Laboratory of Technology of Novel Functional Materials

The group explores the synthesis and physicochemical properties of new chemical compounds – both in the solid state (‘extended’ i.e. 1D, 2D, 3D) and molecular (‘0D’). Combinations of diverse chemical elements together with a offer / a rich diversity of structures and properties of stoichiometries appearing in the phase diagrams. We focus on their electric, magnetic, thermal, and other properties, as well as their chemical reactivity.

Our interdisciplinary research is situated at the intersection of chemistry of novel materials, physical chemistry, solid state physics, and computer modeling (utilizing quantum chemistry methods). The groups of most intensely explored systems encompass novel magnetic and electronic materials based on divalent silver, Ag2+ (in particular fluorides), silver-based oxidizers as initiators of organic reactions (CH bond activation and CC coupling), materials and technologies for hydrogen storage (notably the N- and B-rich systems), and novel noble gas compounds (particularly for He and Ne, explored only theoretically).

Prof. Wojciech Grochala
email: w.grochala@dev.dev.cent.uw.edu.pl/en
phone: +48 22 55 40828
room: 3079 (II building)


Silverland: the Realm of Compounds of Divalent Silver—and Why They are Interesting.
Grochala, W. (2018).
Journal of Superconductivity and Novel Magnetism, 31(3), 737-752.
Dramatic enhancement of spin–spin coupling and quenching of magnetic dimensionality in compressed silver difluoride
Kurzydłowski, D., Derzsi, M., Barone, P., Grzelak, A., Struzhkin, V., Lorenzana, J., & Grochala, W. (2018)
Chemical Communications
PDBsum: Structural summaries of PDB entries
Laskowski, R. A., Jabłońska, J., Pravda, L., Vařeková, R. S., & Thornton, J. M. (2018)
Protein Science, 27(1), 129-134
New hydrogen-rich ammonium metal borohydrides, NH 4 [M (BH 4) 4], M= Y, Sc, Al, as potential H 2 sources
Starobrat, A., Jaroń, T., & Grochala, W. (2018)
Dalton Transactions, 47(13), 4442-4448
Silverland: the Realm of Compounds of Divalent Silver-and Why They are Interesting
Grochala, W. (2018)
Journal of Superconductivity and Novel Magnetism, 31(3), 737-752
A Stable Crystalline Copper(I)–N2O Complex Stabilized as the Salt of a Weakly Coordinating Anion
V. Zhuravlev, P. J. Malinowski (2018)
Angewandte Chemie International Edition
The generalized maximum hardness principle revisited and applied to solids (Part 2).
Grochala, W., 2017.
Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 19(46), pp.30984-31006.
Prediction of extremely strong antiferromagnetic superexchange in silver (II) fluorides: challenging the oxocuprates (II).
Kurzydłowski, D. and Grochala, W., 2017.
Angewandte Chemie, 129(34), pp.10248-10251.
[Ag (OH2) 2][Ag (SO4) 2]: A Hydrate of a Silver (II) Salt.
Gilewski, T.E., Gawraczyński, J., Derzsi, M., Jagličić, Z., Mazej, Z., Połczyński, P., Jurczakowski, R., Leszczyński, P.J. and Grochala, W., 2017.
Chemistry-A European Journal, 23(8), pp.1805-1813.
High-Pressure Reactivity of Kr and F2—Stabilization of Krypton in the +4 Oxidation State.
Kurzydłowski, D., Sołtysiak, M., Dżoleva, A., & Zaleski-Ejgierd, P. (2017).
Crystals, 7(11), 329.
On the peculiarities of phase developments involving Zn2+-doped ZrO2 system.
Kumar, K., Jaroń, T., & Chowdhury, A. (2017).
Scripta Materialia, 138, 71-74
On the position of helium and neon in the Periodic Table of Elements.
Grochala, W.
Foundations of Chemistry, 1-17. 2017, 1-17, IF=0.647, Open Access
High-Pressure Behavior of Silver Fluorides up to 40 GPa.
Grzelak, A., Gawraczyński, J., Jaroń, T., Kurzydłowski, D., Budzianowski, A., Mazej, Z., ... & Grochala, W. (2017).
Inorganic chemistry, 56(23), 14651-14661.
Amidoboranes of rubidium and caesium: the last missing members of the alkali metal amidoborane family.
Owarzany, R., Jaroń, T., Leszczyński, P. J., Fijalkowski, K. J., & Grochala, W. (2017).
Dalton Transactions, 46(46), 16315-16320.
Electric Permittivity in Individual Atomic and Molecular Systems Through Direct Associations with Electric Dipole Polarizability and Chemical Hardness.
Szarek, P. (2017).
The Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 121(23), 12593-12602.The Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 121(23), 12593-12602.
Persistence of Mixed and Non-intermediate Valence in the High-Pressure Structure of Silver(I,III) Oxide, AgO: A Combined Raman, X-ray Diffraction (XRD), and Density Functional Theory (DFT) Study.
Grzelak, A., Gawraczyński, J., Jaroń, T., Somayazulu, M., Derzsi, M., Struzhkin, V., & Grochala, W. (2017).
Inorganic chemistry, 56(10), 5804-5812.
Prediction of extremely strong antiferromagnetic superexchange in silver (II) fluorides: challenging the oxocuprates (II).
Kurzydłowski, D., & Grochala, W. (2017).
Angewandte Chemie, 129(34), 10248-10251.
[Ag(OH2)2][Ag(SO4)2]: A Hydrate of a Silver(II) Salt.
Gilewski, T. E., Gawraczyński, J. H.; Derzsi, M.; Jagličić, Z.; Mazej, Z.; Połczyński, P.; Jurczakowski, R.; Leszczyński, P. J.; Grochala, W. R.
Chemistry - A European Journal 2017, 23, 1805-1813
Reconnaissance of reactivity of an Ag (ii) SO 4 one-electron oxidizer towards naphthalene derivatives.
Budniak, A.K., Masny, M., Prezelj, K., Grzeszkiewicz, M., Gawraczyński, J., Dobrzycki, Ł., Cyrański, M.K., Koźmiński, W., Mazej, Z., Fijałkowski, K.J. and Grochala, W., 2017.
New Journal of Chemistry, 41(19), pp.10742-10749.
Large magnetic anisotropy in quasi one-dimensional spin-1/2 fluoride antiferromagnets with ad (z2) 1 ground state.
Kurzydlowski, D., & Grochala, W. (2017).
arXiv preprint arXiv:1704.08902.
Metal fluoride nanotubes featuring square-planar building blocks in a high-pressure polymorph of AgF 2.
Grzelak, A., Gawraczyński, J., Jaroń, T., Kurzydłowski, D., Mazej, Z., Leszczyński, P.J., Prakapenka, V.B., Derzsi, M., Struzhkin, V.V. and Grochala, W., (2017).
Dalton Transactions, 46(43), pp.14742-14745.
Coordination Chemistry of Diiodine and Implications for the Oxidation Capacity of the Synergistic Ag+/X2 (X= Cl, Br, I) System.
Malinowski, P. J., Himmel, D., & Krossing, I. (2016).
Angewandte Chemie International Edition 55, no. 32 (2016): 9262-9266.
Chemically driven negative linear compressibility in sodium amidoborane, Na (NH2BH3).
Magos-Palasyuk, E., Fijalkowski, K.J. and Palasyuk, T., 2016.
Scientific reports, 6, p.28745.
Structural properties and the fluorite–pyrochlore phase transition in La2Zr2O7: The role of oxygen to induce local disordered states.
Paul, B., Singh, K., Jaroń, T., Roy, A. and Chowdhury, A., (2016).
Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 686, pp.130-136.
High-pressure stabilization of argon fluorides.
Kurzydłowski, D., & Zaleski-Ejgierd, P. (2016).
Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 18(4), 2309-2313.
AuO: Evolving from Dis-to Comproportionation and Back Again.
Hermann, A., Derzsi, M., Grochala, W., & Hoffmann, R. (2016).
nic chemistry 55, no. 3 (2016): 1278-1286.
Ferromagnetic ground state for a hypothetical iron-based extended metal atom chain.
Szarek, P., Wegner, W., & Grochala, W. (2016).
Journal of molecular modeling, 22(3), 63.
Unique silver (II) fluorides: the emerging electronic and magnetic materials.
Mazej, Z., Kurzydłowski, D., & Grochala, W. (2016).
Photonic and Electronic Properties of Fluoride Materials (pp. 231-260).
Efficient Electrosynthesis of AgIISO4: A Powerful Oxidizer and Narrow Band Gap Semiconductor.
Połczyński, P., Gilewski, T.E., Gawraczyński, J., Derzsi, M., Leszczyński, P.J., Gadomski, W., Mazej, Z., Jurczakowski, R. and Grochala, W., (2016.)
European Journal of Inorganic Chemistry, 2016(35), pp.5401-5404.
Canted Antiferromagnetism in Two-Dimensional Silver (II) Bis [pentafluoridooxidotungstate (VI)].
Mazej, Z., Gilewski, T., Goreshnik, E. A., Jagličić, Z., Derzsi, M., & Grochala, W. (2016).
Inorganic chemistry, 56(1), 224-233.
Depth of formation of CaSiO3 – walstromite included in super-deep diamonds
Anzolini, C., Angel, R. J., Merlini, M., Derzsi, M., Tokár, K., Milani, S., ... & Harris, J. W. (2016).
Lithos, 265, 138-147.
Hexacoordinated nitrogen(V) stabilized by high pressure
Kurzydłowski, D., & Zaleski-Ejgierd, P. (2016).
Scientific reports, 6, 36049.
Local and cooperative Jahn-Teller effect and resultant magnetic properties of M2AgF4 (M=Na-Cs) phases
Kurzydłowski, D., Jaroń, T., Ozarowski, A., Hill, S., Jagličić, Z., Filinchuk, Y., ... & Grochala, W. (2016).
Properties of M2AgF4 (M= Na–Cs) Phases. Inorganic chemistry, 55(21), 11479-11489.
Crystal, electronic, and magentic structures of M2AgF4 (M=Na-Cs) phases as viewed from the DFT+U method
Kurzydłowski, D., Derzsi, M., Mazej, Z., & Grochala, W. (2016).
Dalton Transactions, 45(41), 16255-16261.
Mono- and Bimetalic Amidoboranes
Owarzany, R., Leszczyński, P. J., Fijalkowski, K. J., & Grochala, W. (2016).
Crystals, 6(8), 88.
Synthesis, crystal structures, and selected properties of metal fluorosulphates(VI)
Michałowski, T., Malinowski, P. J., & Grochala, W. (2016).
Journal of Fluorine Chemistry, 189, 102-118.
Organic derivatives of Mg(BH4)2 as precursors towards MgB2 and novel inorganic mixed-cation borohydrides
Wegner, W., Jaroń, T., Dobrowolski, M. A., Cyrański, M. K., & Grochala, W. (2016).
Dalton Transactions, 45(36), 14370-14377.
Ag2S2O8 meets AgSO4: the second example of metal-ligand redox isomerism among inorganic systems
Gilewski, T. E., Leszczyński, P. J., Budzianowski, A., Mazej, Z., Grzelak, A., Jaroń, T., & Grochala, W. (2016).
Dalton Transactions, 45(45), 18202-18207.
Comment to “Pressure-induced structural and valence transition in AgO” by C. Hou, J. Botana, X. Zhang, X. Wang, and M. Miao
Derzsi, M., & Grochala, W. (2016).
Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 18(46), 31973-31974.
AgPO2F2 and Ag9(PO2F2)14 – the first Ag(I) and Ag(I)/Ag(II) difluorophosphates with complex crystal structure
Malinowski, P. J., Kurzydłowski, D., & Grochala, W. (2015)
Dalton Transactions, 44(45), 19478-19486
Chemistry of Ag(II): a cornucopia of peculiarities
Grochala, W., & Mazej, Z. (2015)
Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A, 373(2037), 20140179.
Towards a metallic quasi‐d9 system without copper: AgO at high pressure.
Włodarska, I., Derzsi, M. and Grochala, W., 2015.
physica status solidi (RRL)-Rapid Research Letters, 9(7), pp.401-404.
The first example of a mixed valence ternary compound of silver with random distribution of Ag (I) and Ag (II) cations.
Mazej, Z., Michałowski, T., Goreshnik, E.A., Jagličić, Z., Arčon, I., Szydłowska, J. and Grochala, W., 2015.
Dalton Transactions, 44(24), pp.10957-10968.
Superconductivity in transition metals
Slocombe D, Kuznetsov V, Grochala W, Williams RPJ, Edwards PP.
Philos T R Soc A 2015, 373(3): 20140476
Anomalous chemical shifts in X-ray photoelectron spectra of sulfur-containing compounds of silver (I) and (II).
Grzelak, A., Jaroń, T., Mazej, Z., Michałowski, T., Szarek, P., & Grochala, W., 2015.
Journal of Electron Spectroscopy and Related Phenomena, 202, 38-45.
Facile Formation of Thermodynamically Unstable Novel Borohydride Materials by a Wet Chemistry Route.
Jaroń, T., Wegner, W., Fijałkowski, K. J., Leszczyński, P. J., & Grochala, W. (2015).
Chemistry-A European Journal, 21(15), 5689-5692.
Hydrogen Storage Materials: Room‐Temperature Wet‐Chemistry Approach toward Mixed‐Metal Borohydrides.
Jaroń, T., Orłowski, P. A., Wegner, W., Fijałkowski, K. J., Leszczyński, P. J., & Grochala, W. (2015).
Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 54(4), 1236-1239.
Noble Gas Monoxides Stabilized in a Dipolar Cavity: A Theoretical Study.
Szarek, P., & Grochala, W. (2014).
The Journal of Physical Chemistry A, 119(11), 2483-2489.
Predicting crystal structures and properties of matter under extreme conditions via quantum mechanics: the pressure is on.
Zurek, E., & Grochala, W. (2015).
Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 17(5), 2917-2934.
Unexpectedly Complex Crystalline Phases in the MSO3F–Ag (SO3F) 2 Phase Diagram (M= Na, K, Rb, Cs).
Michałowski, T., Mazej, Z., Budzianowski, A., Jagličić, Z., Leszczyński, P. J., & Grochala, W. (2015).
European Journal of Inorganic Chemistry, 2015(2), 324-332.
New Ag(F1–xClx)y phases for energy storage applications
Wojciech Adamczyk, Piotr Połczyński, Andrzej Mika, Tomasz Jaroń, Zoran Mazej, Karol J. Fijalkowski, Rafał Jurczakowski, Wojciech Grochala
Journal of Fluorine Chemistry 17, no. 22-29 (2015): 174.
Complete Series of Alkali-Metal M (BH3NH2BH2NH2BH3) Hydrogen-Storage Salts Accessed via Metathesis in Organic Solvents.
Owarzany, R., Fijalkowski, K. J., Jaroń, T., Leszczyński, P. J., Dobrzycki, Ł., Cyrański, M. K., & Grochala, W. (2015).
Inorganic chemistry, 55(1), 37-45.
AgPO2F2 and Ag9(PO2F2)14 – the first Ag(I) and Ag(I)/Ag(II) difluorophosphates with complex crystal structures
Malinowski, P.J., Kurzydłowski, D. and Grochala, W., 2015.
Dalton Transactions, 44(45), pp.19478-19486.
First there was hydrogen.
Grochala, W., 2015.
Nature chemistry, 7(3), pp.264-264.
Complete series of alkali metal M(BH3NH2BH2NH2BH3) hydrogen-storage salts accessed via metathesis in organic solvents.
Owarzany, R., Fijalkowski, K. J., Jaroń, T., Leszczyński, P. J., Dobrzycki, Ł., Cyrański, M. K., & Grochala, W. (2015).
Inorganic chemistry, 55(1), 37-45.
Fine-tuning of magnetic properities in Ni(II) trinuclear EMACs via modifications of equatorial ligands
Szarek, P., & Grochala, W. (2015)
The Journal of Physical Chemistry A, 119(35), 9363-9372.
Ag [Fe (CO) 5] 2+: A Bare Silver Complex with Fe (CO) 5 as a Ligand.
Malinowski, P. J., & Krossing, I. (2014).
Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 53(49), 13460-13462.
Polymorphism and hydrogen discharge from holmium borohydride, Ho (BH 4) 3, and KHo (BH 4) 4.
Wegner, W., Jaroń, T., & Grochala, W. (2014).
international journal of hydrogen energy, 39(35), 20024-20030.
M (BH 3 NH 2 BH 2 NH 2 BH 3)–the missing link in the mechanism of the thermal decomposition of light alkali metal amidoboranes.
Fijalkowski, K. J., Jaroń, T., Leszczyński, P. J., Magos-Palasyuk, E., Palasyuk, T., Cyrański, M. K., & Grochala, W. (2014).
Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 16(42), 23340-23346.
Structures of late transition metal monoxides from Jahn-Teller instabilities in the rock salt lattice.
Derzsi, M., Piekarz, P., & Grochala, W. (2014).
Physical review letters, 113(2), 025505.
Diamond: the electronic ground state of carbon at temperatures approaching 0 k
Grochala, W. (2014)
Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 53(14), 3680-3683
Next generation sequencing reveals microRNA isoforms in liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.
Wojcicka, A., Swierniak, M., Kornasiewicz, O., Gierlikowski, W., Maciag, M., Kolanowska, M., ... & Krawczyk, M. (2014).
The international journal of biochemistry & cell biology, 53, 208-217.
M(BH3NH2BH2NH2BH3) salts – the missing link in the mechanism of thermal decomposition of light alkali metal amidoboranes
Fijalkowski, K. J., Jaroń, T., Leszczyński, P. J., Magos-Palasyuk, E., Palasyuk, T., Cyrański, M. K., & Grochala, W. (2014).
Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 16(42), 23340-23346.
Ag[Fe(CO)5]2+: A Bare Silver Complex with Fe(CO)5 as a Ligand
Malinowski, P. J., & Krossing, I. (2014)
Chemie International Edition, 53(49), 13460-13462.
Lone-pair interactions and photodissociation of compresssed nitrogen trifluoride
Kurzydłowski, D., Wang, H. B., Troyan, I. A., & Eremets, M. I. (2014)
The Journal of chemical physics, 141(6), 064706
MYb (BH4) 4 (M= K, Na) from laboratory X-ray powder data.
Wegner, W., Jaroń, T., & Grochala, W. (2013).
Acta Crystallographica Section C: Crystal Structure Communications, 69(11), 1289-1291.
Strong and long-lived free-radical oxidizer based on silver (II). Mechanism of Ag (I) electrooxidation in concentrated H2SO4.
Połczyński, P., Jurczakowski, R., & Grochala, W. (2013).
The Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 117(40), 20689-20696.
The Close Relationships between the Crystal Structures of MO and MSO4 (M= Group 10, 11, or 12 Metal), and the Predicted Structures of AuO and PtSO4.”
Derzsi, M., Hermann, A., Hoffmann, R., & Grochala, W. (2013).
European Journal of Inorganic Chemistry, 2013(29), 5094-5102.
Structural transition and unusually strong antiferromagnetic superexchange coupling in perovskite KAgF 3.
Kurzydłowski, D., Mazej, Z., Jagličić, Z., Filinchuk, Y., & Grochala, W. (2013).
Chemical Communications, 49(56), 6262-6264.
Stabilization and strong oxidizing properties of Ag (II) in a fluorine-free solvent.
Połczyński, P., Jurczakowski, R., & Grochala, W. (2013).
Chemical Communications, 49(68), 7480-7482.
Ag(I)S2O6CF3: the first trifluoromethylsulfonylsulfate (VI).
Malinowski, P.J., Derzsi, M. and Grochala, W., 2013.
Dalton Transactions, 42(29), pp.10417-10423.
AgS2O6CF3: the first trifluoromethylsulfonylsulfate(VI)
Malinowski, P. J., Derzsi, M., & Grochala, W. (2013)
Dalton Transactions, 42(29), 10417-10423.
Redetermination of crystal structure of Ag(II)SO4 and its high-pressure behavior up to 30 GPa
Derzsi, M., Budzianowski, A., Struzhkin, V. V., Malinowski, P. J., Leszczyński, P. J., Mazej, Z., & Grochala, W. (2013).
CrystEngComm, 15(1), 192-198.
Na2AgF4: 1D antiferromagnet with unusually short Ag2+ Ag2+ separation
Kurzydłowski, D., Mazej, Z., & Grochala, W. (2013)
Dalton Transactions, 42(6), 2167-2173
M[Y(BH4)4] and M2Li[Y(BH4)6−xClx] (M = Rb, Cs): new borohydride derivatives of yttrium and their hydrogen storage properties
Jaroń, T., Wegner, W., & Grochala, W. (2013)
Dalton Transactions, 42(19), 6886-6893
Strong Cationic Oxidizers: Thermal Decomposition, Electronic Structure and Magnetism of Their Compounds
Leszczyǹski, P. J., & Grochala, W. (2013)
Acta Chimica Slovenica, 60(3), 455-470
Thermal and chemical decomposition of di (pyrazine) silver (II) peroxydisulfate and unusual crystal structure of a Ag (I) by-product.
Leszczyński, P. J., Budzianowski, A., Dobrzycki, Ł., Cyrański, M. K., Derzsi, M., & Grochala, W. (2012).
Dalton Transactions, 41(2), 396-402.
Crystal and electronic structure, lattice dynamics and thermal properties of Ag (i)(SO 3) R (R= F, CF 3) Lewis acids in the solid state.
Grochala, W., Cyrański, M. K., Derzsi, M., Michałowski, T., Malinowski, P. J., Mazej, Z., ... & Leszczyński, P. J. (2012).
Dalton Transactions, 41(7), 2034-2047.
Chemo-switched chromatic, magnetic and structural changes with retention of molecular crystallinity, Ni (12aneS 4)(BF 4) 2.
Churchard, A. J., Derzsi, M., Jagličić, Z., Remhof, A., & Grochala, W. (2012).
Dalton Transactions, 41(17), 5172-5176.
The missing crystal structures of fluorosulfates of monovalent cations: M (I) SO 3 F, M= Na, Rb and Tl.
Michałowski, T., Leszczyński, P. J., Cyrański, M., Dobrzycki, Ł., Budzianowski, A., & Grochala, W. (2012).
Journal of Fluorine Chemistry, 140, 116-120.
Orbital Approach to the Electronic Structure of Solids
Grochala, W. (2012).
Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2012, 51(33): 8155-8155
A metastable He–O bond inside a ferroelectric molecular cavity:(HeO)(LiF) 2.
Grochala, W. (2012).
Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 14(43), 14860-14868.
Y (BD 4) 3, an efficient store of deuterium, and impact of isotope effects on its thermal decomposition.
Jaroń, T., & Grochala, W. (2012).
Journal of Nuclear Materials, 420(1-3), 307-313.
Tetrabutylammonium cation in a homoleptic environment of borohydride ligands:[(n-Bu) 4 N][BH 4] and [(n-Bu) 4 N][Y (BH 4) 4].
Jaroń, T., Wegner, W., Cyrański, M. K., & Grochala, W. (2012).
Journal of Solid State Chemistry, 191, 279-282.
Y(BD4)3 An Efficient Store of Deuterium, and Impact of Isotope Effects on Its Thermal Decomposition
Jaroń, T., & Grochala, W. (2012).
Journal of Nuclear Materials, 420(1-3), 307-313.
Insights from impedance spectroscopy into mechanism of thermal decomposition of M(NH2BH3) M=H, Li, Na, Li0.5Na0.5 hydrogen stores
Fijalkowski, K. J., Jurczakowski, R., Koźmiński, W., & Grochala, W. (2012)
Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 14(16), 5778-5784

Project title:
SILVERLAND. Unique silver route to superconducting cuprate analogs.

Duration:
2018 – 2021 / 22

Grant Agreement No.:
UMO-2017/26/A/ST5/00570

Project description:

Project is highly interdisciplinary and is conducted in broad international cooperation. Four world-class experts from Slovenia, Italy, USA and Singapore are official partners of Polish scientists. Moreover, many more researchers from China, Great Britain, Switzerland, Georgia, Slovak Rep., Italy, USA and Poland are participating in the project. So called silver difluoride (AgF2) is the main precursor material; it will undergo numerous modifications using advanced crystal engineering, as well as will constitute the basis for a number of unprecedented chemical stoichiometries. We will investigate the structure of materials (i.e. the way atoms are arranged in the solids), the nature of chemical bonds, as well as superconducting behaviour. Substantial support in the project is offered by the state-of-the-art theoretical calculations using supercomputers at ICM, The University of Warsaw; the calculations and modeling will give us better understanding of the manufactured samples.

Our ambitious goal is to generate new better superconductors, which could be used without necessity of cooling them at all – this alone constitutes a nontrivial scientific goal and every step counts which we can make towards that dream. We would also like to preserve the lead position of the Warsaw team in the research on fluoroargentates, which we gained during nearly 2 decades of hard work on many chemical systems. Several young scientists will be trained to take the lead in the future. In a more distant perspective, one may think of important consequences for the country and the society. According to the US Geological Survey, Poland has the largest documented silver ore deposits in the world. Perhaps, based on the basic research contained in this project, new interesting applications could be found for this valuable semi-precious metal, while benefiting our society and civilization.