D1 - Knowledge and comprehension skills
At the end of the course, the student will know the main classes of nanostructured materials, their properties and characterization techniques.
D2 - Ability to apply knowledge and understanding
The student will be able to hypothesize the main parameters affecting properties, preparation and design of specific classes of nanomaterials.
D3 - Autonomy of judgment
The student will be able to use the knowledge acquired to select and design a set of nanomaterials suitable for specific applications and working conditions.
D4 - Communication skills
The student must be able to describe properties and methods of characterization/preparation for the selected nanostructured materials, with language properties.
D5 - Learning skills
The student must be able to interpret the design requirements and evaluate the possible use options of nanostructured materials.

Basic knowledge of chemistry, polymers, and materials science.

The course aims at providing an overview of nanomaterials, their properties, and main applications in the nano/biotechnologies. Introduction. Overview of nanostructures. Concept of size-dependence of properties at the nanoscale. Block copolymers (bulk, film, in solution; phase diagrams, defects and directed self-assembling, nano and micro events in films; examples of applications: nanopatterning and porous membranes). Polymer based nanomaterials, principles and design using commercial software, fundamentals of finite element methods and application to nanomaterials. Supramolecular materials: from molecules to functional materials. Fundamentals of supramolecular interactions. Thermodynamics and kinetics of supramolecular systems. Cooperativity, multivalency, molecular recognition, complementarity and preorganization. Supramolecular polymers, self-assembling monolayers and peptides. Non-equilibrium and life-like nanomaterials.
Characterization methods for nanostructures (e.g. Dynamic Light Scattering – DLS (fundamentals, Rayleigh theory, Mie theory, correlation function, measurement of zeta potential, analysis and interpretation of data on real systems).

Supramolecular Chemistry – From molecules to nanomaterials. Philip A. Gale and Jonathan W. Steed, WILEY (2012 Ed.)
Out-Of-Equilibrium Supramolecular Systems and Materials, Edited by N. Giuseppone and A. Walther, Wiley-VCH, 2021.
Teaching materials provided by the instructor.

Classroom lectures, laboratories, seminars, visits to external laboratories.

The students will have to select a topic of their choice and prepare an in-depth analysis on the topic, which will be discussed with the instructor (20-25 min).The evaluations are expressed in 30/30, according to the following criteria:
-Excellent (30 -30 laude): excellent knowledge of the subject, excellent language properties, excellent analytical skills. The student is able to brilliantly apply theoretical knowledge to real cases.
-Very good (27 -29): good knowledge of the subject, remarkable language properties, good analytical skills. The student is able to correctly apply theoretical knowledge to real cases.
-Good (24-26): sufficient knowledge of the subject, good language properties. The student shows an adequate ability to apply theoretical knowledge to real cases.
-Satisfactory (21-23): the student does not show full mastery of the subject, despite possessing the fundamental knowledge; however, she/he shows satisfactory language properties and sufficient ability to apply theoretical knowledge to real cases.
-Sufficient (18-20): minimum knowledge of the subject and technical language, limited ability to adequately apply theoretical knowledge to real cases.
-Insufficient (<18): the student does not have an acceptable knowledge of the subject.

Industry, innovation and infrastructures