Course detail

Photochemistry

FCH-MA_FCPAcad. year: 2025/2026

Fundamental principles, structure of electronic excited states, electronic absorption spectra, static and dynamic properties of excited states, Jablonski diagram and transitions between electronic excited states, kinetics of photophysical and photochemical processes. Sources of UV radiation. Basics of photochemical reactions, photocatalytic reactions. Imaging systems, photochemical imaging systems (light sensitive polymers, others), UV curing technology and systems, electrophotography, photodegradation and photostabilization of polymer materials, environmental photochemical processes and technologies.

Language of instruction

English

Number of ECTS credits

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Guarantor

prof. Ing. Michal Veselý, CSc.

Department

Institute of Physical and Applied Chemistry (ÚFSCH)

Offered to foreign students

The home faculty only

Entry knowledge

Not applicable.

Rules for evaluation and completion of the course

Not applicable.

Aims

To provide an overview of the concepts of photochemistry as a scientific discipline and their application potential.
Theoretical background of photochemistry and photophysics, photochemical reactions of organic, inorganic and macromolecular compounds, polymer imaging systems and photopolymerizable systems and their use, photodegradation and photostabilisation of polymer materials, background of photochemical reactions in atmosphere.

Study aids

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

Brian Wardle: Principles and Applications of Photochemistry, Wiley 2009 (EN)

Type of course unit

Lecture

26 hod., optionally

Teacher / Lecturer

prof. Ing. Michal Veselý, CSc.

Syllabus

1 Introductory Concepts
1.1 The quantum nature of matter and light
1.2 Modelling atoms: atomic orbitals
1.3 Modelling molecules: molecular orbitals
1.4 Modelling molecules: electronic states
1.5 Light sources used in photochemistry (mercury lamp and lasers)
1.6 Efficiency of photochemical processes: quantum yield
2 Light Absorption and Electronically-excited States
2.1 The Beer-Lambert law
2.2 The physical basis of light absorption by molecules
2.3 Absorption of light by organic molecules
3 The Physical Deactivation of Excited States
3.1 Jablonski diagrams
3.2 Excited-state lifetimes
4 Radiative Processes of Excited States
4.1 Fluorescence and fluorescence spectra
4.2 Fluorescence quantum yield
4.3 Molecular fluorescence in analytical chemistry
4.4 Phosphorescence
4.5 Delayed fluorescence
4.6 Lanthanide luminescence
5 Intramolecular Radiationless Transitions of Excited States
5.1 The energy gap law
5.2 The Franck-Condon factor
5.3 Selection rules for intersystem crossing
6 Intermolecular Physical Processes of Excited States
6.1 Quenching Processes
7 Investigating Some Aspects of Photochemical Reaction Mechanisms
7.1 Information from electronic spectra
7.2 Triplet-quenching studies
7.3 Sensitisation
8 Semiconductor Photochemistry
8.1 Solar energy conversion by photovoltaic cells
8.2 Semiconductors as sensitisers for water splitting
8.3 Semiconductor photocatalysis
8.4 Semiconductor – photoinduced superhydrophilicity
9 Imaging systems, photochemical imaging systems
9.1 Photoresists
9.2 UV curing technology

Guided consultation in combined form of studies

26 hod., optionally

Teacher / Lecturer

prof. Ing. Michal Veselý, CSc.