Laboratory of Applied Thermodynamics

Laboratory of Applied Thermodynamics is part of Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical Engieneering, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Czech Republic.

Laboratory was established in early 1990′ by merging researchers from several groups (V.Růžička, M.Zábranský, K.Růžička) with practically no experimental equipment but with sound expertise in data compilation and critical evaluation (IUPAC supervised compilations of enthalpies of vaporization and liquid heat capacities)

Thanks to cooperation with former member of Department of Physical Chemistry Prof. Vladimír Majer (Universite Blaise Pascal, Clermont Ferrand, France) we gradually started also experimental program in calorimetry and vapor pressure determination (valuable experiences were obtained thanks to numerous stays in Clermont Ferrand and also in Lyon at Prof. Jacques Jose).

Present interests (based on both experimental and computational activities) can be divided into several branches including

• establishing recommended vapor pressure and thermophysical data for calibration compounds (n-alkanes, naphthalene, benzene, ferrocene, benzophenone, anthracene,...)

• establishing reliable thermodynamic and phase equilibrium data for

  • compounds of environmental interest (phthalates, chlorohydrocarbons, polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), terpenes,...)

  • compounds of industrial interest ( large-scale industrial solvents, petrochemicals (PAHs, bitumens), ionic liquids, organometallic compounds used as precursors for MOVPE)

  • model biological compounds (amino acids and their derivatives, alcohols, amines,...)

  • precursors for novel semiconducting devices (mixed oxides of Bi, Sr, Ca, Co,...., layered chalcogenides, doped nitrides,...)

• calorimetric studies of pharmacologically active compounds (polymorphism) and their interaction with polymer matrices