Course detail

Building Chemistry

FAST-BCA001Acad. year: 2025/2026

Select chapters of basic and physical chemistry, chemical bonds, kinetics of chemical reactions, thermochemistry, chemical equilibrium, dispersion systems, dissociation, pH value, hydrolysis, and electrochemistry.
Natural and secondary raw materials for building industry. Chemistry of glass. Air and hydraulic binders, production, chemical properties, setting and hardening. Corrosion of hardened binders and aggregates in the composite materials.
Chemical properties of other building materials, their degradation and protection.
Chemical and electrochemical properties of metals, their corrosion and protection.
Chemical properties of water, waste water, water for concrete production and impact water. Atmosphere, and air pollution.
Selected chapters of organic chemistry. Chemical composition and properties of wood, bitumen, carbon polymers and silicones.

Language of instruction

Czech

Number of ECTS credits

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Guarantor

prof. RNDr. Pavel Rovnaník, Ph.D.

Department

Institute of Chemistry (CHE)

Offered to foreign students

Of all faculties

Entry knowledge

Atomic structure of the elements, periodic table, basic chemical laws, inorganic terminology, simple stoichiometric calculations, basic terms of organic chemistry, an overview of the hydrocarbons and their derivates, principals of organic compounds nomenclature.

Rules for evaluation and completion of the course

Students will be evaluated on the basis of a written theory test, which will consist of 4 questions of 20 points each and recalculated credit points (max. 20 points). The limit for successfully completing the exam is 50 points (50%), of which min. 40 points must be from theory. The overall assessment corresponds to the ECTS system.


Extent and forms are specified by guarantor’s regulation updated for every academic year.

Aims

The selected chapters of general and physical chemistry that are in relation to the chemistry of building materials.
Chemistry of inorganic and organic building materials, their chemical composition, processes of the formation of solid structure and the chemical corrosion processes.

Student gets the aim of subject under control, i. e. the selected chapters of general, physical, inorganic and organic chemistry that are in relation to the chemistry of building materials and to the chemistry of water.

Study aids

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

Rovnaník P., Rovnaníková P. Stavební chemie – Modul 1, Obecná, fyzikální a anorganická chemie a chemie anorganických stavebních materiálů, Akademické nakladatelství CERM, Brno, 2014. (CS)
Rovnaníková P., Rovnaník P., Malá J. Stavební chemie – Modul 2, Degradace stavebních materiálů a chemie kovů, Akademické nakladatelství CERM, Brno, 2014. (CS)

Recommended reading

Hewlett P. C. Lea’s Chemistry of Cement and Concrete, Butterworth Heinemann, 4th edition, Oxford, 1998. (EN)
Zumdahl S. S. Chemistry, D. C. Heath and Company, USA, 1986. (EN)

Classification of course in study plans

  • Programme BPA-SI Bachelor's 1 year of study, summer semester, compulsory

  • Programme BPC-SI Bachelor's

    specialization VS , 1 year of study, summer semester, compulsory

  • Programme BKC-SI Bachelor's 1 year of study, summer semester, compulsory

Type of course unit

 

Lecture

26 hod., optionally

Teacher / Lecturer

prof. RNDr. Pavel Rovnaník, Ph.D.

Syllabus

  • 1. Atomic mass, the mole, composition of nucleous, isotopes, radioactivity, atomic structure.
  • 2. Quantum numbers, Pauli principle, Aufbau principle, Hund’s rule, periodic trends in atomic properties, periodic table.
  • 3. Chemical bonds, polarity of bonds, chemical equations, stoichiometry, dissociation, pH.
  • 4. Chemical kinetics, reaction rates, activated complex, catalysis, thermochemistry, chemical equilibrium.
  • 5. Phase states of matter, gases, liquids, solids, crystallography.
  • 6. Dispersions – gels, suspensions, aerosols, emulsion, colloids, real solutes, tezides.
  • 7. Properties of selected inorganic compounds of carbon and silicon, chemistry and degradation of glass.
  • 8. Chemical composition and properties of natural and secondary raw materials used i building industry
  • 9. Production, composition and chemical properties of lime, hydraulic lime, gypsum plaster, Portland cement, and high alumina cement.
  • 10. Corrosion of binders, protection against degradation processes.
  • 11. Electrochemistry, galvanic cells, standard reduction potentials, electrolysis, metals and their corrosion.
  • 12. Chemistry of water and atmosphere. Chemical composition of wood and deterioration of timber structures. Bitumens.
  • 13. Composition of polymers based on the carbon chain, their chemical stability. Composition and properties of silicones, chemical durability.

Exercise

26 hod., compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

prof. RNDr. Pavel Rovnaník, Ph.D.

Syllabus

  • 1. Information regardeing laboratory session.
  • 2. Acids.
  • 3. Bases.
  • 4. Neutralization and hydrolysis of slts.
  • 5. Oxidation and reduction.
  • 6. Lime, plaster of Paris.
  • 7. Cements.
  • 8. Other building materials.
  • 9. Water.
  • 10. Water in consuption and the environment.
  • 11. Metals.
  • 12. Properties of selected organic compounds.
  • 13. Final test.