Chemistry
Facilities are available for graduate work in experimental and theoretical chemistry. Students who have not already passed Science German are required to include this in their course of study. The fields of research available in 1995 are as follows.
Analytical chemistry
Separation of particles, colloids and macromolecules by field flow fractionation; flow injection analysis of environmentally significant species; sample modification involving photo-oxidative, microwave and enzymatic techniques, use of biosensors for environmental analysis; chemometrics, real-time monitoring techniques.
Environmental chemistry
Biogeochemical cycling of nutrients, toxicants and natural organic matter in aquatic ecosystems; metal and nutrient speciation studies; studies of eutrophication, heavy metal contamination and site remediation.
Inorganic chemistry
Synthesis and reactions of coordination complexes; organometallic compounds of main group, rare earths and transition metals; metal carbonyls and cluster compounds; mixed metal oxide systems; zeolites. Magnetochemistry; infrared and NMR spectroscopy of coordination and organometallic compounds; molecular structure determination by X-ray diffraction; electrochemical and ESR studies. Kinetic studies of metalloenzymes and related metal complexes; bioinorganic chemistry; platinum anti-cancer agents. Hydrolysis of inert aqua ions. Organometallics as MOCVD agents. Alkoxides in sol-gel deposition of thin films.
Organic chemistry
Reactions of organometallic compounds, their use in organic synthesis and as catalysts for coal to liquid fuel conversion. Organophosphorus and organosulphur chemistry; heterocyclic compounds; polyfunctional catalysis; steroid chemistry; high temperature pyrolysis; new synthetic methods and reactions. NMR studies on carbocyclic and heterocyclic compounds and on polymers; dynamic stereochemistry using NMR. Conformational effects in reactions of alicyclic systems. Mass spectrometry. Synthesis of natural products.
Physical chemistry
Thermodynamic studies of polyelectrolytes, microemulsions, binary solutions, polymerisation processes and optical fibre glasses. Electrochemistry of dissolving and corroding metals, metallic polymers and ionic materials. Kinetics of chemical modification of proteins, of dissolution of minerals, of ionic and oxidative reactions, of organic molecules and of stratospheric air pollutants. Water quality and heavy metals in mine waters.
Polymer chemistry
The kinetics of heterogeneous polymerisation. The preparation and properties of cyclic, ionic conducting and polymer conjugated (`polymer metal') polymers. Cross linking of ultra high modulus polyethylene. Preparation of novel polyurethanes and polysiloxanes.
Spectroscopy
Microwave spectroscopy, including studies of transient species and molecular ions; infrared and far infrared, visible and UV laser spectroscopy of small molecules and molecular complexes.
Theoretical chemistry
Study of electronic structures of many kinds of molecules and ions. Binding energies and electron correlation phenomena for simple systems. Theory of reactivity of organic molecules in ionic reactions. Theory of interstellar chemistry and structure of interstellar molecules.