98676 - PHOTOACTIVE MATERIALS FOR ENERGY CONVERSION

Academic Year 2024/2025

  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
  • Campus: Bologna
  • Corso: Second cycle degree programme (LM) in Photochemistry and Molecular Materials (cod. 9074)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the student has acquired knowledge of the advanced methodologies and applications in the fields of lighting (LED and OLED), solar energy conversion and storage, photocatalysis and on the working principles and use of the simplest photochemical techniques both in steady-state and time-resolved regime.

Course contents

Brief account on supramolecular photochemistry and analysis of some complex systems (quantum dots, metal nanoparticles, organic nanostructures, organic frameworks, organic semiconductors, heterostructures, hybrid materials): from design to application.

Introduction of the principal photophysical methods with nanometrical resolution and their applications: Fluorescence Microscopy; Multiphoton Excitation and Microscopy; Fluorescence sensing; Fluorescence-Lifetime Imaging Microscopy; Single-Molecule detection; Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy; Super-resolution microscopy.

Overview, from history to state of the art, on the applications of photochemistry in energy conversion:

  • Light emitting diodes (LED, OLED, WOLED, ...)
  • Solar energy conversion (water splitting, CO2 reduction, solar fuels, photodegradation)
  • Applications of UV-Vis and solar light in organic synthesis

Technical and experimental consideration (sources, setup, photoreactors, flow)

Discussion on future advances.

Readings/Bibliography

- V. Balzani, A. Credi, M. Venturi: Molecular Devices and Machines. Concepts and Perspectives for the Nanoworld, 2° edizione, Wiley-VCH, 2008

- J. Zhong Zhang: Optical Properties and Spectroscopy of Nanomaterials, World Scientific, 2009

- J. R. Lakowicz, Principles of Fluorescence Spectroscopy, Springer, New York, 2006

- V. Balzani, P. Ceroni, A. Juris, Photochemistry and Photophysics: Concepts, Research, Applications, Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, 2014.

Teaching methods

Class lessons and seminars

Assessment methods

The final exam aims to verify the knowledge and the competences and will be an oral test. In the judgement the exposition of the scientific paper and research will be considered

Teaching tools

Dashboard, PC, Power Point slides, scientific papers

Office hours

See the website of Giacomo Bergamini

SDGs

Affordable and clean energy Sustainable cities Climate Action

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