Superfici intelligenti e multi-responsive

The course seeks to comprehend the chemical-physical principles that govern smart surfaces, learn the key methods for surface functionalization, grasp the self-organization phenomena of macromolecules at interfaces, the chemical-physical parameters influencing their structure and stability, and the primary techniques for morphological and structural characterization.

More specifically, the goals of the course are to

- knowledge and comprehension:at the end of the course the student will be able to understand the laws and chemical-physical quantities that characterize the behavior of intelligent and multi-responsive surfaces. 

-capacity to utilize knowledge and comprehension: the student will be able to critically and autonomously apply the scientific method to analyze, interpret and model complex chemical processes and develop scientific and/or technical application projects. It will be able to use complex measurement and analysis equipment for surface characterization and will also be able to use the operational skills acquired for the different professional and research needs in the relevant fields

- independence in assessment:  at the end of the course, the student will be able to choose the appropriate surface modification methodology for the application purposes designed and select the most suitable technique for its characterization; critically transfer the methodological skills acquired on surfaces to different operational contexts and research topics, independently identifying the most suitable approaches in relation to the specificity of the problem; find and analyze open access database information, scientific literature, etc.; formulate reflections on scientific and ethical issues regarding sustainability, environmental and economic impact and safety; plan the experimental activity by evaluating its times and methods, independently judge the result obtained and quantify it. During laboratory activities the student will acquire the ability to work in a group.

- communication ability: at the end of the course the student will be able to express himself clearly and effectively, with precision and scientific rigor; to argue and support scientific questions in specialized and popular contexts. The student will acquire communication skills useful for participating in or coordinating multidisciplinary projects and groups in the field of scientific research. He will be able to work independently, managing time, resources and adapting to new contexts and to transmit the knowledge acquired in the theoretical and/or experimental field to three-year students. During the laboratory activity, the student will have to learn to interact with colleagues, plan and manage the time necessary to carry out the laboratory experience, work both in a group and independently, adapting to different contexts. 

- capacity to pursue studies autonomously: at the end of the course, the student will be able to critically search and evaluate data from scientific literature, databases and online sources to obtain useful information for the scientific research he carries out; know how to deal with new studies, emerging scientific issues and professional problems in different work contexts; manage complex problems, including those of an interdisciplinary nature; to find and evaluate information to formulate and argue solutions in specialist and dissemination fields

Information for students with disabilities and/or SLD
To guarantee equal opportunities and in compliance with the laws in force, interested students can ask for a personal interview in order to plan any compensatory and/or dispensatory measures, based on the didactic objectives and specific needs.

The course will consist of 4 credits provided through lectures and 2 credit of laboratory exercises.

-Knowledge of physical chemistry of surfaces and interfaces and in particular of interfacial tension, charged interfaces and adsorption to the interface

-Polymer chemistry

-Solid-state chemistry

Attendance required at least 70 % of lessons

Introduction to surface chemistry: basic principles and concepts, wettability, electrical bilayer and adsorption at the interface

Smart and multi-responsive materials: Properties of polymers. Polymers responding to stimuli. Conductive polymers: mechanisms, models and properties. Smart macromolecules.

 Surface functionalization: Deposition and organization of molecules at the interface: Adsorption processes, thermodynamic and kinetic properties. Interaction between biological molecules and functionalized surfaces

Bioelectronics: basic principles, conducting polymers to control and monitor cells, applications in the medical field

Surface characterization:

Scanning probe microscopies. Tunnell effect microscopy. Atomic force microscopy. Force spectroscopy.

Quartz crystal microbalance. 

Localized surface plasmon resonance

Spectroscopic ellipsometry

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and electrochemical techniques 

Polymer Physics (M. Rubinstein – Oxford University Press)

Scanning Probe Microscopy of Soft Matter: Fundamentals and Practices (V. V. Tsukruk, S. Singamaneni - Wiley)

Organic electronics (Fabio Cicoira and Clara Santato - Wiley)

Electrical Properties of Polymers- (Tony Blythe, David Bloor - Cambridge University Press)

Intelligent macromolecules for smart devices (L. Dai - Springer)

Definition and properties multi-responsive systems.

Describe the behavior of biomolecules at interface.

Models to describe the conductivity mechanism of conductive polymers

Principles and characteristics of bioelectronics

Principles of characterization techniques