ID:
506587
Duration (hours):
48
CFU:
6
SSD:
CHIMICA GENERALE E INORGANICA
Year:
2025
Overview
Date/time interval
Secondo Semestre (02/03/2026 - 12/06/2026)
Syllabus
Course Objectives
The course aims to provide the student with in-depth knowledge on the synthesis and properties of inorganic nanoparticles and on the nanoscale modification of macroscopic surfaces. The course also intends to enable the student to have a broad panoramic view of the technological, biomedical and material-science applications of inorganic nanochemistry, updated to the latest research developments in this field. At the end of the course, the student should be able to design syntheses both of nanoparticles with certain shapes, sizes, properties, and to understand the function and to design functional hybrid materials based on inorganic nanoparticles
Course Prerequisites
Advanced knowledge of inorganic chemistry and physical chemistry, obtained for example with the bachelor's degree in chemistry, including: redox activity, coordinative bonds, van der Waals forces, Miller lattices and indices, fluorescence and phosphorescence, electrical double layer theory. Basic experience in inorganic synthesis is also useful (obtained through the attendance of laboratory courses in the inorganic area, such as those of a three-year degree in chemistry) and simple basic concepts of biology such as the structure of eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells
Teaching Methods
frontal classes with video projector and power point files, plus blackboard. All the power point files will be given to the students after each lesson
Assessment Methods
The final exam will be individual, and will consist in the writing of a paper-project that will concern the synthesis and application of inorganic nanoparticles (on a specific theme assigned by the teacher) and oral discussion of the paper, with reference also to all the basic topics of the course
Texts
1) Cademartiri, Ozin - Concept of Nanochemistry (Wiley-VCH)
2) Cao – Nanostructures & Nanomaterials (Imperial College Press)
3) Sergeev, Klabunde – Nanochemistry (Elsevier)
These (very expensive) books are available in the Science Library (Biblioteca delle Scienze) of the University of Pavia, and therefore their purchase is not recommended.
Furthermore, the course makes extensive use of research articles taken from up-to-date literature: students will be provided with bibliographic references of all the articles used. All articles belong to journals and archives accessible online to students through the Unipv university network, or remotely accessible online with access with each student's university credentials.
2) Cao – Nanostructures & Nanomaterials (Imperial College Press)
3) Sergeev, Klabunde – Nanochemistry (Elsevier)
These (very expensive) books are available in the Science Library (Biblioteca delle Scienze) of the University of Pavia, and therefore their purchase is not recommended.
Furthermore, the course makes extensive use of research articles taken from up-to-date literature: students will be provided with bibliographic references of all the articles used. All articles belong to journals and archives accessible online to students through the Unipv university network, or remotely accessible online with access with each student's university credentials.
Contents
Generalities: the properties of matter on the nanoscale, percentage of surface atoms versus bulk atoms, dangling bonds, surface energy, property changes as a function of the size of the nanoparticles (solubility, surface pressure, melting point, redox potentials). The Ostwald ripening phenomenon. Agglomeration, aggregation and stabilization of nanoparticles by electrostatic and steric effect. Polymeric coatings and stability of nanoparticles as a function of affinity with the solvent.
Synthesis and properties: synthetic methodologies, physico-chemical properties, characterization techniques, choice and use of coatings for nanoparticles of the following materials: gold; silver; copper; in-depth analysis on the coating of noble metal nanoparticles (the nature and stability of the Au-S bond) ; silica and mesoporous silica; iron oxides (SPION, superparamagnetic nanoparticles); semiconductor chalcogenides and in particular CdSe (quantum dots); zinc oxide; titanium oxide; carbon (nanotubes, carbon nanodots, fullerenes); prussian blue; non-metallic plasmonic materials (copper sulphides and selenides; molybdenum oxides). In-depth study of smart materials formed by mesoporous silica nanoparticles and molecular machines, for the controlled release of drugs.
Formation of molecular SAMs (self-assembled monolayers) on macroscopic surfaces of gold and silver (with thiols) and of silica (with alkoxy- and chloro- silanes): synthetic methods, characterization techniques, properties of modified surfaces. Antibacterial applications of SAM-modified surfaces, both for intrinsic and photothermal effect.
In-depth study of nanoparticles of photothermal materials and their biomedical and technological applications: photothermal anticancer therapies, photothermal antibacterial materials and devices, photothermal nanoparticles in the printing of nano-inks, nanofluids for the direct conversion of solar radiation into heat and for water purification.
Inorganic nanoparticles and medicine: the main medical uses of nanoparticles, approach and techniques for their in vitro and in vivo study, relationships between structure, size, surface charge, coating and traffic of nanoparticles across cell membranes, with particular reference to their antintumoral use
Synthesis and properties: synthetic methodologies, physico-chemical properties, characterization techniques, choice and use of coatings for nanoparticles of the following materials: gold; silver; copper; in-depth analysis on the coating of noble metal nanoparticles (the nature and stability of the Au-S bond) ; silica and mesoporous silica; iron oxides (SPION, superparamagnetic nanoparticles); semiconductor chalcogenides and in particular CdSe (quantum dots); zinc oxide; titanium oxide; carbon (nanotubes, carbon nanodots, fullerenes); prussian blue; non-metallic plasmonic materials (copper sulphides and selenides; molybdenum oxides). In-depth study of smart materials formed by mesoporous silica nanoparticles and molecular machines, for the controlled release of drugs.
Formation of molecular SAMs (self-assembled monolayers) on macroscopic surfaces of gold and silver (with thiols) and of silica (with alkoxy- and chloro- silanes): synthetic methods, characterization techniques, properties of modified surfaces. Antibacterial applications of SAM-modified surfaces, both for intrinsic and photothermal effect.
In-depth study of nanoparticles of photothermal materials and their biomedical and technological applications: photothermal anticancer therapies, photothermal antibacterial materials and devices, photothermal nanoparticles in the printing of nano-inks, nanofluids for the direct conversion of solar radiation into heat and for water purification.
Inorganic nanoparticles and medicine: the main medical uses of nanoparticles, approach and techniques for their in vitro and in vivo study, relationships between structure, size, surface charge, coating and traffic of nanoparticles across cell membranes, with particular reference to their antintumoral use
Course Language
Italian
Degrees
Degrees (2)
CHEMISTRY
Master’s Degree
2 years
COMPUTATIONAL AND MODELLING ENGINEERING FOR MATERIALS, STRUCTURES, AND SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGIES
Master’s Degree
2 years
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