NANOMATERIALS FOR ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT

The specific objective of the course, which includes both theoretical (24 h) and laboratory lessons (36 h), is to provide advanced knowledge in the design, synthesis and characterization of inorganic nanoscale materials, with a focus on some selected types of nanomaterials.
The course aims to develop skills that allow the students to apply many types of inorganic nanomaterials for sustainable energy conversion and environmental applications (catalysis/photocatalysis).
Students will be able to analyse and understand complex scientific issues concerning the nanomaterials science in all its aspects, critically identifying advantages and limits, also from an applicative perspective.
To achieve these objectives, a number of laboratory sessions with the use of advanced methodologies and technologies are planned within the course, allowing students to transfer the knowledge acquired during the theoretical lessons into application areas and allowing them to develop unique and specific skills in the design and manipulation of compounds at the nanoscale.

1. Knowledge and understanding.
I) Being able to demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the current state-of-the-art in nanomaterials chemistry.
II) Being able to evaluate the difference between bulk and nanosized materials.
III) Understanding the existing relationships between the electronic structure of a nanomaterial and the quantum size effect.
IV) Knowledge the difference between chemical synthetic approaches (bottom-up) and physical ones (top-down) for the preparation of nanomaterials.
V) Being able to control and tune the synthesis process of nanomaterials to obtain nanostructures with specific size and morphology, and therefore controlled structural, optical and functional properties.
VI) Knowledge the synthesis methodologies based on the use of soft and hard templates to control and tune nanomaterials’ porosity, specific surface area and morphology.
2. Ability to apply knowledge and understanding.
I) Being able to use the concepts learned to foresee and logically interpret the chemical-physical, electrical and optical properties of an inorganic nanomaterial.
II) Being able to propose coherent and feasible technological applications of inorganic nanomaterials in the biomedical, pharmaceutical, industrial, energy fields.
III) Demonstrate skills in nanomaterials experimentation, problem solving and interpretation of new data.
3. Ability to judge.
I) Being able to use the acquired knowledge to evaluate which synthesis methods that can be best suited for fabricating nanostructured inorganic materials (metals, semiconductors, oxides).
II) Being able to evaluate the fields of application of inorganic nanoscale materials.
III) Consider the potential risks to human health from exposure to nanomaterials.
4. Communication skills
I) Being able to use the appropriate scientific-technical terminology and symbology, both verbally and in written form, to discuss the course contents.
II) Being able to interact constructively with the teacher and with the other students.
5. Learning skills
I) Being able to synthesize in an autonomous way the salient aspects of the concepts expressed in class.
II) Being able to make logical connections between the topics of the course.

Prerequisites include basic courses in Chemistry, Materials Science and Solid State Physics. In particular, the student must have competences concerning the fundamental aspects of General and Inorganic Chemistry.

According to the training objectives and expected learning outcomes, the theoretical contents of the course can be divided as follows:
I) Nanomaterials: definition and peculiarities.
II) Study of selected synthetic approaches of chemical (bottom-up) type.
III) Methods for the synthesis of inorganic nanoparticles (mainly titania hollow spheres) of appropriate morphology, porosity and size, through the use of the sol-gel process.
IV) Sol-gel process: influence of the synthesis parameters (pH, temperature, nature of the precursor, polarity of the solvent, etc ...) on the final product.
V) Classification of soft and hard template. Direct and inverse micelles. Emulsions and microemulsions.
VI) Supramolecular aggregates, classification of porosity, materials with ordered mesoporosity and their use for the preparation of nano- and bio-materials.
VII) Synthesis and application of direct and inverse opals as photonic crystals.
VIII) Nanoparticles: shape, size, composition.
XI) Colloidal systems.
X) Biological and bioethical aspects of the effects of nanoparticles on the environment and human health.
XI) Overview on the use of inorganc nanomaterials as photocatalysts for energy and environmental applications.
The experiences carried out in the laboratory are as follows:
I) synthesis of ordered mesoporous titania hollow spheres by the use of hard templates; synthesis of metal nanoparticles with different methodologies and sizes; preparation of direct and inverse opals.
II) physico-chemical and optical characterization of the synthesized materials by means of porosity measurements for gas physisorption (surface area, total volume and pore distribution); infrared spectroscopy in diffuse reflectance (DRIFT-IR); UV-vis spectroscopy in diffuse reflectance (DRIFT-UV-vis); and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
III) photocatalytic activity of selected prepared materials.

For the study and the deepening of the theory:
- Educational material (Pdf lecture notes provided by the teacher).
- Instructions of the lab experiments provided by the teacher.
- Selected scientific articles provided by the teacher.
- Nanostructures & Nanomaterials - Synthesis, Properties & Applications - G. Cao, Imperial College Press 2004.
- Photochemistry and Photophysics – Concepts, research, Applications – V. Balzani, P. Ceroni, A. Juris, Wiley-VCH.
- Optical properties and Spectroscopy of Nanomaterials - J.Z. Zhang, Ed. World Scientific 2009.
- Optical properties of Nanoparticle Systems - M. Quinten. Ed., WILEY-VCH 2011.

The assessment of learning takes place through the delivery of a lab report and an oral exam, starting from lab practice. The exam consists of a series of questions to which the student must respond by demonstrating to know and be able to expose the topics of the entire program (see the content section) with properties of language and use of scientific chemistry symbols. The oral exam lasts about 30 minutes depending upon the clarity and consistency of the answers to the questions asked. Students are admitted to the exam upon delivery, within the given deadline, of a lab report. The final mark will depend both on the lab report (30%) and the oral exam (70%).

Teaching is organized in lectures including examples and laboratory sessions (at least 80% of lab attendance is required to pass the course), with the synthesis and characterization of materials closely related to the concepts delivered frontally. In Moodle platform, educational material is available and can be downloaded.

English

STRUCTURE AND CONTENT OF THE COURSE COULD CHANGE AS A RESULT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.


Accessibility, Disability and Inclusion.
Accommodation and support services for students with disabilities and students with specific learning impairments:
Ca’ Foscari abides by Italian Law (Law 17/1999; Law 170/2010) regarding support services and accommodation available to students with disabilities. This includes students with mobility, visual, hearing and other disabilities (Law 17/1999), and specific learning impairments (Law 170/2010). In the case of disability or impairment that requires accommodations (i.e., alternate testing, readers, note takers or interpreters) please contact the Disability and Accessibility Offices in Student Services: disabilita@unive.it.

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This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Climate change and energy" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development