Teacher: Dr. Yuri Diaz Fernandez, Department of Chemistry
Period: January – February
Objectives: Presenting the new trends in inorganic catalysis, related to emerging tools within microscopy and spectroscopic analysis that allowed high-resolution probing of chemical and physical properties of inorganic systems in operando.
Brief description of the program and content: The course starts with an overview of the new trends in inorganic catalysis, presenting emerging developments within conventional tools for microscopy and spectroscopic analysis that have enabled the detailed characterization of chemical and biochemical reactions at the nanoscale, focusing on three main areas of research:
1)Electron microscopy techniques in liquid and gas environments for in-situ probing of chemical reactions (e.g., liquid-TEM, environmental SEM)
2) Plasmonic techniques for sensing catalytic reactions at the single particle level (e.g., indirect plasmonic sensing)
3)Correlative spectroscopies for probing catalytic systems (TERS, TEM-EELS, field-flow-fractionation coupled to DLS and single-particle ICPMS)
For each of these topics, we will present the key methods for the fabrication of devices and substrates compatible with the specific analytical techniques, focusing on technologies available at the University of Pavia. We will also discuss advantages and disadvantages for each technique in the context of fundamental academic research and for industrial applications.
Examination: Oral exam. Short presentation of a topic related to the course and agreed with the teacher.