84932 - Bioelectronics and Biosensors

Academic Year 2024/2025

  • Moduli: Massimo Marcaccio (Modulo 1) Marco Malferrari (Modulo 2)
  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures (Modulo 1) Traditional lectures (Modulo 2)
  • Campus: Bologna
  • Corso: Second cycle degree programme (LM) in Molecular and industrial biotechnology (cod. 9213)

Learning outcomes

The course will provide the chemistry and physical-chemical principles of the electron transfer processes and the transduction of the chemical signal, as well as their application to the understanding and development of bioelettrochemical systems in the context of biosensing and energy bioproduction, even at industrial level.

In particular, the student will be able:
- to analyze and evaluate the energy and kinetic parameters of the electron transfer;
- to understand and use the functionalization methodolgies of different types of surfaces and to perform their characterization;
- to understand how a variety of biosensors and for sustainable power generation devices work.

Course contents

MODULE 1:

Heterogeneous electron transfer: Butler-Volmer law.

Amperometric and voltammetric methods for species in solution. Electrochemical investigation of modified electrodes by voltammetric and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy methods.  

Optical sensors and principles of electrochemiluminescence.

Elements of the electron transfer theory and Marcus inverted region.

Electrochemical and bioelectrochemical conversion of energy: biofuel cells and dye sensitized solar cells.

 

MODULE 2:

Surface functionalization of electrodes and insulating oxide surfaces with molecular and biological species.

Surface investigation by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM).

Trasduction of signal in sensors and biosensors.

Amperometric sensors and biosensors.

Readings/Bibliography

Chemical Sensors and Biosensors, Florinel-Gabriel Bănică; Wiley 2012

Electrochemical Methods - Fundamentals and Applications, A. J. Bard, L. R. Faulkner, Wiley (II edition)

Teaching methods

The lectures will concern various aspects of the homogenous and heterogenous electron transfer and the development of the sensors mainly based on the electron transfer.

The course will be complemented by lab experiments on some selected topics discussed in the lectures.

Assessment methods

The assessment of the course will be an oral examination on the various topics presented during the lectures and the discussion of the results of the experiments carried out in the lab.

Teaching tools

Lesson slide projector; PC; electrochemical and microscopy lab instrumentation.

Office hours

See the website of Massimo Marcaccio

See the website of Marco Malferrari

SDGs

Good health and well-being Affordable and clean energy Life on land

This teaching activity contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda.