he research in our group is aimed at several areas of synthesis of inorganic materials. We prepare mesoporous materials with large surface area - phosphosilicates, metallo-silicates, and metallophosphates and inorganic-organic hybrid materials derived from them. We use a synthetic method developed by us based on non-hydrolytic sol-gel reactions, which are unique in that they take place under moisture exclusion and are based on the easy elimination of small molecules. The reactions provide materials with a highly homogenous distribution of components. We also employ molecular building units based on a cubic spherosilicate (Me₃Sn)₈Si₈O₂₀ and incorporate them into porous networks by reactions with metal alkyls or halides and by crosslinking with bifunctional silyl chlorides. The reactions provide well-defined catalytic centers embedded in porous silicate matrices. Another research area is the chemical synthesis of nano- and microfibers by the electrospinning technique. We prepare fibers of silica, metal oxides, sulfides, and elemental metals. The WS₂ nanofibers are composed of inorganic fullerene-like nanostructures. Thermolytic, sonochemical, and reductive reactions are used to prepare nanoparticles of metals, alloys, mixed metal oxides, and metal phosphates. The obtained materials are of interest for their chemical, catalytic, and magnetic properties. Our research is also directed towards the synthesis of new polytopic ligands and their utilization in the construction of polynuclear homo- and heterometallic transition metal and lanthanide phosphonate complexes and functional coordination polymers with interesting properties (magnetic, porous, luminescent).

One of the pillars of scientific activities of our group is the theoretical research of electronic structure and of mechanical as well as magnetic properties of materials containing extended defects (grain boundaries, antiphase and interphase boundaries). We study also the surface effects and properties of surfaces. Here we employ the basic equations of quantum mechanics. This enables us to gain a deeper understanding of internal constitution of materials and relations between their structure and technologically important properties.

An important part of the group is constituted by the Laboratory of Thermal Analysis and Mass Spectrometry. It deals with the study of thermal effects, in particular of phase transformations, thermodynamic properties, thermodynamic and surface processes, and reaction kinetics by means of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), differential thermal analysis (DTA) and Knudsen effusion mass spectrometry (KEMS). The research is focused mainly on the study of thermoelectric materials, nanostructured and nano materials, and related systems.

Another area of the activity of the research group is represented by the theoretical and experimental study of nanoparticles of metals and their alloys. In the theoretical field, we are concerned with the prediction of phase diagrams of nanoalloys and, in particular, with their verification. The focus of the experimental area is the synthesis and characterization of nanoparticles.

The research group focuses on the development of procedures, methods, and materials for the conservation and restoration of objects made of inorganic (metals, stone, ceramics, glass), organic (wood, paper, leather, textiles), and polymeric (nano-fibrous non-woven textiles, rubber etc.) materials. The developed methodologies are designed to be used by workers responsible for protecting and restoring collection items, such as workers in museums, archives, galleries, or open-air museums. The research is further focused on using plasma, specifically optical emission spectrometry inductively coupled plasma in solution analysis (ICP-OES) and in the treatment of collection objects by plasma discharge. The group is also involved in developing methods for analyzing solid samples using X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF) and laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS).

Research group deals with the synthesis of new materials (especially amorphous silicates and metal phosphates with a high specific surface area with an emphasis on anhydrous preparations), their thorough characterization and use in heterogeneous catalysis. Thanks to the thorough characterization and thus detailed knowledge of the newly synthesized materials, the correlations between the synthesis procedures of the samples and their catalytic properties is studied. At present, the group focuses on the conversion of ethanol (to ethylene, acetaldehyde, or butadiene), reactions of epoxides (e.g. with CO₂, amines and alcohols) and related reactions (e.g. MPV reduction of cyclohexanone).