Chair of Physical Chemistry

1. Address

Chair of Physical Chemistry
Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, Snežniška 5, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Telephone: +386-(0)1-241-9422
Fax: +386-(0)1-241-9437
Head: Prof. Dr. Ksenija Kogej

2. Staff

Professors:
Prof. Dr. Jože Škerjanc (retired)
Prof. Dr. Vojko Vlachy,
Prof. Dr. Gorazd Vesnaver,
Prof. Dr. Jože Koller,
Prof. Dr. Ciril Pohar,
Prof. Dr. Ksenija Kogej,

Associated Professors:
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Marija Bešter – Rogač,
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Andrej Jamnik,
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Jurij Lah,
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Jurij Reščič,

Assiatant Professors:
Assist. Prof. Dr. Barbara Hribar Lee, 
 
Dr. Janez Cerar,

Assistants:
Dr. Tomaž Urbič,
Dr. Črtomir Podlipnik,
Dr. Matija Tomšič,
Matjaž Bončuna,  univ. dipl. kem.,
Miha Lukšič, univ. dipl. kem.,
Bojan Šarac, univ. dipl. kem.,

Higher Associate:
Dr. Andrej Godec

Associate:
Aleksander Vrhovšek, univ. dipl. kem.

Researcher:
Dr. Jožica Dolenc

Young researchers:
Iztok Prislan, univ. dipl. kem.,
Alan Bizjak, univ. dipl. kem.,
Igor Drobnak, univ. dipl. kem.,
Mario Šimić, univ. dipl. kem.,
Andrej Lajovic, univ. dipl. kem.,

Technical staff:
Cirila Peklaj,
Anton Kokalj,
Anton Kelbl.

3. Pedagogical activities

The Chair of Physical Chemistry offers the following courses:

a) Undergraduate level:

30-0010: Physical Chemistry; Vesnaver
30-0011: Instrumental Methods; Pohar
30-0016: Atomic and Molecular Structure; Koller
30-0017: Physical Chemistry II; Vlachy
30-0029: Electrochemistry; Vlachy
30-0030: Surface and Colloid Chemistry; Škerjanc
30-0031: Numerical Methods in Physical Chemistry; Koller
30-0032: Chemical Thermodynamics; Vesnaver
30-0033: Experiments in Physical Chemistry; Vlachy
30-0039: Macromolecular Chemistry; Pohar
30-0046: Physical Chemistry; Vesnaver
30-0053: Methodology of Experiments in Physical Chemistry; Vlachy
30-0064: Physical Chemistry; Jamnik
30-0127: Computation and Informatics; Koller
30-0142: Physical Chemistry; Kogej
30-0156: Measurement and Regulations; Jamnik
30-0161: Physical Chemistry and Measurements; Kogej
30-0171: Physical Chemistry; Kogej
30-0175: Structure of Atoms and Molecules; Koller
30-0186: Biophysical Chemistry; Vesnaver
30-0190: Measurement, Regulations and Automatization ; Pohar
30-1041: Statistical Thermodydinamics; Vlachy, Jamnik
30-8017: Working Environment - Aerosols; Bešter Rogač
30-8028: Practicum - Introduction in the Practice
30-0030: Surface and Colloid Chemistry; Pohar, Kogej
35-007: Physical Chemistry; Kogej
00-209: Physical Chemistry; Bešter-Rogač
00-111: Physical Chemistry; Bešter-Rogač
67-010: Physical Chemistry; Bešter-Rogač
01-303: Physical Chemistry II: Bešter-Rogač
71-004: Physical Chemistry; Jamnik
35-071: Procesna tehnika v živilstvu II; Jamnik

b) Postgraduate level

30-2022: Statistical Thermodynamics of Liquids and Solutions; Vlachy
30-2023: Solution Electrochemstry; Bešter-Rogač
30-2024: Synthetic Polyelectrolytes and Biopolymers; Jamnik
30-2025: Fundamentals of Molecular Modelling; Koller
30-2026: Chemical Thermodynamic; Škerjanc
30-2027: Physical Chemistry of Macromolecular and Colloidal Solutions; Pohar
30-2028: Biophysical Chemistry; Vesnaver
30-2046: Biophysical Chemistry; Vesnaver
30-2065: Physical Chemistry of Polymers ; Pohar
30-2072: Chemical Proces Control; Pohar
1203: Colloidal Cemistry; Kogej, Klofutar
0527: Nadzor in vodenje bioprocesov; Pohar, Podgornik
M13: Physical Chemistry of Polymers; Pohar

4. Our research

We deal with the studies of aqueous and non-aqueous solutions of electrolytes, polyelectrolytes,  surfactants and biological polymers.  Theoretic work is based on the application of methods of  statistical mechanics, e.g.   Ornstein—Zernik and Wertheim  integral equation (HNC, PY, MSA approximation) and various computer simulation techniques  (Monte Carlo method, molecular dynamics).  We also deal with quantum chemistry research based on the method of molecular orbitals and theory of  density functionals. At the  ab initio and semi-empirical level we investigate the systems with hydrogen bond, molecular reactions  of  polyoxides and the mechanism of binding ligands to  DNA. We develop methods based on the relationships between chemical structure and biological activity of the molecule.  
In experimental work we measure small temperature changes resulting from the processes in the system.  Thus we use various types of microcalorimeters, e.g. batch, flow, DSC and titration calorimeters. Other relevant research methods that we apply are:  small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), UV and fluorescent spectral photometry, CD spectral polarimetry and measurements of density,  osmosis pressure, ion conductivity, transport number, and others.   Current studies in basic research encompass the research in hydratation of ionic and neopolar solutes, studies on properties of solutions of highly unsymmetric electrolytes and research of adsorption of electrolytes in non-ordered microporous substances.  Another fields of interest are also properties of  solutions of electrolytes and polyelectrolytes, interactions of polyelectrolytes with surfactants,  micelisation, thermodynamics of binding ligands to DNK and thermodynamics of  quadruplex DNK structures. Another important field is denaturation of proteins.   By small angle X-ray scattering we study structural properties of microemulsions. We have synthesised water-soluble derivatives of fulerene which is a new type of highly asymmetric  electrolyte, focussing now on their properties. We are also active in R&D of crystallisation processes.  

Our research group is currently active in some international projects with NIH, USA, COST projects and some bilateral projects with foreign researchers.  We have established long-term co-operation with universities and institutes from USA  (UC,  San Francisco),  Germany  (University of Regensburg), Portorico (University San Juan), Austria (Karl Franzens Universität Graz, Universität Wien), Italy (La Sapienza, Roma), Mexico (UNAM, Mexico City), Ukraine  (ICMP, Lviv), Belgium  (Catholic Univ. Leuven, Vrije Universiteit Brussel),  Israel (University of Jerusalem), and Sweden (Lund University).

5. Research Equipment

• UV-Visible Spectrophotometer CARY 1 in CARY 5
• Circular Dichroism spektrometer model 62A DS, AVIV Lakewood, N.J.
• Luminescence Spectrometer LS 50, Perkin Elmer
• N-DSC II Differential Scanning Calorimeter, Calorimetry Sciences Corp. & Applied Thermodynamics
• titration calorimeter: 2277 Thermal Activity Monitor, ThermoMetric pre-thermostat Lauda WK 1400
• thermostat Lauda UB 40 (+/- 0,003 C)
• LKB 10700 (flow, batch) calorimeter
• Jones  bridge  for precise measuring of conductivity
• Computer cluster (46 AMD MP 2600+ processors)
• System for small angle X-ray scattering (for solutions)
• Membrane osmometer KNAUER
• Vapour pressure osmometer KNAUER
• Optical microscope  (Olympus) with CCD camera for studying crystallisation
• Galvanostat: 757 VA Methrom Computrace