Silicone-containing hybrid systems including functionalized and modified silica nanospheres as well as silica aerogels were synthesized using sol-gel process. The most important advantage of the developed silicon-containing hybrids lies in their high application potential, e.g. for the production of façade paints, polymer nanocomposites, highly efficient insulating materials and other high-tech products for construction industry. The possibility of precise steering of sol-gel process and synergism of very rich silicon compound chemistry allows to obtain materials with strategically designed architecture. Original methods of manufacturing following silicon-containing hybrids such as functionalized and non-functionalized silica nanospheres, silica nanospheres containing immobilized silver and/or copper nanoparticles and silica aerogels were developed. Homogeneous structural properties of synthesized materials were achieved due to carefully selected parameters of sol-gel process. The technology offers a possibility to control the grain size and uniformity of nanospheres by process parameters. The smallest nanosphere size is 10 nm and the largest 600 nm. The properties of aerogels obtained according to the original technology developed in the Industrial Chemistry Research Institute (ICRI) are extremely good and repetitive particularly taking into account their thermal conductivity. The main advantages of the developed aerogels are very good mechanical properties, very low dust formation and significantly decreased costs when compared to traditional silica aerogels.

Abstract. In this work, kaolinite modified with zero-valent iron was synthesized and used as a sorbent for Pb(II) and Mo(VI) removal from aqueous solutions. The obtained material was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The methods revealed successful modification by the Fe 0 particles precipitation on the surface of well-ordered kaolinite. The sorption experiment results showed a significant increase of sorption capacity in relation to the raw kaolinite. The kaolinite with 25% content of Fe 0 was found to be the best material for Pb(II) and Mo(VI) removal, resulting in approximately 500 mmol·kg -1 and 350 mmol·kg -1 sorption, respectively. The possible mechanisms responsible for metals' removal were identified as reduction by Fe 0 'core' and adsorption on the iron hydroxides 'shell'. The study indicated that the obtained material is capable of efficient Pb(II) and Mo(VI) removal and may be an interesting alternative to other methods used for heavy metals' removal.

The influence of 2,4,6-trimethylphenol (2,4,6-TMP) -a by-product of 2,6-dimethylphenol (2,6-DMP) preparation -on the process of poly(phenylene oxide) (PPO) synthesis is presented. Synthesis of the polymer was carried out with solution and precipitation method. 2,4,6-TMP was used in the amount up to 2.2 wt % in both processes. The molecular weights (M n and M w ) and the dispersity (Ð) of the polymers obtained were determined by gel permeation chromatography (GPC). Thermal properties using (DSC, TGA), and the mass melt flow rate (MFR) were also determined. In contrast to the precipitation method, it was found that 2,4,6-TMP had a strong effect on properties of PPO obtained by solution polymerization. Addition of 2,4,6-TMP to the monomer solution caused a decrease in molecular weight of polymers. A change of Ð value and thermal properties were also noticed. An addition of 2,4,6-TMP up to 2.2 wt % to the reaction in the solution polymerization caused increase in MFR, whereas alcohol used in the precipitation polymerization of 2,6-DMP strongly determined properties of the polymer obtained.