Teaching code

4S008287

Credits

6

Coordinator

Adolfo Speghini

Language

Italian

Scientific Disciplinary Sector (SSD)

CHIM/03 - GENERAL AND INORGANIC CHEMISTRY

Moodle Seminars 0

The teaching is organized as follows:

Learning objectives

The course aims to provide students with the theoretical and experimental tools for the preparation, study, development and application of nanomaterials in the fields of Biotechnology and Green Chemistry, for industrial, agro-food and biomedical applications. Properly activated and functionalized inorganic based nanomaterials with specific properties, such as diagnostics and sensorial, energy conversion and storage, transport of materials or substances, catalytic activity for production processes and transformation of resources, will be considered, in a perspective of sustainability development. The course also includes some laboratory experiences to provide practical manual skills as well as complementary competences to further refine the critical and analytical abilities for an optimal design, preparation, chemico-physical characterization and application of functional inorganic based nanomaterials in the fields of Biotechnology and Green Chemistry

Prerequisites and basic notions

Notions of Mathematics, Physics, General Chemistry and Organic Chemistry.

Program

THEORY Nanomaterials: definition and peculiarities. Types of nanomaterials (organic, inorganic, organic-inorganic hybrids). 1D and 2D nanomaterials. Hierarchical nanostructures. Importance of the surface in nanomaterials. Phenomena influenced by the surface. Thermodynamic aspects of nanometric phases. Notes on the theory of bands. Semiconductor nanomaterials and Quantum Dots: electronic and spectroscopic properties. Fluoride-based nanomaterials activated with luminescent lanthanide ions. Luminescent Carbon Dots. Noble metal nanoparticles and their plasmonic properties. Oxide-based nanomaterials for photocatalysis. Magnetic nanoparticles. Organic-inorganic nanocomposites. Multifunctional nanostructures that can be activated by external stimuli for diagnostics, drug-delivery and curative treatments in nanomedicine. Synthesis of nanoparticles in solution with "green chemistry" methods (co-precipitation, sol-gel, solvothermal, inverse micelles and ionic liquids). Microwave-assisted synthesis. Strategies to obtain different porosities, sizes and morphologies (nanorods, core @ shell) of nanoparticles. Surface functionalization of inorganic nanoparticles. Chemical-physical analysis of nanostructures (structural, morphological, colloidal). Spectroscopic investigation in the optical field (UV, visible and infrared) on luminescent nanoparticles. Investigation of the vibrational properties of nanoparticles with infrared spectroscopy. LABORATORY EXPERIENCES 1) Synthesis of metallic nanoparticles (Au, Ag) in solution and their spectroscopic characterization in the optical field (UV and visible). Investigation of colloidal properties. 2) Preparation of TiO2 and Fe3O4 nanoparticles in solution with a microwave-assisted reaction. Study of colloidal properties. Structural analysis by X-ray diffraction. 3) Preparation of CaF2 and SrF2 nanoparticles functionalized with luminescent lanthanide ions in an aqueous environment and their covering with a silica shell by sol-gel technique. Physico-chemical characterization (structural, colloidal) of nanoparticles. Study of their visible emission properties following laser excitation in the near infrared.

Bibliography

Didactic methods

The teaching will be carried out as lectures and laboratory experiences. The teaching methods will also include the application of the concepts developed with the lectures for the illustration of solving real problems. Attendance of the teaching is strongly recommended.

Learning assessment procedures

The oral examination will include the exposition of a bibliographic paper on a subject of the Course and questions on the topics of the Course about the theoretical part as well as the examples, exercises and laboratory experiences. Particular attention will be devoted as well to the knowledge of the the concepts, methods, experimental setups and techniques used in laboratory experiences.
For both attending and not attending students the oral examination will cover all the topics discussed in the theoretical part, in the examples and exercises as well as in the laboratory experiences.
Written reports about the the laboratory experiences are required, describing the principles, the used experimental methods and the results obtained during the lab experiences. The reports have to be loaded to the Moodle platform as soon as the lab experiences will be completed.

Evaluation criteria

The evaluation criteria will be based on the ability to discursively organize knowledge, critical reasoning on the study carried out, quality of exposure, competence in the use of specialized vocabulary, effectiveness and linearity of exposure.

Criteria for the composition of the final grade

The final grade will result from the assessment of the learning of the theoretical part and from the learning of laboratory experiences.

Exam language

Italiana