electrocatalyst for cathodic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in an alkaline environment. Developed catalyst will be based on galvanic modification of the appropriate substrate by non-Pt elements of transition metal group. After identification of the substrate, optimal coating’s properties and deposition method the technique will be transferred to the 3D porous electrodes to enhance process efficiency and tested in a laboratory and pilot scale alkaline water electrolysis cell.

Granting Departments:	Department of Inorganic Technology
Study Programme/Specialization:	Chemistry and Chemical Technologies ( in English language )
Supervisor:	doc. Ing. Martin Paidar, Ph.D.

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High temperature water electrolysis represents a modern technology closely related to the optimization of operational conditions of the traditional as well as novel high capacity power sources used nowadays to the stabilization of the electricity distribution grid. Stabilization requirement is caused by the strongly increasing capacity of the unstable renewable energy sources connected to the distribution grid.

Granting Departments:	Department of Inorganic Technology
Study Programme/Specialization:	Chemistry and Chemical Technologies ( in English language )
Supervisor:	doc. Ing. Tomáš Bystroň, Ph.D.

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An attention of the numerous laboratories around a globe is focused on the issue of the PEM type fuel cells operational temperature increase above 100 ºC. The globaly accepted approach to solve this problem consists in application of basic polymers impregnated with phosphoric acid as an electrolyte and carbon supported Pt nanoparticles as an electrolyte. The main obstacle of this approach represents leaching of the phosphoric acid into the catalytic layer and its corrosion aggressivenes at the fuel cell operational conditions. Solution of this issue, together with understanding understanding of the degradation processes at elevated temperature represents basic requirement for further development and wider application of this technology in future.

Granting Departments:	Department of Inorganic Technology
Study Programme/Specialization:	Chemistry and Chemical Technologies ( in English language )
Supervisor:	doc. Ing. Tomáš Bystroň, Ph.D.

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Water electrolysis represents an important part of the hydrogen economy considered nowadays as a promising approach to the future securing of the human society with electrical energy. Industrial water electrolysis processes established today suffer from several disadvantages when considering its application in the field of energetics. It is mainly its low efficiency and flexibility. Therefore, this process is a subject of interest of numerous research laboratories around the globe. Electrode reaction kinetics, suitable polymer electrolytes and overall process design represent the main issues studied. Corrosion stability of the individual construction materials is also an issue.

Granting Departments:	Department of Inorganic Technology
Study Programme/Specialization:	Chemistry and Chemical Technologies ( in English language )
Supervisor:	doc. Dr. Ing. Vlastimil Fíla

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The topic of this work is the study of kinetics of N2O decomposition on zeolitic (MFI, FER) and titano-silicates catalysts involving Fe and other transition metals. The work will be focused on kinetic experiments in aiming to develop reliable kinetic model suitable for desing of industrial equipment.

Granting Departments:	Department of Inorganic Technology
Study Programme/Specialization:	Chemistry and Chemical Technologies ( in English language )
Supervisor:	doc. Dr. Ing. Vlastimil Fíla

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Universal simulation programs introduce a tool suitable for design of new and optimization of existing industrial technologies. In the frame of this work the static and dynamic models of selected advanced membrane and/or chemical technologies or their parts will be developed using universal simulation programs. By the help of them and computer experiment the behavior of these technologies will be studied. Verification of developed models by experimental data will be implemented. Aim of the work is the improvement of economic and ecological technological parameters. The universal simulation programs from Aspen Technology will be used preferentially.

Granting Departments:	Department of Inorganic Technology
Study Programme/Specialization:	Chemistry and Chemical Technologies ( in English language )
Supervisor:	Ing. Roman Kodým, Ph.D.

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Mathematical modeling represents an extraordinary powerful tool for deeper understanding of the electrochemical units function and their subsequent optimization. Within the framework of this project the attention will focus on the mathematical description of the local transport of electric current, mass or heat etc. in electrochemical and electromembrane systems (fuel cells, PEM electrolysis, electrodialysis, solid-oxide high temperature electrolysis) and investigation of mechanism and kinetics of electrochemical reactions. The models formulated on the base of PDE equations will be implemented to simulate systems with a practical impact.

Granting Departments:	Department of Inorganic Technology
Study Programme/Specialization:	Chemistry and Chemical Technologies ( in English language )
Supervisor:	doc. Ing. Martin Zlámal, Ph.D.

Annotation

Membrane separations are widely used especially in the water treatment processes. Another key application is in the field of chemical industry, where concentrated solutions are mostly used. However, higher concentrations of solutions bring several problems such as back diffusion, solubility limit and membrane stability to the separation process. It is therefore necessary to understand and describe these phenomena and their influence on the membrane separation process itself to predict the long-term a behaviour of the system.

Granting Departments:	KU Leuven, Belgium Department of Inorganic Technology
Study Programme/Specialization:	Chemistry and Chemical Technologies ( in Czech language , Double Degree )
Supervisor:	doc. Dr. Ing. Vlastimil Fíla prof. Ivo Vankelecom

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Gas membrane separation represents the perspective and energy-saving alternative with respect to the present separation processes (PSA, TSA, amine extraction, rectification, etc.). Most of the membranes industrially applied are based on polymeric materials having low permeability and/or selectivity. In the frame of this work the mixed matrix membranes combining the perspective properties of both, microporous and polymeric membranes, will be prepared and characterized. The microporous material e.g. ZIF-8, silicalite-1, ETS, FAU, TS-1, AFX, MOF, or their post-synthesis modified variants will be used as filler, and combined with polymeric matrix based on newly synthesized and/or industrially available polymers. The aim of this study is the preparation and characterization of membranes for different industrial applications. The target application will be defined upon agreement based on the actual research carried out in cooperating laboratories (e.g. processing of exhaust gases from power plants and other industrial processes, separation of CO2 from biogas, separation of H2 from streams containing CO2 and/or hydrocarbons, separation of hydrocarbons, etc.). In the frame of this work, the problematics of polymer-filler interactions and the development of new materials aiming to increase the thermal and chemical stability, selectivity, and permeability of prepared membranes will be studied.

Granting Departments:	Department of Inorganic Technology
Study Programme/Specialization:	Chemistry and Chemical Technologies ( in English language )
Supervisor:	prof. Dr. Ing. Josef Krýsa

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Air polution represents a significant problem which can be conveniently solved by an application of photocatalytic processes. Therefore the aim of the present thesis is the preparation of new photocatalytically active composite materials based on TiO2 and the determination of their adsorption and photocatalytic properties. Titanium dioxide nanotubes prepared by anodic oxidation show a larger active area (compared to planar samples), allowing more efficient removal of polutants from the gaseous phase. The influence of various modifications of TiO2 nanotubes and of operating parameters (flow, humidity and UV intensity) on photocatalytic efficiency will be investigated. The goal is to get the material having at the same time good adsorption properties and at the same time a high ability to remove unwanted volatile substances in the air. Part of the work will use the standard ISO tests for monitoring the kinetics of oxidation reactions (NOx, VOCs) on the surface of the prepared photocatalysts. The important part is the characterization of materials/coatings (XRD, SEM, BET, Raman spectroscopy) and further development of methods allowing the testing of functional properties of the prepared materials/coatings in air treatment.

Granting Departments:	Department of Inorganic Technology
Study Programme/Specialization:	Chemistry and Chemical Technologies ( in English language )
Supervisor:	prof. Dr. Ing. Josef Krýsa

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Production of hydrogen as an alternative energy source/carrier is becoming recently very important and intensively studied process. One of the promising options is direct production of hydrogen from water via solar light. Very important process is also removal of persistent pollutants in waters by advanced oxidation processes, one of them is photo-electrochemical oxidation. The topic of the present thesis is the preparation of semiconductor photoanodes and photocathodes (eg. WO3, BiVO4, CuO, CuFeO2, atd.) for photo-electrochemical water splitting or photo-electrochemical removal of persistent pollutants. Different methods of preparation (aerosol pyrolysis, spray pyrolysis, etc. ) will be used and the resulting films will be characterised (XRD, GDS, UV-VIS, BET, SEM) and their photo-electrochemical properties (open circuit potential, photocurrent, IPCE) evaluated. The attention will be given to the influence of composition, crystalline phase, layer thickness and porosity. The best photoanode and photocathode layers will be applied in the tandem solar photo-electrochemical cell and its efficiency for water decomposition to hydrogen and oxygen by sunlight will be determined.

Granting Departments:	Department of Inorganic Technology
Study Programme/Specialization:	Chemistry and Chemical Technologies ( in English language )
Supervisor:	prof. Dr. Ing. Josef Krýsa

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A photoelectric chemical system involving a photoanode, photocathode, membrane and suitable ox/red couple allows the conversion of solar energy into chemical energy. The theme of this thesis is the investigation of possible systems for solar energy conversion with a focus on suitable photoanode and photocathode materials and their combination with suitable electrolytes. Part of the work will be the preparation of selected photoanode or photocathode materials (e.g. Fe2O3, ZnO, WO3, BiVO4, CuO, CuFeO2, etc.) and investigation of their behaviour during long-term photoelectric polarization. Different methods of preparation (aerosol pyrolysis, spray pyrolysis, etc. ) will be used and the resulting films will be characterised (XRD, GDS, UV-VIS, BET, SEM) and their photo-electrochemical properties (open circuit potential, photocurrent, IPCE) evaluated. The attention will be given to the influence of composition, doping, crystalline phase, layer thickness and porosity.

Granting Departments:	Department of Inorganic Technology
Study Programme/Specialization:	Chemistry and Chemical Technologies ( in English language )
Supervisor:	doc. Ing. Jaromír Hnát, Ph.D.

Annotation

Polymer ion selective materials are well established in the many technologies including the environment protection, food industry and large scale production of the basic chemical substances. Energy conversion devices represent the recent but sharply growing field of the ion selective membrane utilization. The work is focused on the complex characterisation of the physio-chemical and electrochemical properties of the developmental ion selective polymer electrolytes.

Granting Departments:	Department of Inorganic Technology
Study Programme/Specialization:	Chemistry and Chemical Technologies ( in English language )
Supervisor:	doc. Dr. Ing. Vlastimil Fíla

Annotation

Gas membrane separation represents one of the perspective and energy saving alternative with respect to the present separation processes (PSA, TSA etc.). In the frame of this work the mixed matrix membranes, combining the perspective properties of the both, microporous and polymeric membranes, will be prepared and characterized. The microporous material e.g. ZIF-8, silicalite-1, ETS, FAU, TS-1, AFX, MOF will be used as filler and combined with polyimide matrix. The key issue of mixed matrix membranes preparation which needs to be solved is the adhesion and interface interactions of filler and polymer because of their effects on compactness and selectivity of membrane. The aim of this study is evaluation of different possibilities of microporous and polymer phase modifications with respect to the compactness of membranes and their selectivity and permeability in selected systems of hydrocarbons, CO₂ and H₂.

Granting Departments:	Department of Inorganic Technology
Study Programme/Specialization:	Chemistry and Chemical Technologies ( in English language )
Supervisor:	prof. Dr. Ing. Josef Krýsa

Annotation

The main scope of this work is preparation of photocatalytic active coatings/ paints based on TiO₂ a ZnO on the appropriate substrate (ceramics, glass, metals, facades, hydraulic binders) by different methods. The important part of the work is films characterization (XRD, SEM, Raman spectroscopy) and development of methods for testing photoactivity and hydrophilic and antibacterial properties of prepared layers. Studied parameters will be the methods of precursor deposition (dip-coating, spraying) and the influence of the binder in the coating and the substrate.

Granting Departments:	Department of Inorganic Technology
Study Programme/Specialization:	Chemistry and Chemical Technologies ( in English language )
Supervisor:	doc. Ing. Miloslav Lhotka, Ph.D.

Annotation

Scanning isotherms provide important information about the pore network geometry, including its connectivity and pore size distribution, which cannot be revealed from the main adsorption and desorption isotherms. To analyze the connectivity of the porous network in ordered mesoporous materials, N2 adsorption–desorption isotherms and their corresponding scanning of the hysteresis loops at temperature 77 K will be studied.

Granting Departments:	Department of Inorganic Technology
Study Programme/Specialization:	Chemistry and Chemical Technologies ( in English language )
Supervisor:	prof. Dr. Ing. Karel Bouzek

Annotation

Water electrolysis represents an important part of the hydrogen economy considered nowadays as a promissing approach to the future securing of the human society with electrical energy. Industrial water electrolysis processes established today suffer from several disadvantages when considering its application in the field of energetics. It is mainly its low efficiency and flexibility. Therefore, this process is a subject of interest of numerous research laboratories arround the globe. Electrode reaction kinetics, suitable polymer electrolytes and overall process design represent the main issues studied. Corrosion stability of the individual construction materials is also an issue.