Unit PHOTOCHEMISTRY
- Course
- Chemical sciences
- Study-unit Code
- 55999066
- Curriculum
- In all curricula
- Teacher
- Fausto Ortica
- Teachers
-
- Fausto Ortica
- Hours
- 42 ore - Fausto Ortica
- CFU
- 6
- Course Regulation
- Coorte 2024
- Offered
- 2025/26
- Learning activities
- Affine/integrativa
- Area
- Attività formative affini o integrative
- Sector
- CHIM/02
- Type of study-unit
- Opzionale (Optional)
- Type of learning activities
- Attività formativa monodisciplinare
- Language of instruction
- Italian
- Contents
- Basic principles of photochemistry. Nature of excited electronic states and photophysical and photochemical deactivation processes. Bimolecular processes of energy, charge and proton transfer. Stationary and pulsed photochemical techniques. Photochemical phenomena and technological-industrial applications of photochemistry.
- Reference texts
- R. P. WAYNE, Photochemistry, Butterworths; I. BARALDI, Luminescence. Elements of Molecular Photophysics, 2007, Bononia University Press; supplemented by handouts provided by the lecturer and lecture notes.
- Educational objectives
- The student will acquire familiarity with the most important notions of photochemistry and knowledge of the most widely used experimental techniques (classical and more advanced). In particular, the following training objectives will be performed: Knowledge of the mechanisms of electronic excitation energy dissipation leading to interesting photochemical reactions and/or monomolecular or bimolecular photophysical relaxation processes. Knowledge of the most important conventional and “up to date” techniques used to study these processes. Knowledge of the most important technological and industrial applications of photochemistry. Ability to deal with the problems of determining important parameters (such as quantum yield of a photoprocess or emission, lifetime of an excited electronic state, actinometry of a lamp, etc.) in the context of a photochemical laboratory. Critical ability to assess beneficial (in photochemical synthesis, photodynamic cancer therapy, solar energy storage, etc.) and harmful effects (photochemical degradation of photosensitive materials, DNA damage produced by UV radiation, etc.) in light-matter interaction.
- Prerequisites
- In order to be able to understand the topics covered in the course, the student must have basic knowledge of Molecular Spectroscopy with regard to the concepts of radiation-matter interaction, absorption and emission, transition probabilities, electronic states, and of Kinetics with regard to the concepts of molecularity of a process, rate constant, differential and integrated rate law, competitive processes. Knowledge of these concepts is an indispensable prerequisite for the student wishing to follow the Photochemistry course with profit. These concepts will be summarised at the beginning of the course.
- Teaching methods
- The course consists of face-to-face lessons.
- Other information
- Attendance is strongly recommended but not compulsory.
- Learning verification modality
- The examination includes an oral test consisting of a discussion lasting approximately 30 minutes and aimed at ascertaining the student's level of knowledge and ability to understand the theoretical and methodological contents indicated in the programme. The oral test will also verify the student's ability to communicate with language property and autonomous organisation of the exposition on the same topics. Students with disabilities and/or DSA are invited to visit the page dedicated to the tools and measures provided and to agree in advance what is necessary with the teacher (https://www.unipg.it/disabilita-e-dsa).
- Extended program
- Historical background. General knowledge of electromagnetic radiation (nature, sources, monochromators, detectors and chemical actinometers) and equipment in common use in photochemical laboratories. Nature of excited electronic states and photophysical processes of deactivation. Kinetic parameters and quantum yields. Monomolecular (radiative and non-radiative) and bimolecular processes (energy, charge and proton transfer, excimers and exciplexes). Primary photochemical processes: dissociation, intramolecular rearrangement, dimerisation, addition, hydrogen extraction (intermolecular and intramolecular). Determination of the mechanism of photochemical reactions and analysis of factors that may influence the direction and yield; practical possibility of guiding photoreactions. Photosensitised reactions. Pulsed techniques in photochemistry: study of short-lived intermediates in various time domains and measurement of lifetimes of excited states. Review, description and analysis of some technological and industrial applications of photochemistry: photochromism, synthesis, photopolymerisation and photoreticulation, photosensitisation and photodegradation, solar energy conservation, chemiluminescence and photocatalysis.
- Obiettivi Agenda 2030 per lo sviluppo sostenibile
- The course aims to provide quality, equitable and inclusive education and provide learning opportunities for all, as a basis for improving people's lives and achieving sustainable development.