Portale di Ateneo - Unibs.it Portale di Ateneo - Unibs.it

The module is broken down in the following units.

1. Introduction. Nanoscience and nanotechnology – Why should we (and biology) care?

2. Physicochemical background
Chemical bond and intermolecular forces, a review. Condensed matter. Thermodynamic parameters and functions of state. First and second law of thermodynamics. Gibbs free energy and chemical potential. Isothermal equilibria and some of their peculiar applications in biology. Biology by the numbers.

3. Nanoscience concepts
3.1. On the surface of things. Physical chemistry of surfaces and interfaces. Surface curvature. Adsorption at the solid-liquid interface. Chemical equilibrium confined at solid-liquid interfaces. Electrochemistry of interfaces.
3.2. Size. Size and size effects. Physical equilibria. Elements of nanothermodynamics.
3.3. Shape. Zero-dimensional nanostructures: nanoparticles. One-dimensional nanostructures: nanowires and nanorods. Two-dimensional nanostructures: thin films. "Mixed dimensional" nanomaterials.
3.4. Self assembly. Macromolecules and self-assembled structures. The top-down and bottom-up fabrication approaches.
3.5. Nanostructures and defects.
3.6. The bio-nano interface.
A glance at safety, social and economical issues.

4. Key nanomaterials
This is the core unit of the course. We will focus on six materials made nano and illustrate them through the nanoscience concepts laid down in unit 3 to illustrate the physics, chemistry and biology of whole classes of nanomaterials and nanotechnology.
Silica. Gold. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). Cadmium selenide. Iron oxide. Carbon.

5. Bionanotechnology case Histories.
Selected applications of nanotechnology in biology including: biological imaging, molecular recognition and diagnostics, therapeutics, biomimetic materials, tissue engineering, far and beyond visions.

6. Nanolab
6.1. Nanoscience diagnostics: major characterization techniques of materials and properties at the nanoscale.
6.2. Synthesis and characterization of gold nanoparticles.