98678 - MOLECULAR NANOTECHNOLOGY

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student has acquired the basic concepts and the main strategies for the bottom-up construction of functional nanostructures, starting from molecules and using the paradigms of supramolecular chemistry: molecular devices and machines, dendrimers, nanoparticles, self-assembled monolayers and thin films.

Course contents

Prerequisites: knowledge of the fundamental concepts of spectroscopy, photochemistry and electrochemistry.

Attendance: the course has no compulsory attendance.

Programme: the course deals with the following topics; for each one the general principles and some significant examples are described.

1. Introduction

1.1. Top-down approach to miniaturization: photolithographic techniques

1.2. Bottom-up approach: molecular self-assembly

1.3. Molecular devices

1.4. What is molecular nanotechnology?

2. Self-assembled nanostructures

2.1. Common macrocyclic hosts and their host-guest complexes

2.2. Self-assembled capsules, cages, polymers, vesicles, and other structures

2.3. Self-assembled molecular monolayers on surfaces

3. Multicomponent molecular species

3.1. Nanosystems with complex topologies: rotaxanes, catenanes, knots, and related species

3.2. Dendrimers: synthesis, properties and applications

3.3. Dynamic covalent systems

4. Supramolecular catalysis and nanoreactors

4.1. Catalytic processes in hosts and in molecular and supramolecular containers

4.2. Self-replication, hybridization and mutation in artificial chemical systems

5. Chemical functionalization of surfaces

5.1. The Langmuir-Blodgett methodology

5.2. Functional self-assembled monolayers

5.3. Characterization and imaging of surfaces

6. Nanomaterials

6.1. Size effects and quantum confinement

6.2. Metal nanoparticles

6.3. Semiconductor nanoparticles (quantum dots)

6.4. Carbon-based nanomaterials: fullerenes, nanotubes, graphene

6.5. Nanoporous materials: zeolites, metal-organic and covalent organic frameworks

7. Mechanical molecular machines and motors

7.1. Basic concepts

7.2. Biomolecular machines: motor proteins

7.3. Artificial systems based on topologically complex species

7.4. Artificial systems based on DNA

7.5. Other examples

7.6. Potential applications

Readings/Bibliography

The course covers advanced topics of great scientific relevance and therefore in continuous evolution. There is no textbook covering the whole program; the following texts are recommended for the study and in-depth study of parts of the course:

1) J.-M. Lehn, Supramolecular Chemistry – Concepts and Perspectives, VCH, Weinheim, 1995 (part 1, 2, 4 of the programme).

2) V. Balzani, A. Credi, M. Venturi, Molecular Devices and Machines – Concepts and Perspectives for the Nanoworld, Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, 2008 (parti 1, 3, 7).

3) D. S. Goodsell, Bionanotechnology: Lessons from Nature, Wiley, New York, 2004 (part 1 and 7).

4) C. N. R. Rao, A. Muller, A. K. Cheetham (Eds.), The Chemistry of Nanomaterials, Vol. 1 e 2, Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, 2004 (part 1 and 6).

Other relevant recommended references will be reported on the slides of the presentations used in class.

Teaching methods

The module is carried out in the second semester, and consists of class lectures that illustrate the basic principles of supramolecular chemistry and nanosciences; for each specific topic, the introductory concepts as well as some singificant examples taken from the scientific literature are presented.

Assessment methods

Oral examination.

Teaching tools

Overhead projector, PC, video projector, powerpoint presentations, videos.

Office hours

See the website of Serena Silvi