UNESCO/IUPAC  Lectures


Lecturers Description of UNESCO/IUPAC Lectures

Dr. Jiří Podešva

How to Understand and Deliver Lectures on Chemistry in English

This course is designed to help UNESCO students to participate (both passively and actively) in lectures and discussions on chemistry. General expressions used in science as a whole are also included, as well as basic information on the education in the West, procedures of scientific publishing etc. Correct pronunciation of the chemical terminology is emphasized.

Dr. Jiří Horský

Scientific Information - From Paper to the Internet

Online sources of scientific information have become an essential part of scientific work. Chemical Abstracts, Beilstein CrossFire, and Web of Science demonstrate that the distinction between retrospective databases and current awareness services is no longer valid. Online implementations are more and more relying on the Internet, and the access through web browsers becomes common as well as hyperlinks to the primary sources available through the Internet.

Dr. Jaroslav Kahovec

Nomenclature of Polymers

Fundamentals of the current IUPAC nomenclature of organic compounds are presented.
An overview of the current IUPAC nomenclature of organic polymers, including regular single-strand, irregular and non-linear polymers, is given.

Prof. Antonín Sikora

Properties of Polymer Solutions

Shape and dimensions of a flexible chain. Structure of polymer solutions. Extremely dilute solutions: Osmotic pressure. Diffusion coefficient. Viscosity increment. Rayleigh light scattering. Quasielastic light scattering. Application to determination of molar mass and chain dimensions. Dilute solutions: Thermodynamic interaction - second virial coefficient and its determination. Hydrodynamic interaction.

Prof. Bohumil Meissner

Deformation and fracture of Polymeric Materials

Basic terms relating to deformation and fracture of polymeric materials are defined. Molecular mechanism of rubber elasticity is explained and the relationships between the  modulus of elasticity and structure are discussed. The effects of viscoelasicity are explained using mechanical models. Mechanism of fracure is outlined to explain the great differences between theoretical and experimental strength. The information evaluated from stress-strain curves is discussed for important classes of polymeric materials.

Prof. Ivan Fortelný

Polymer Blends

The lecture briefly summarises problems typical of polymer blends. There is discussed miscibility of polymers from thermodynamics point of view and the difference between meaning of the expressions “miscibility” and “compatibility” is explained. The role of the interfacial tension is described and using of block and graft copolymers at compatibilization of polymer blends is discussed. Brief survey of the methods of blend preparation is given and evolution of its phase structure during melt mixing is discussed. The main reasons for changes in the phase structure of polymer blends at rest are described. Present state of knowledge of the relations between properties and the blend composition and phase structure is summarised. The most important commercial polymer blends are mentioned.

Dr. Petr Vlček

Controlled Polymerization of Vinyl Monomers

Methods of controlled polymerization leading to tailor-made polymers, random, block and graft copolymers, functionalized polymers, etc., with predetermined structure and architecture are briefly presented. The main attention is paid to anionic polymerization in the first part and to the modern methods of controlled radical polymerization in the second. For every method, basic chemistry is shortly given, ie., structure of corresponding initiator, reaction conditions, stability of growing centers, reaction mechanism and synthetic potential are discussed. More, the necessity of specific optimization the reaction conditions in every polymerization method with respect to monomer used and required product is mentioned and, finally, synthetic capabilities of the individual synthetic ways are compared.

Dr. Miroslava Dušková

Polymer Networks 

General features of network formation and structure and their significance in science and applications are outlined. Network formation theories are grouped in three categories: (a) statistical theory of structure generation from units,  (b) kinetic theories of evolution of molecular weight distribution, (c) computer simulation in space. Correlation of structural characteristics calculated theoretically with physical properties of the networks is explained.

Dr. Jiří Pfleger

p and s- Conjugated Polymers

Preparation and modifications of conjugated polymers (polyacetylene, polythiophene, poly (p-phenylene vinylene), polyaniline, ladder polymers, polysilylenes). Electron delocalization in conjugated polymer backbone, electronic structure and excitations (polarons, solitons), doping by electron acceptors and donors.
Device applications: conductive polymers, electrochemical cells, gas and ion FET sensors, photoelectrical conversion in sollar cells, electroluminiscent and electrochromic displays, opto-electronic switches and memories, photonic applications (optical computing).

Dr. Eduard Brynda

Interfaces between Biological and Synthetic Entities

A contact of artificial objects with biological media starts usually with adsorption of biological macromolecules, particularly proteins, on the object surface and its subsequent interactions with biological environment are mediated by a biomolecular layer formed on the surface. Thus, it is possible to control the interactions by specially designed interfacial assemblies of biological or synthetic molecules immobilized on the object surface prior to its application. Antifouling surface coatings resistant to protein adsorption or cell adhesion, or active thromboresistant coatings with immobilized anticoagulants are used when the surface may induce adverse blood reactions or when the fouling with blood plasma or serum may deteriorate a device function. Assemblies containing specific biorecognition molecules, such as antibodies or oligonucleotides, are used as affinity surfaces in biosensors and in separation methods. Assemblies with specific cell adhesives or stimulating molecules on polymeric scaffolds are developed for tissue engineering.

Dr. Jiří Dybal

Vibrational Spectroscopy of Polymers: Contemporary Methods

Theoretical background of infrared and Raman spectroscopy; normal mode calculations; photoacoustic spectroscopy; time-resolved spectroscopy; two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy; infrared and Raman microscopy and imaging; structure analysis of polymers: chain orientation, conformational structure, crystallinity, hydrogen bonding; analysis of polymer blends, complexes and aggregates.

Dr. Miroslav Šlouf

Introduction to X-ray and Neutron Scattering Methods

Examples of the structures of polymeric systems are given. X-ray and neutron scattering methods rank among the most powerful tools for investigation of these structures. Both common principles and specific features of wide and small-angle scattering of X -rays and neutrons are discussed. Basic information on data interpretation and on the structure parameters provided by these techniques is presented. Examples of structure studies include time-resolved studies of crystallization and polymerization, multilayered micelles and linear polyelectrolytes.

Dr. Jiří Brus

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance of Polymers: Modern Methods

Important structural and dynamic information about macromolecular systems bring a lot of one, two and multidimensional NMR experiments, especially those, which are based of polarization transfer and inverse detection. High resolution and high sensitivity of NMR experiments in liquids make it possible to determine the detail structure of complex polymer systems. On the other hand, recent improvement of solid-state NMR techniques made it possible to determine exactly interatomic distances and dihedral angles of insoluble solid organic and inorganic samples.

Key words: Solid-state NMR, liquid-state NMR, Polymers.

Dr. Miroslav Bleha

Polymer Membranes and Membrane Operations

The aim is to provide the participants with up-to-date survey and review of new membrane materials, new discoveries in the field of membrane phenomena and novel concepts in the design of membrane technologies and applications. The main attention has been devoted to relations between the chemical structure and transport properties of membranes allowing to learn more about the current status of and anticipated trends in areas of preparation new membrane polymer composition and their application. Key words: membrane operations, micro- , ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis, electrodialysis, membrane electrolysis, gas separation, pervaporation, membrane distillation, fuel cells, membrane reactors, membrane polymer synthesis, membrane preparation, polymer blends, polymer modifications, membrane module, membrane equipment, membrane technologies.

Dr. František Rypáček

Biodegradable and Bioanalogous Polymers

Bioanalogous polymers can be defined as synthetic polymers that were either synthesised from building blocks of biological origin, or exhibit certain structural or functional features which would be otherwise typical for biopolymers. Biodegradability belong to such features. Biodegradable polymers are studied for biomedical as well as for technical applications. Mechanisms applicable in (bio)degradation of polymers differ between vinylics and condensation polymers. Synthesis and structural relationships of biodegradation of  aliphatic polyesters and poly(amino acids), as typical classes of biodegradable polymers, are discussed and the examples of application of biodegradable polymers are given. Novel methods of polymer synthesis, based on using artificial gene constructs in modified biosynthetic pathways of genetically engineered micro-organisms to produce bioanalogous macromolecules with unique properties are introduced.

Prof. Karel Ulbrich

Polymer Systems for Controlled Release of Drugs

The use of synthetic macromolecules in the development of new drug release and drug delivery systems has been gaining importance in modern pharmaceutical industry. There are systems enabling controlled release of drugs in the living body only (oil droplets and ointments, polymer-coated systems, matrix-based systems, membrane systems and microparticle based systems). These systems are used in a preparation of dosage forms exhibiting protracting drug effect. There is another group of more sophisticated systems enabling specific delivery of drugs and their release only at the organ (cells) where therapeutic effect of the drug is required (targeted liposomes, micelles, soluble drug carriers, ADEPT systems). The lecture focuses on the structure, principle of action, chemical aspects of preparation and some biological properties and effects of the polymer drugs and polymer dosage forms mentioned above.

Key words: drug release, drug delivery, polymer drugs, drug carriers, dosage forms of drugs

Prof. František Lednický

Morphology of Polymers

Polymer crystals (single crystals, lamellar and multilamellar structures, spherulites, liquid crystals), polymer crystallization and its kinetics. Multicomponent polymer systems (polymer composites and blends). Selection of the deformation textures (fracture).