Unit NANOTECHNOLOGY OF MATERIALS

NANORODS, NANOWIRES, NANOFILMS AND THEIR CHARACTERIZATION

Code	A005982
CFU	3
Teacher	Alessio Cesaretti
Teachers	Alessio Cesaretti
Hours	24 ore - Alessio Cesaretti
Learning activities	Caratterizzante
Area	Chimica e fisica della materia
Sector	CHEM-02/A
Type of study-unit	Obbligatorio (Required)
Language of instruction	Italian, English
Contents	The module focuses on the main approaches for the synthesis of one-dimensional nanostructures and nanostructured thin films, with particular emphasis on anisotropic growth mechanisms and vapor-phase deposition techniques. The principal methodologies for morphological and structural characterization of nanomaterials will also be presented, with particular attention to Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM).
Reference texts	The course slides are available for students. To learn more about the topics covered during the lessons, I recommend: Cao, Guozhong. Nanostructures & nanomaterials: synthesis, properties & applications. Imperial college press, 2004.
Educational objectives	The main objective of the course is to provide students with the following knowledge: fundamental principles of anisotropic growth in nanostructures; main techniques for the synthesis of nanowires, nanorods, and carbon nanotubes; deposition methodologies for nanostructured thin films; physical principles underlying the main surface and morphological characterization techniques. The course will also enable students to acquire the following skills: understand the relationships between growth parameters and nanostructure morphology; identify the advantages and limitations of different thin-film deposition techniques; predict the structural characteristics of nanomaterials based on the synthesis processes employed; select the most appropriate characterization techniques according to the properties under investigation.
Prerequisites	In order to understand the topics covered in this course, students should possess basic knowledge of general chemistry, physical chemistry, structure of matter, and materials properties.
Teaching methods	The course includes recorded video lectures delivered through the EduNext platform, followed by 12 hours of face-to-face lectures devoted to in-depth discussion of the topics covered, case studies, and practical examples related to the synthesis and characterization of nanostructures and thin films.
Other information	The teacher is available to discuss with the students via email or by scheduling a meeting on the Microsoft Teams platform.
Learning verification modality	Assessment consists of a written examination based on multiple-choice questions aimed at evaluating the student's level of knowledge and understanding of the topics covered during the course. Students who successfully pass the written examination will be admitted to an oral interview designed to assess their ability to critically discuss the course contents, use appropriate scientific terminology, and establish connections among the various concepts presented during the course.
Extended program	Classification and properties of one-dimensional nanostructures. Anisotropic crystal growth. Periodic Bond Chain (PBC) theory and the relationship between crystal structure and final material morphology. Nanowires and nanorods: structural characteristics, properties, and applications. Nanowire synthesis through Vapor-Liquid-Solid (VLS) and evaporation-condensation approaches. Role of supersaturation and catalysts in growth processes. Control of nanostructure diameter and morphology. Template-assisted electrochemical synthesis of nanorods. Carbon nanotubes: structure, chemical composition, classification, and properties. Comparison between carbon nanotubes and fullerenes. Nanostructured thin films. General principles of vapor-phase deposition processes. Growth mechanisms and influence of temperature and mass transport on film crystallinity. Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD): Evaporation and Sputtering. Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE): epitaxial growth and composition control. DC-sputtering and RF-sputtering: characteristics and differences. Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD). Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD): self-limiting processes and nanometer-scale thickness control. Deposition of molecular films by the Langmuir-Blodgett technique. Characterization of nanomaterials by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM): operating principles, measurement modes, and applications to the study of surface topography and properties of nanostructured materials.

PRINCIPLES OF FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS

Code	A005983
CFU	3
Teacher	Luca Valentini
Teachers	Luca Valentini
Hours	24 ore - Luca Valentini
Learning activities	Caratterizzante
Area	Ingegneria dei materiali
Sector	IMAT-01/A
Type of study-unit	Obbligatorio (Required)

PROCESSES AND INTEGRATION OF FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS

Code	A005984
CFU	3
Teacher	Luca Valentini
Teachers	Luca Valentini
Hours	24 ore - Luca Valentini
Learning activities	Caratterizzante
Area	Ingegneria dei materiali
Sector	IMAT-01/A
Type of study-unit	Obbligatorio (Required)

NANOPARTICLE SYNTHESIS

Code	A005981
CFU	3
Teacher	Alessio Cesaretti
Teachers	Alessio Cesaretti
Hours	24 ore - Alessio Cesaretti
Learning activities	Caratterizzante
Area	Chimica e fisica della materia
Sector	CHEM-02/A
Type of study-unit	Obbligatorio (Required)
Language of instruction	Italian, English
Contents	The module introduces the fundamental principles of nanomaterial synthesis, with particular emphasis on the preparation of colloidal nanoparticles. Nucleation and growth phenomena, colloidal stabilization mechanisms, the main synthetic methodologies for metallic, oxide, and semiconductor nanoparticles, as well as strategies for controlling the size and properties of nanomaterials will be discussed. Quantum dots and the relationship between size and optical properties will also be introduced.
Reference texts	The course slides are available for students. To learn more about the topics covered during the lessons, I recommend: Cao, Guozhong. Nanostructures & nanomaterials: synthesis, properties & applications. Imperial college press, 2004.
Educational objectives	The main objective of the course is to provide students with the following knowledge: fundamental principles of nanoparticle nucleation and growth; colloidal stabilization mechanisms and dispersion control; main synthetic strategies for the preparation of metallic, oxide, and semiconductor nanoparticles; fundamental properties of quantum dots and their size dependence. The course will also enable students to acquire the following skills: understand the relationships between synthesis conditions and the final properties of nanoparticles; identify the parameters controlling size, size distribution, and stability of colloidal systems; select the most appropriate synthetic methodologies according to the desired characteristics of the final material; critically understand the phenomena governing the formation and evolution of nanomaterials.
Prerequisites	In order to understand the topics covered in this course, students should possess basic knowledge of general chemistry, physical chemistry, and the structure of matter.
Teaching methods	The course includes recorded video lectures delivered through the EduNext platform, followed by 12 hours of face-to-face lectures devoted to in-depth discussion of the topics covered, analysis of case studies, and problem-solving activities.
Other information	The teacher is available to discuss with the students via email or by scheduling a meeting on the Microsoft Teams platform.
Learning verification modality	Assessment consists of a written examination based on multiple-choice questions aimed at evaluating the student's level of knowledge and understanding of the topics covered during the course. Students who successfully pass the written examination will be admitted to an oral interview designed to assess their ability to critically discuss the course contents, use appropriate scientific terminology, and establish connections among the various concepts presented during the course.
Extended program	Introduction to nanomaterials and classification of nanostructures. Fundamentals of thermodynamics and kinetics applied to nanomaterial synthesis. Homogeneous and heterogeneous nucleation phenomena. Critical nucleus formation energy. Nucleation and growth processes. Ostwald ripening and coalescence mechanisms. Colloidal stability of nanoparticles. Electrostatic stabilization and DLVO theory. Role of the electrical double layer, influence of ionic strength and dispersing medium characteristics on colloidal stability. Steric stabilization. Colloidal synthesis of metallic nanoparticles. Role of reducing agents, ligands, and surfactants. Control of nanoparticle size and size distribution. Synthesis in reverse micelles and confined nanoreactors. Synthesis of oxide nanoparticles through the sol-gel method. Hydrolysis and condensation reactions. Role of pH and synthesis parameters in controlling the properties of the final material. Semiconductor quantum dots: principles of quantum confinement, relationship between size and optical properties, main synthetic methodologies, and applications.