Content

The student will choose between the two options :

Project Based Laboratory on organic photovoltaic (OPV) cell

This laboratory aims to introduce students to basic experimental procedures employed for the realization and characterization of an organic photovoltaic (OPV) cell. The course will include the study of materials, of the device architecture, and of its properties. Students will initially study different architectures and the suitable materials to fabricate the device.

The realization of an OPV cell will require 4 modules involving a very interdisciplinary know-how: Device Engineering and material selection, Synthesis or purchase of the active materials, Characterizations, Analysis.

Nanostructured Magnetic Materials: A Technological Approach

Definition and classification of Nanomaterials, Introduction on the fundamental concept of magnetism, Overview of the different approaches to the synthesis of nanostructure materials.

Aims

Project Based Laboratory on organic photovoltaic (OPV) cell

In this project based laboratory course students will be guided through the basic experimental procedures for the fabrication and characterization of an organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells. Each step of the OPV cell fabrication will be done by the students independently and actively, but under continuous guidance and supervision of a tutor. Students will be then guided through the most appropriate experimental techniques and procedures. Once the device fabricated and characterized, student will be engaged in a critical analysis of the results exploiting basic concepts learnt in other courses. To achieve this goal, students will avail themselves of a laboratory entirely dedicated to this activity, aiming to a “learn by making” instruction level.

Nanostructured Magnetic Materials: A Technological Approach

A physical property depends on the size of an object, if its size is comparable to a dimension relevant to that property. In magnetism typical sizes – as for example the dimension of magnetic domains or lengths of exchange coupling interaction - are in the nanometer range. For this reason, starting few decades ago, great attention has been directed towards nanostructured magnetic materials where constituent phase or grain structures are modulated on a length scale from 1 to 100 nm. In particular magnetic nanoparticles have generated much interest because of their application in high density data storage, ferrofluid technology, catalysts and biomedical application (e.g. magnetic separation, drug delivery, contrast enhanced MRI).

This course will teach students how to design and synthetize nanostructured magnetic materials (NMM) with tunable magnetic properties. The materials will be then tested for specific applications (e.g. magnetic separation, drug delivery, magnetic hyperthermia, MRI) optimizing their magnetic properties.

After a brief introduction on the fundamental concept of magnetism, a synthetic description of the magnetism at the nanoscale (i.e. Supermagnetism) will be given. As a second step, the main synthesis method MNM will be described and, focusing on magnetic nanoparticles, the correlation between crystalline structure, morphology and magnetic properties relevant to specific applications (e.g. drug delivery, biosorption, magnetic hyperthermia) will be discussed. In this part students will learn how to design nanostructured magnetic materials with tunable properties for specific application. Then, students will synthetize by chemical method magnetic nanoparticles and they will characterize materials by morho-structural and physical point of view. Synthetized materials will be tested within original research project, for specific application (e.g. magnetic separation), working on the optimization of physical properties of materials for a specific application.

Pre-requiste

Project Based Laboratory on organic photovoltaic (OPV) cell

Basic skills in solution preparation and chemistry of materials. Basic know-how on the electronic structure of semiconductors. Basic know-how of optical and electrical properties of materials.

Nanostructured Magnetic Materials: A Technological Approach

Fundamental Chemistry and Physics.

Recommended Books

Project Based Laboratory on organic photovoltaic (OPV) cell

• M.C. Petty "Molecular Electronics", Wiley 2007.
• Materials Concepts for Solar Cells” by Thomas Dittrich (Imperial College Press)

Nanostructured Magnetic Materials: A Technological Approach

• S. Blundell, Magnetism in condensed matter. Oxford: Oxford Univesity Press, 2001.
• L. Suber and D. Peddis, “Approaches to Synthesis and Characterization of Spherical and Anisometric Metal Oxide Magnetic Nanomaterials,” in Nanomaterials for life science, Wiley., vol. 4, C. S. S. R. Kumar, Ed. Weinheim: Wiley, 2010, p. 431475.
• D. Peddis, P. E. Jönsson, S. Laureti, and G. Varvaro, Magnetic interactions: A tool to modify the magnetic properties of materials based on nanoparticles, vol. 6. 2014.
• G. Muscas, N. Yaacoub, and D. Peddis, Novel Magnetic Nanostrucures Unique properties and applications. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier, 2019.

Teaching Staff

Project Based Laboratory on organic photovoltaic (OPV) cell

Davide Comoretto, and a young researcher in Industrial Chemistry (Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry Department), Francesco Buatier de Mongeot, and Maria Caterina Giordano (Physics Department).

Nanostructured Magnetic Materials: A Technological Approach

Prof. Davide Peddis and prof. Fabio Canepa (Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry Department)

Hours

Project Based Laboratory on organic photovoltaic (OPV) cell

Lecture 10 h
Practical Course 30 h

Nanostructured Magnetic Materials: A Technological Approach

Lecture 10h
Laboratory 30 h

Grading System

Project Based Laboratory on organic photovoltaic (OPV) cell

Oral presentation 60%
Lab training 40%

Nanostructured Magnetic Materials: A Technological Approach

At the end of the course each student should critically discuss his/her laboratory activity based on his/her lab-book (30%). Also obtained experimental results will be discussed in a presentation