The main objective of the study is to train the highly qualified professionals who will be prepared for independent, creative, scientific and research activities in the field of physical chemistry. Students are trained to formulate a scientific problem independently, propose hypotheses and procedures leading to its solving and attempt its confirmation on an experimental or theoretical level. Critical evaluation of published scientific information and the ability to communicate in English - both verbally and in written form, makes an integral part of the study.

The main objective of the study is to train the highly qualified professionals who will be prepared for independent, creative, scientific and research activities in the field of physical chemistry. Students are trained to formulate a scientific problem independently, propose hypotheses and procedures leading to its solving and attempt its confirmation on an experimental or theoretical level. Critical evaluation of published scientific information and the ability to communicate in English - both verbally and in written form, makes an integral part of the study.

The specialization trains professionals who will be able to participate in highly qualified scientific and research activities based on physically-chemical processes, namely in university departments, the departments of The Academy of Sciences, research institutes, but also in industrial research centres. The graduates are prepared for independent creative work in the area of physical chemistry. Due to a wide range of practical applications of physical chemistry, the graduates can find employments not only in physical and chemical research, but virtually in all chemical or chemistry related specializations.

The admission to the Faculty of Chemistry is conditioned by the completion of the Master's program in the same or a related field. The basic prerequisites for the admission are: interest and aptitude for scientific work, knowledge of the English language and a very good study record achieved in the Master's program (grade point average of all passed examinations usually does not exceed 2.0).

prof. RNDr. František Krčma, Ph.D.

1. Advanced materials for organic photonics

   Advanced organic materials represent a very interesting alternative to traditional inorganic substances used in photonic applications. Organic materials provide a number of potential advantages such as flexibility, low weight, preparation with low-cost material printing techniques, wide range of parameter tuning, low environmental impact, etc. This work will deal with the study of the relationship between (especially) optical properties and the chemical structure of organic pi-conjugated molecules (dyes, pigments). The findings will be useful in applications such as light-emitting devices (OLED), solar cells, organic solid-state lasers, fluorescent markers for the study of biological systems, etc. Part of the work will be the preparation and study of model devices for selected applications. Typical methods of study will include absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy, determination of fluorescence lifetime and quantum yields, and determination of threshold excitation energy to induce amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) and other parameters affecting their function. The work will take place within the Laboratory of Organic Electronics and Photonics (https://www.fch.vut.cz/vav/cmv/laboratore/elektro) at the Center for Materials Research at the Faculty of Chemistry, Brno University of Technology. Within this team, we have more than 20 years of experience in this field, evidenced by almost 200 publications. FCH VUT is a proud holder of the HR Excellence in Research Award by the European Commission (https://www.vut.cz/en/but/hr-award).

   Tutor: Vala Martin, prof. Mgr., Ph.D.

2. Carbonitride-based photocatalytic layers and their plasmochemical treatment

   The project will be focused onto the preparation of carbonitride nanoparticles and thin film deposition using material printing. Further, plasmochemical modification of the prepared layers will be employed to achieve high photocatalytic efficiency and sensitivity in the UVA and blue region of the visible spectrum. Upscaling of layer preparation processes and in-line plasmochemical processing as well as process optimization will be included, too. The thesis is supported by a project of the GACR.

   Tutor: Dzik Petr, doc. Ing., Ph.D.

3. Diagnostics and application of non-thermal plasma in decontamination processes

   Nowadays, the global research is focused on as low application of chemicals and antibiotics in sterilization of both living and inanimate materials as possible. The application of low temperature plasma seems to be a suitable alternative to conventionally used means because it gently affects treated materials and does not produce higher amount of side pollutants. Therefore, the thesis will be focused on the assessment of low temperature plasma suitability for decontamination of solid and liquid surfaces and media. The low temperature plasma will be generated by different electrical discharges. Besides diagnostic methods for plasma characterization, various biological, chemical and material analyses will be employed in order to understand initiated processes.

   Tutor: Kozáková Zdenka, doc. Ing., Ph.D.

4. Fluorescent markers for material sorting

   Disssetation project will be focused on the specific marking of polymers and polymeric materials by fluorescence tags in order to enable automated separation of different types of polymers before recycling. The thesis includes the selection of suitable fluorescent labels, their study and methods of labeling polymers using material printing. The thesis will be part of the NCK II project.

   Tutor: Veselý Michal, prof. Ing., CSc.

5. Non-equilibrium thermodynamics and the theory of chemical kinetics

   The results, which have been obtained within the area of macroscopic non-equilibrium thermodynamics, show tighter links between chemical thermodynamics and kinetics than usually supposed. Thermodynamics delineates the general framework which determines, among other, also the form of rate equations and puts some restrictions on coefficients occurring in these equations. The corresponding thermodynamic theory has been elaborated only for the linear fluids to date and even here some interesting questions remain to be answered. During this PhD study, following problems will be solved successively: • kinetics in non-ideal fluid mixtures, applicability of activity in kinetic equations; • application of the thermodynamic theory on reaction mechanisms with activated complex, study of relationships to the corresponding microscopic theory (of activated complex) and to the preceding problem; • application of the theory on several selected published mechanisms, comparison of thus obtained kinetic equations with the published equations, discussion of the contribution of the novel theory to the praxis of reaction kinetics; • extension of the theory outside the linear fluid model, focused particularly on reacting systems with significant effect of diffusion and on the relationship between the rate of reaction and diffusion.

   Tutor: Pekař Miloslav, prof. Ing., CSc.

6. Photoactive layers with self-cleaning and antibacterial properties

   The goal of the dissertation project is to design and fabricate polymeric photoactive layers based on phthalocyanine derivatives. Methods of deposition of thin films by material printing and their photochemical curing will be investigated, as well as their mechanical properties. Also, self-cleaning and antibacterial properties using newly developed or optimised methods will be studied The thesis will be part of the OP TAK project.

   Tutor: Veselý Michal, prof. Ing., CSc.

7. Photocatalytic oxide semiconductor layers with hierarchical porosity

   The dissertation will cover the preparation of crystalline nanoparticles and binder systems for use in thin film formation. Suitable templating agents will be investigated and liquid printing formulations providing layers with controlled pore size from micropores to mesopores should be designed, utilizing the combinantion of self-assemly and forced assembly approaches. Also, the optimization of layer curing processes will be performed and the physicochemical properties of printed layers will be studied.

   Tutor: Dzik Petr, doc. Ing., Ph.D.

8. Study of electrical discharge initiated chemical processes in prebiotic atmospheres in flowing regime

   During the last decade, a huge number of exoplanets were discovered. Some of their atmospheres seems be so-called prebiotic and thus synthesis of molecular life precursors is probable. This synthesis can be initiated by radiation, star winds, volcanism or by lightning, i.e. electrical discharges. The aim of the PhD study is experimental observation of life precursors synthesis initiated by different electrical discharges generated in prebiotic atmospheres with various compositions. Experimental system will be operating at atmospheric pressure in the flowing regime. The temperature dependence of processes will be observed, too. Electrical discharges will be observed by optical emission spectrometry and by electrical measurements. The gaseous products will be determined by in situ proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry; other techniques will be used partially, only. Whole study will be under the frame of Europlanet research network.

   Tutor: Krčma František, prof. RNDr., Ph.D.

9. Study of plasma interaction with soil environment

   The recent research focusing on non-thermal plasma application in agriculture is aimed mostly on the influence of direct plasma effects or indirect effects of plasma activated water on plant materials. However, effects on the soil environment are still less examined, both from the physical-chemical and microbiological point of view. Therefore, the thesis will be focused on the study of both direct and indirect low temperature plasma interaction with the soil environment. The low temperature plasma will be generated by different electrical discharges. The goal of the work will be a description of plasma effects on the soil physical-chemical properties as well as on the soil microorganisms. Besides methods for plasma diagnostics, various biological and chemical analyses will be employed for the study.

   Tutor: Kozáková Zdenka, doc. Ing., Ph.D.

10. Study of thermal properties of bulks materials

    The work will focus on the study of thermal properties of bulk materials prepared by 3D printing. The experimental part will focus on measuring the properties of materials with additives (pigments, dyes, metals) using surface and point temperature sensors (thermocouple, thermal camera). The work will use a new method based on temperature measurements of responses to the pulse or jump of heat supplied, enabling a comprehensive evaluation of the properties of these substances. A thermal camera will be used to measure the absorption and emission properties of the mentioned PCM materials. Image analysis methods will be used for data processing.

    Tutor: Zmeškal Oldřich, prof. Ing., CSc.

11. Study of thermal properties of phase change materials

    The research work will focused on the study of thermal properties of materials used for heat storage based on phase change materials. The experimental part will focus on the measurement of heat accumulation in different materials by using of dot and surface temperature sensors (e.g. thermocouples, thermocamera). The new method based on the measurements of temperature responses to pulse or jump of the heat supplied to enable a comprehensive assessment of the substance properties will be used. To measure the absorption and emission properties listed PCM materials will be used thermocamera. The data processing will be performed using the methods of image analysis.

    Tutor: Zmeškal Oldřich, prof. Ing., CSc.