The course is aimed to introduce concepts on the synthesis and characterization of materials and their applications in medical and energy fields. It is based on 10 hours of lessons and 2 hours of seminars from the research fields of the teacher, connected to the developed topics. The course includes a final evaluation.
Developed topics are: a) Nanoparticles for imaging: synthesis and characterization; b) Porous soft materials: gels and liposomes; c) Porous hard materials for drugs, biomolecules delivery and theranostics; d) Nanomaterials for energy applications; e) Final evaluation based on interactive discussion of literature papers related to the course topic.
Seminars: 1. Self-assembled materials: from properties to artificial virus. 2. Hybrid hydrogels from synthesis to clinics.
The systems illustrated include gels, hydrogels, lyposoms, metal oxide nanoparticles, and silica mesoporous species. Non-conventional synthetic technologies for functionalized, nanometric systems will be discussed (e.g.: sol-gel, hydrothermics, flash-injection). The course also includes surface (XPS, AFM, IR, zeta potenzial), morphology, (SEM, TEM), porosity  (N2  adsorption, SAXS, SANS) and size (DLS) characterization of the materials. The materials will be discussed in relation to their applications in several research fields, allowing the students to clarify the connections of chemical structure, size and shapes with desired properties and functions.
The course is mainly addressed to the students of the Master Course in Chemistry, to the students of the third year of the Basic Course in Chemistry, and of the PhD Course in Chemical Sciences, but due to its large interdisciplinary nature, it is also addressed to PhD students in Applied Biology and in Physics.
2 CFU are attributed to the students who will attend the course.
Calendar:

Lessons and seminars will be delivered at the Department Chibiofaram, HT10, piano terra, Incubatore d'Impresa.
Luisa De Cola, Invited Professor
Director of the Laboratory of Supramolecular Chemistry and Biomaterials Institut de Science et d'Ingénierie Supramoléculaires (I.S.I.S.) - Université de Strasbourg, Francia