Projects / Programmes
Inorganic Chemistry and Technology
January 1, 2019
- December 31, 2027
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 1.04.03 |
Natural sciences and mathematics |
Chemistry |
Inorganic chemistry |
| 2.02.00 |
Engineering sciences and technologies |
Chemical engineering |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| P003 |
Natural sciences and mathematics |
Chemistry |
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| 1.04 |
Natural Sciences |
Chemical sciences |
| 2.04 |
Engineering and Technology |
Chemical engineering
|
Inorganic chemistry, Metal fluorides with weakly coordinating anions, Hybrid compounds, Materials, Reagents, Nanostructured fluorides, Selective fluorinations, Technology and Sustainability, Process safety, Circular economy, Chemistry for the society, Analysis of food
Data for the last 5 years (citations for the last 10 years) on
April 27, 2024;
A3 for period
2018-2022
| Database |
Linked records |
Citations |
Pure citations |
Average pure citations |
| WoS |
533 |
7,147 |
5,055 |
9.48 |
| Scopus |
550 |
7,780 |
5,611 |
10.2 |
Researchers (27)
Organisations (1)
| no. |
Code |
Research organisation |
City |
Registration number |
No. of publicationsNo. of publications |
| 1. |
0106 |
Jožef Stefan Institute |
Ljubljana |
5051606000 |
90,753 |
Abstract
"Inorganic Chemistry and Technology" programme consists of three main sections complementing each other, namely "Inorganic Synthesis", "Materials and Reagents" and "Technology and Sustainability". Continuous flow of knowledge between the sections will be of substantial benefit for the prediction of new compounds, materials and industrial processes, where new compounds could be immediately evaluated for the use in future technologies and identifying process problems, which would directly influence the preparation of new compounds and reagents.
Inorganic Synthesis
Fluorine plays an important role in many areas of chemistry as well as in everyday life. The presence of even a single atom of fluorine in a molecule can radically alter its chemical nature and properties. We will concentrate on the study of compounds of metals/metalloids (Al, Ga, Ti, V, Nb, Ta, Sn,…) with fluorine or other halogens that will contain also large organic cations ([Me4N]+, [Ph4P]+, [LDippH]+), small inorganic cations (Li+-Cs+, [NO]+, [ClO2]+, Cu2+, Ag2+) or different neutral ligands. Our intention is to prepare compounds with new discrete oligomeric anionic or cationic species as well as more complex polymeric compounds with higher dimensionality (chains, columns, layers, 3-D networks). Influence of ligands will be also studied with a special emphasis on XeF4 and its possible modes of coordination. Compounds consisting of metal centres, weakly coordinating anions and XeF5+ cations will be also investigated.
Materials and Reagents
Investigation of nano-fluorides and related materials with unusual properties starting from hybrid compounds will be continued by using different techniques. Previous investigations of nano-materials based on AlF3 will be supplemented by additional in-situ measurements and extended to technically interesting fluorides based on Mg, Ca or Cr together with mixed Al/Si systems. Our group recently prepared new innovative and original types of fluorinating reagents. Their main advantages are thermodynamic stability, ease of synthesis and high tuning flexibility. Further development and research on modifications of these reagents and their reactivity will bring forth many cutting-edge results.
Technology and Sustainability
Our focus will be to support industrial partners and authorities in implementation of circular economy concepts, covering all life cycle stages of a product or service. Besides theoretical studies, our laboratory tests and research will focus on innovative material loops closing for the industry. In the sustainability and process safety research, we will address several different objectives, with the main goal to offer the integrated concept of how to analyse and manage process safety considering the complex dynamics of business systems, that has not been offered yet. In addition, a new approach to the measurement uncertainty evaluation for the determination of the fluorine and food origin will be investigated.
Significance for science
The programme group "Inorganic Chemistry and Technology" is one of the leading groups in the world in the field of the syntheses of new inorganic compounds, especially in the area of fluorine chemistry. The group is one of the few worldwide with the experience to handle even the most challenging and demanding syntheses, and therefore cooperates with a number of laboratories in Europe, Japan, Canada, USA, Russia, Ukraine, etc.
Some of our research results have been very important for basic knowledge in the field of the inorganic chemistry (for example, the synthesis of new binary fluorides NiF3, NiF4, AgF3, research on the noble-gas fluorides as ligands, compounds with Xe(IV) and Xe(VI), chemistry of the Ag(II)). Recently also the research in the field of organo-metal compounds is attracting attention. The impact of the research group for the development of science is evident from many publications, published in the most prestigious journals, such as Angewandte Chemie, Journal of American Chemical Society, Chemical Communication, Dalton Transactions, Inorganic Chemistry, etc. Other activities of the members of the group must be highlighted like invited lectures at international meetings, reviewing for scientific journals, membership in editorial boards of journals (Open Chemistry, Acta Chimica Slovenica, Structural Chemistry). We are proud of the members who presented their research work and reviews in several chapters in books. The most recent are "Photonic and Electronic Properties of Fluoride Materials" and "Modern Synthesis Processes and Reactivity of Fluorinated Compounds" in the new book series by Elsevier Progress in Fluorine Science (2016-2017), "Contemporary use of azophenolates and related species in the determination of metal cations" in The chemistry of metal phenolates. Volume 2, and "Aspects of the energetics of metal [beta]-diketonates and their derivatives" in The chemistry of metal enolates Volume 2 published in PATAI's chemistry of functional groups by John Wiley & Sons (2018) together with Xenon(II)fluoride in e-EROS encyclopaedia of reagents for organic synthesis John Wiley & Sons (2017). Our work is frequently cited in books, which are of crucial importance for the development of chemistry and knowledge transfer. Fundamental research work is a good basis for the research of the materials with special properties and their subsequent use in industry. Applicative research successfully solves specific technological and developmental problems in line with the main EU strategic priorities, such as sustainable development and environmental protection, and at the same time provides to the industrial partners a better understanding of their production processes, cost reduction or improved product quality, and thus improving the partner’s competitiveness in the market. In this sense, the research goes beyond the national and even the European framework and addresses global concerns. In the area of process safety, one of the major challenges remains the development of detailed validated safety performance indicators (for proactive and reactive parts of the actual safety outcomes), useful for operational use (quality of the safety management), as well as for the dynamic risk assessment, which shall reflect the actual situation. An additional challenge is to incorporate knowledge about meaningful safety indicators and risks into the concept of "organizational learning", meaning the active assessment and management of such a long-term process.
Significance for the country
The "Inorganic Chemistry and Technology" programme group is recognised by the Slovene industry in the field of technological research for sustainable development. Concurrently, it is one of the leading groups in the world in the field of inorganic fluorine chemistry, which is excellent for the promotion of Slovenia. Research in the field of inorganic and hybrid materials provides a good basis for the development of new materials with special properties. Knowledge and experiences gained in such demanding research work can contribute to finding solutions to different needs of Slovenian and European industry.
Sustainable development research in the fields of environmental protection and process safety, conducted in the frame of this programme, have direct importance for the economic sector. In close collaboration with industrial partners and governmental agencies, the programme ensures that we remain a part of global development. The analyses and research of processes, procedures and products will be performed with the objectives of reduced environmental burdening, cost reduction by closing the material flows, and increased competitiveness of industrial partners or their associations. The process-safety research provides transfer of new knowledge directly to the industrial partners (e.g., analyses, audits, trainings, consultations) and technical support to the national competent authorities appointed for the enforcement of the legislation (e.g., expert reviews, analyses). The connection also applies vice-versa, as the process safety research is usually carried-out in close cooperation with industry, as well as with the authorities.
EU recognized Circular Economy (CE) as one of the pillars in overcoming the global problems related to overusing the natural resources beyond the carrying capacity of the Earth. Slovenia undertakes the Circular change efforts very seriously with clear objectives (e.g. the Slovenia Development Strategy 2030, adopted in December 2017), and members of the programme group are involved in preparation of a Roadmap for transition to the Circular Economy in Slovenia for the Slovenian Government in 2018. The roadmap identifies the positive CE examples already adopted by companies in Slovenia, industrial and manufacturing areas with potential to achieve high circularity results, and CE indicators by which the circularity targets will be defined, circularity solutions measured, and trends of transition from linear to circular economy followed. An important influence for the further development of Slovenia in the future is also linked to education. Members of the programme group are involved in all levels of education. They actively participate in the Jožef Stefan International Postgraduate School as lecturers and as mentors to M.Sc. and Ph.D. students. In addition, the School of Experimental Chemistry continues to maintain its very important relations with elementary, secondary schools and even kindergartens through experimental courses performed in a specialized laboratory or through presentations of chemical experiments. Such forms of non-formal education are in agreement with the European guidelines suggesting arousing more interest in technical and natural science studies among young people.
Most important scientific results
Interim report
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Interim report
