The research activity of Serena Silvi consists in the
photochemical and electrochemical study of complex molecular and
supramolecular systems.
The main investigated systems are:
- pseudorotaxanes, rotaxanes and catenanes, as prototypes of
artificial molecular machines
- photochromic systems (like azobenzene and spiropyrans)
- metal complexes
- inorganic semiconductor nanocrystals
These systems are characterized in their basic physicochemical
properties, and then they are exploited as molecular components for
artificial molecular machines or systems for information
processing.
The scientific activity of Serena Silvi concerns the design and
the photophysical, photochemical and electrochemical study of
molecular and supramolecular complex systems, which can perform
useful functions. Three main research subjects can be
identified:
1. Artificial molecular machines
This research theme consists in the design and characterization
of supramolecular systems, like rotaxanes, catenanes and related
species, whose molecular components can perform rotary or linear
movements, upon appropriate external stimuli. The aim of this
research is obtaining potentially useful functions from the
operation of these machines: for example the insertion into systems
like the liposomes allow the study of their effect on the stability
of the membranes; in addition it is possible to design machines
capable of catching and releasing other molecular species, or
capable of performing a mechanical work, which can be amplified
from the molecular to the macroscopic level.
2. Systems for information processing
This research theme consists in the design and characterization
of molecular and supramolecular systems capable of gathering,
storing and processing information. The investigated molecular
species are able, for example to perform the function of molecular
logic gates. The “bottom-up” approach to the miniaturization could
be useful not only to reduce the dimension of the components and
improve the performances of computers, but also to develop new
technologies and materials.
3. Organic-inorganic hybrid systems based on semiconductor
nanocrystals
Inorganic semiconductor nanocrystals (quantum dots) are
materials with interesting photophysical properties, like a large
molar absorption coefficient in a wide range and a narrow and
intense luminescence, whose energy can be tuned with the dimensions
of the nanocrystal. Quantum dots can be functionalized on their
surface with organic ligands, which can give electron or energy
transfer processes with the nanocrystals. Investigation of these
processes is important not only for the comprehension of the
photophysics of these complex systems, but also to design
functional materials, in which the interaction between inorganic
nanocrystals and organic molecules can be exploited to obtain
advanced sensing functions.
