Activities

The electron microscopy laboratory, as an integral part of the nanobiotechnology facilities, focuses on  chemical and structural characterisation at nanometric and subnanometric scale of organic and inorganic samples.

The laboratory is involved in the nanobiotechnology department's studies on materials, e.g.:

• Complex nanostructures and self-assembling nanocompounds (interest in optics, photonics and electronics)
• Nanostructured materials to be employed as energy conversion and storage devices
• Multifunctional nanovectors (biomedicine)

Also projects on biological samples which are shared with other departments of the Institute:

• Studies on primary neurons in different kinds of cultures (with NBT)
• Human neurological disease models (with NBT and D3)

The lines of research that we are following in the Chemical Lab are the following:

Nanoparticle assembly and the study of properties stemming from such assemblies

We assemble various types of nanoparticles, in both ordered and disordered aggregates, using various techniques (assembling at interphase between two un-mixable liquids, using the Langmuir-Blodgett method, slow evaporation and dewetting).

Moreover, we assemble disordered aggregates using a nano-welding technique developed by us.

This assembly is obtained both in solution (even when polymers are present) and on substrates. We study the structural, optical, mechanical, and electric transport properties of various assembled materials.

Main instruments employed:

• Synthesis lines (Schlenk lines)
• Glove boxes
• Spectrophotometers
• Fluorimeters
• Set-up for electron transport and micro-fabrication (Clean Room)
• Electron Microscopy Laboratory
• Nanointender (Materials Characterization Laboratory)
• X-ray powder diffractometer with rotating anode source (from July 2009)

We are about to buy a set-up for mechanical dynamical analysis, and XPS system and a setup for CVD growth

Personnel involved:

• Nanochemistry laboratory: Dirk Dorfs, Dmitry Baranov, George Chandramohan, Simone Nitti, Liberato Manna
• Electron Microscopy Laboratory: Andrea Falqui, Giovanni Bertoni, Sergio Marras
• Clean Room: Roman Krahne
• External personnel: Isabella Franchini (Laboratori NNL, Lecce)