66837 - Nanostructured, Molecular and Biomimetic Systems and Materials

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student has acquired: - knowledge useful to design, prepare and characterize molecular materials and coordination networks; - the basic concepts and the main strategies for the bottom-up construction of functional nanostructures, that is, starting from molecules and using the paradigms of Supramolecular Chemistry: molecular devices and machines, dendrimers, nanoparticles, self-assembled monolayers and thin films; - knowledge to design, develop and characterize inorganic and organic-inorganic materials with tailored technological properties, according to the biomimetic principles, such as synthesis in confined reaction spaces, template-directed synthesis, morphosynthesis, crystal tectonics.

Course contents

Part 1. Crystal Engineering (Prof. D. Braga)

Molecular and ionic assembling; relationship btween bulk structure and molecular functionality; bottom-up construction of materials for magnetic, optic, photonic and biotechnology applications; supramolecular interactions and solvent-free preparations of crystalline solids; polymorphism and crystal forms.

Part 2. Molecular Nanotechnology (Prof. A. Credi)

Definition of nanotechnology and nanostructures. Top-down and bottom-up approaches for the construction of nanostructures. Brief account on the principal top-down methods. Bottom-up synthesis of nanostructures via self-assembly of molecular species. Preparation of nanoparticles. Short outline of the principal techniques with nanometer resolution (scanning probe microscopies, optical microscopies, electrochemical methods) and of nanomanipulation techniques. Molecular devices. Artificial supramolecular systems for energy conversion and for information processing and storing. Molecular electronics. Properties and applications of carbon nanotubes. Brief account on DNA computing. Molecular machines and motors: basic concepts. Examples of molecular devices, motors and machines from the biological world. Hybrid systems based on engineering of biological nanomachines and on the interfacement between natural and artificial molecular devices. Molecular motors based on DNA. From nanostructures to microstructures and macroscopic materials. Langmuir-Blodgett films, self-assembled monolayers on metallic and semiconductor surfaces, chemical modification of surfaces, functionalized nanoparticles. Outline of current and future applications of nano-objects and nanostructures (for example, solar cells, materials for information storage, chemosensors, systems for drug-delivery and for chemical separation and analysis).

Part 3. Biomimetic materials (Prof. A. Bigi)

Biomineralization processes: general principles; main methods of investigation. Bomineral types and functions; calcium carbonates, calcium phosphates,silicates, iron oxides. Main kinds of control acting on the biomineralization processes:nucleation and growth; structural, morphological and cinstructinal control;role of the organic matrix in the different steps of the biomineralization processes. Syntheses of inorganic and organic-inorganic compounds inspired to the principles of biomimetics: nanostructured materials; self-assembled materials; template-directed synthesis on functionalized matrices; syntheses of inorganic and organic-inorganic compounds with tailored structure, morphology and orientation.
Synthesis, structure and properties of biocompatible and bioactive materials with potential applications as biomaterials for hard tissues substitution and repair.

Readings/Bibliography

Current chemistry literature available as e-papers, and extracts of books

J.-M. Lehn, Supramolecular Chemistry – Concepts and Perspectives, VCH, Weinheim, 1995. - V. Balzani, A. Credi, M. Venturi, Molecular Devices and Machines – Concepts and Perspectives for the Nanoworld, Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, 2008. - D. S. Goodsell, Bionanotechnology: Lessons from Nature, Wiley, New York, 2004.

S. Mann "Biomineralization" Oxford Chemistry Masters, oxford University Press 2001
Lecture notes and further indications about scientific publications usefulfor the preparation of the exam will be provided during the course.

Teaching methods

Lectures, tutorials and laboratory activities.

Assessment methods

Oral examination

Teaching tools

Powerpoint and transparencies

Office hours

See the website of Adriana Bigi

See the website of Dario Braga

See the website of Martin Ulrich Schmidt

See the website of Alberto Credi