HIGH ENERGY NEUTRONS FOR SCIENCE AND SOCIETY

- Starting date : 5th Oct 2010 Ending date: 6th Oct 2006
– Location : Villa Wolkonsky, the residence of the British ambassador in Rome, Italy

- Registration deadline: 15 September 2010

- Detailed information and registration on web site

- E-mail contact: school_fpricci@me.cnr.it

Invited Lecturers

Scope

The observational window provided by high–energy (eV to MeV) neutrons offers unique possibilities as a local probe for the exploration of materials at the nanoscale. The inverse geometry spectrometer VESUVIO operating on the ISIS pulsed neutron source has pioneered Deep Inelastic Neutron Scattering (DINS) measurements of the momentum distribution of light atoms in condensed matter systems. These measurements provide a probe of the local structure of the materials and biomaterials as well as information on the dynamics of the atoms.

This is the V edition of a series of workshops addressing the PERSPECTIVES IN NEUTRON SPECTROSCOPY AT HIGH ENERGIES and follows the I and II editions held at Cosener House in May 1995 and October 1998, the III edition held in Santa Fe (New Mexico, US) in April 2005, and the IV edition held in Oak Ridge National Laboratory in 2006.

Lectures are intended for experts and PhD students attending the X SCHOOL OF NEUTRON SCATTERING “FRANCESCO PAOLO RICCI”.

Scientific Committee

Mark Adams    (STFC, ISIS)   
Jerry Mayers    (STFC, ISIS)   
Stuart Parker    (STFC, ISIS)   
John Tomkinson   (STFC, UK)

Prof. Lucio Braicovich

Dipartimento di Fisica del Politecnico di Milano

Venerdì 14 maggio 2010

ore 15.00

aula “G. Ruffino” del Dipartimento di Ingegneria Meccanica (edificio Ing. Industriale, II piano)

Locandina

‘FRANCESCO PAOLO RICCI’

Electronvolt Neutron Spectroscopy of Materials: Microscopic Dynamics and Enabling Techniques

- Starting date : 25 Sept 2010 Ending date: 4 Oct 2006
– Location : Villa Mondragone (http://www.villamondragone.it/), Monte Porzio Catone, Roma- Italy

- Registration deadline: 15 June 2010
– School Directors: Dr. Roberto Senesi, Università degli Studi di Roma Tor Vergata Dipartimento di Fisica ,  Roma, Italy, Dr. Cirino Vasi, C.N. R.– Istituto per i Processi Chimico Fisici, Messina, Italy

- Detailed information and registration:
http://web129.its.me.cnr.it/school_fpricci/index.htm

- E-mail contact: school_fpricci@me.cnr.it

- Brochure

Aim of the School

This school, established in 1994, is primarily addressed to graduate students or postdoctoral with an interest in Neutron Scattering. The School will comprise lectures, tutorials, practicals and hands-on data analysis sessions, covering diverse aspects of Neutron Scattering, but with an emphasis on techniques and instrumentation designed to study the : Microscopic Dynamics of Simple and Hydrogen-bonded Quantum Fluids, Quantum Momentum Distributions, Effective Born-Oppenheimer Potentials, High Energy Excitations, High Energy Neutron Imaging, Deep Inelastic neutron scattering , High Energy Neutron Irradiation Effects.

The School will start on Saturday, September 25th 2010, with a series of in introductory lectures covering the fundamental aspects of neutron scattering and neutron instrumentation. During the next days, a series of lectures will provide the basis of electronvolt neutron spectroscopy, with particular on new instrumental and data handling techniques.
Practicals will be carried out at the neutron@BTF pulsed neutron source at Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati – INFN.

At the end of the school, students are invited to attend the International workshop: “High-energy neutrons for science and society “, which will be held on October 5th and 6th 2010 at Villa Wolkonsky, the UK ambassador’s residence in Rome.

Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zürich, Via Giuseppe Buffi 13, USI Campus, 6900 Lugano, Switzerland (http://www.rgp.ethz.ch/)

Aula G2C

Facoltà di Scienze Matematiche, Fisiche e Naturali

Università degli Studi di Roma “Tor Vergata”

Ore 15.00 – 16 Aprile 2010

ABSTRACT

We use a generalized form of Langevin equation in which the noise is correlated (colored) rather then being white to devise a number of very powerful sampling methods. After revising the theory that is behind our approach, we show how one can model the noise to achieve optimal sampling in ordinary and in ab-initio (Car-Parrinello) molecular dynamics. Most remarkably our sampling method can be used to introduce quantum effect at zero additional cost with respect to a standard simulation.

G. Bussi and M. Parrinello, J. Chem. Phys., vol. 126 (1), pp. 014101, 2007

M. Ceriotti, G. Bussi and M. Parrinello, Phys. Rev. Lett., vol 102 (2), pp. 020601, 2009

M. Ceriotti, G. Bussi and M. Parrinello, Phys. Rev. Lett., vol 103 (3), pp. 030603, 2009

Date: June 7 ­ June 11, 2010

Location: Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA

Deadline for application: March 31, 2010

For more details contact: Flora Meilleur (mailto:meilleurf@ornl.gov)

or visit: http://neutrons.ornl.gov/conf/gcnb2010

European Materials Research Society Spring Meeting

Scientific/Technical Symposia & Exhibition

Palais de la Musique et des Congrès

Congress Center

Strasburg, FRANCE

Deadline for abstract submission: January 19, 2010

EMRS_Spring Meeting_Brochure

1- Advanced networking

2- Bioinformatica

3- Innovazione Tecnologica e Comunicazione

Il bando è riservato alle Università consorziate.

Per i partecipanti della nostra Università la domanda va inviata a: direzione@caspur.it

(e per conoscenza a desideri@uniroma2.it)

Gli allegati sono disponibili al seguente link:

Bando Caspur Borse Dottorato

AIGE primo annuncio 2010

link emagazine Tor Vergata

Science-nov-2009

For detailed information,  visit the following Websites:

http://cdsagenda5.ictp.trieste.it/full_display.php?ida=a08177

Several Science Foundation Ireland funded four year PhD studentships in advanced Classical and Quantum molecular simulation are available in the group of Professor Giovanni Ciccotti (GC) at the School of Physics, University College Dublin, Ireland to commence October 1 2009.

Each PhD student will work directly with a Post-doctoral researcher and international visitors expert in his/her chosen thesis topic as well as with Prof. Ciccotti. He or she will be expected to attend advanced specialised courses and research workshops in Ireland and Europe, and on occasion North America through the Atlantic Centre for Atomistic Modeling — ACAM (http://www.acam.ie) and the European Centre for Atomistic and Molecular Computations –CECAM (http://www.cecam.org) network of which ACAM is a node.

The research-thesis topics for each position are:
1 .Bio-Physics: Molecular Dynamics study of the allosteric transition in Hemoglobin, and Ligand Binding on Myoglobin;

2 ICT & Nano-Materials: Soft Matter & Rheology — Nano-imprinting;

3 Energy and the Environment: Mixed quantum-classical simulations of hydrogen in ethanol and methanol-fed fuel cells.

4 Chemistry: simulation of deprotonation of weak acids by rare event simulation techniques and ab-initio molecular dynamics

Principal Duties and Responsibilities
Your primary duty will be to work efficiently and full time on your chosen research topic, so as to complete your PhD thesis within four years. You may be requested to perform additional very light duties, such as helping a member of the group on a different research topic or piece of computer code, or organization of an international research meeting.

Selection Criteria
* Mandatory
Equivalent of a first class or upper second honours undergraduate degree or a Masters degree in theoretical physics/chemistry/biophysics/applied mathematics/engineering; a good knowledge of statistical mechanics or classical mechanics; a good knowledge of a scientific programming language such as C/C++/Fortran and the willingness to combine algorithm development and statistical mechanics in your research; a knowledge of spoken and written English adequate to work in an English Speaking Environment;

* Desirable
Working knowledge/experience of molecular simulation; Good knowledge of electronic structure/solid state physics.

APPLICATIONS
Interested candidates should send by email to Donal.MacKernan@ucd.ie a brief cover letter indicating their motivation to apply for one of these positions and their curriculum vitae”. The subject line of the email should include “PhD-positions “.
All positions will remain open until filled.
Important Information for non long-term residents  of the European Union:
While all successful applicants will receive a PhD stipend of around 19000 € per annum, (a) non long term residents of the European Union (EU) are required to pay 5000 € registration and tuition fees to University College Dublin from their own funds. We are trying to have this fee waived but cannot guarantee a solution.

15th-16th October 2009

Villa Mondragone, Monte Porzio Catone, Roma

The workshop covers many aspects of research and development on hybrid and organic photovoltaics. Is intended to be an italian as well international forum for discussions on the current trends and future directions of hybrid and organic photovoltaics, the science and the industrialization. The emphasis of the contributions is on interdisciplinary aspects of this field.

More information on:

http://www.chose.uniroma2.it/WHOSE

Nanomaterials for sustainable development

Villa Mondragone, Università degli Studi di Roma Tor Vergata

Moneporzio Catone, Rome, Italy

Program

Information on ORNL Neutron Sciences website

Please submit your Abstract to abstract@nanosmat2009.com by 30th june 2009.

Download pdf:

prof. DelSole.pdf

prof. Desideri.pdf

prof.ssa Licoccia.pdf

dr. Morales.pdf

dr. Pulci.pdf

prof. Richter.pdf

prof. Rosato.pdf

dr. Senesi.pdf

prof. Venanzi.pdf

Crown Plaza Hotel,

Via Aurelia Antica 415

00165 Rome

Selected papers presented at the Conference will be published, after peer-reviewing process and depending on the Symposium, in Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Nanomedicine or Surface Engineering.

The deadline for Abstract submission is 15 June 2009.
Full paper sbmission deadline is 30 Oct 2009.

For more info please check out:  Nanosmat 2009

Prof. P. Gomez Romero

A PLANET IN SEARCH FOR ENERGY
Prof. P. Gomez-Romero
Centro de Investigación en Nanociencia y Nanotecnología, CIN2 (CSIC-ICN),
Campus UAB, 08193 Bellaterra (Barcelona) SPAIN
e-mail:pedro.gomez@cin2.es

With cheap oil is on its way to extinction and more abundant carbon threatening climate and environment, our present model for energy generation and consumption is doomed to a radical change or to a radical crisis. And yet, every year we burn more and more fossil fuels. We are already living the beginning of a complex combined problem between energy and the environment, a problem that will not vanish miraculously through the chimney. But every year we use more and more energy.
Maybe in the slumber of the kingdom of dispensable consuming, our supposedly civilized society doesn’t seem to be alarmed by this situation. We seem to believe that, when the time comes, science, technology and the market will come to our rescue providing the massive amounts of energy needed to keep our society moving. But the time is NOW. In this talk we will present the overwhelming problem of energy in our present society, the links between energy, environment and economy and the many lines of action that could be taken to tackle this problem. This will include technological and social aspects, all intertwined to the limit. Hydrogen and fuel cells, solar energy and other renewables, nuclears, energy efficiency…a cocktail difficult to digest for the public in general which we scientists have the responsibility to explain to our fellow citizens. This talk aims at showing how.

Related books:
Pedro Gomez-Romero “Un planeta en busca de energía” Ed. Síntesis, 2007
Pedro Gomez-Romero. “Metaevolución. La Tierra en el espejo” Ed. Celeste, 2001.
www.cienciateca.com

Poster

Prof. Josh Thomas

MD simulation of Nafion®-related fuel-cell membrane materials
Prof. Josh Thomas
Materials Chemistry, Uppsala University, Box 538, SE-751 21 Uppsala, Sweden.

Perfluorosulphonic acid (PFSA) polymers have long been the proton-conducting membranes of choice in PEMFC and DMFC applications. Nafion® has indeed become the  standard against which any new polymer FC membrane must be benchmarked. What then is special about this material – and how could it be improved?
Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulation can provide us with valuable insights to help answer these questions. With today’s high-performance computers, simulations can be performed involving tens of thousands of atoms. I will describe MD simulations of two hydrated membrane polymers for comparison purposes: Nafion® and another popular FC membrane material Hyflon® – earlier known as the Dow® membrane. These two polymers differ only in the nature of their side-chains. Subtle differences are found to result in their water-channel morphologies and in the local environments and dynamics of the hydrated protons which move in their channels. These differences can help explain the differences found in the properties of these two membranes.

Poster

Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia

Università degli Studi di Roma Tor Vergata

Il SIMPOSIO ha gli obiettivi di illustrare le opportunità in biologia e medicina offerte dalle nuove sorgenti di radiazioni basate su fasci di ioni, Laser ad Elettroni Liberi e neutroni, con particolare attenzione ai possibili sviluppi scientifici e tecnologici che tali sorgenti consentiranno ed alle prospettive per la comunità scientifica dell’area romana, nazionale ed internazionale. Oggi nel mondo migliaia di ricercatori, di enti di ricerca, università ed industria, utilizzano la sonda luce di  sincrotrone, ione e neutrone per condurre ricerca di frontiera e complementare, ad esempio nei settori delle scienze ambientali, delle bioscienze, dell’ingegneria, delle scienze chimiche, farmaceutiche, fisiche e geologiche, delle scienze mediche e dei materiali. L’enfasi del simposio sarà sulle opportunità delle sonde ioni, luce e neutroni nei settori della radioterapia e diagnostica molecolare, della caratterizzazione dei sistemi biologici per quei fenomeni che avvengono su scala spaziale nanometrica, e su scala temporale dei femtosecondi.

Locandina

La partecipazione al Simposio è gratuita ed aperta a tutti gli interessati. Per esigenze organizzative comunque è necessario confermare la propria partecipazione alla segreteria  organizzativa entro il giorno 16 Aprile 2009, all’indirizzo e-mail: infomedicina@uniroma2.it

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comunicato stampa

press release

Nova-Il Sole 24 Ore

Venue: Bilbao Exhibition Centre

workshop information

[[Show as slideshow]]

Photogallery

Videos

Related link:

• Università Tor Vergata
• blog Nova-Il Sole24Ore
• TV program

VILLA WOLKONSKY

Via Ludovico di Savoia, Rome, Italy

whorkshop programme

Prof. Franco Cacialli

Conjugated molecular and supramolecular materials now provide a class of semiconductors in its own right, with potential application to devices such as light-emitting diodes, LEDs, displays, transistors, and solar cells, now mature for both large-scale industrial take-up and commercial exploitation. After a brief introduction to conjugated polymers, I will present an electro-optical technique for the non-invasive probing of internal built-in fields in sandwich devices (LEDs or solar cells) and, in combination with data from ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS) and Kelvin Probe characterisation, for the analysis of the energy level line-up at organic semiconductors/electrodes interfaces. I will also present an approach to high-resolution lateral patterning of an electroluminescent conjugated polymer, based on near-field lithography with apertured probes. The technique is based on the spatially selective inhibition of the solubility of the polymer precursor by exposure to the UV field present at the apex of double-tapered, gold-coated probes [aperture diameters between 40 and 80 nm (±5 nm)]. After development in methanol and thermal conversion under vacuum we obtain features with a minimum dimension of 50 nm. I will also report results on heating of the SNOM apertured probes resulting from the combined effect of significant absorption in the metallic coating and small optical throughput of the probes. Implications for microspectroscopy and lithography will also be discussed. Insulated molecular wires made with conjugated-polymers-based polyrotaxanes offer an example of an alternative, bottom-up approach to electroluminescent nanostructures. An attractive feature here is that this class of materials is engineered at a supramolecular level by threading a conjugated macromolecule, such as poly(para-phenylene), poly(4,4-diphenylene vinylene) or poly(9,9-fluorene) through a- or b-cyclodextrin rings, so as to reduce intermolecular interactions and solid-state packing effects, that red-shift and partially quench the luminescence. Such a supramolecular approach preserves the fundamental semiconducting properties of the conjugated wires, and is effective at both increasing the photoluminescence efficiency and blue-shifting the emission of the conjugated cores, in the solid state, while still  charge-transport. We used the polymers to prepare a range of LEDs and light-emitting electrochemical cells (LECs). The reduced tendency for polymer chains to aggregate shows in both solid-state films, as well as in solution (as clearly demonstrated by time-resolved fluorescence studies) and allows solution-processing of individual polyrotaxane wires onto substrates, as revealed by scanning-force microscopy.

Dr. Lionel Vayssieres

The demand of novel functional materials has become the major challenge scientists face to answer crucial contemporary issues such as alternative energy sources, novel sensors for a safer and cleaner environment and for health (e.g. early detection of cancer and regenerative therapies). For instance, one of the promising alternatives for the transition of energy resource from its fossil fuel-based beginning to a clean and renewable technology relies on the widespread implementation of solar-related energy systems, however the high cost of energy production and low-energy of currently used material combinations pose an intrinsic limitation. In this context, revolutionary materials development is required to achieve the necessary dramatic increases in power generation and conversion efficiency. The need of low cost purpose-built, functional materials with optimized geometry, orientation, and aspect ratio combined with inexpensive large scale manufacturing methods will play a decisive role in the success of solar related energy source. However, fabricating and manufacturing large area of such functional materials is a daunting challenge. Novel smarter and cheaper fabrication techniques and, just as important, better fundamental knowledge and comprehensive understanding of materials and their syntheses as well as their properties using nanoscale phenomena such as quantum confinements to create multi-functional structures and devices is the key to success. R&D exploiting Nanoscience and Nanotechnology has the greatest potential to reach such challenging goals.
Such ideas will be demonstrated by the low-cost design and fabrication of 3-D crystalline arrays of metal oxide quantum dots and rods based structures and devices with controlled orientations, size and shape onto various substrates designed at nano-, meso-, and micro-scale by aqueous low-temperature chemical growth. In addition, in-depth characterization of their electronic structure at synchrotron radiation facilities and their application for solar hydrogen generation, photovoltaics, magnetic and gas sensor devices will be presented.

Prof. Patricia Targon Campana

The understanding of the relation between the protein structure and its function is an important challenge in Science, since proteins are involved in all crucial process for life appearing and maintenance. In this sense, the comprehension of stability and conformational mechanisms that can interfere in the protein function is essential to achieve the knowledge and subsequent treatment of several pathologies. Among the most interesting proteins for these studies one can find the lectins: proteins that present the ability to bind carbohydrates specifically and in a reversible way. As carbohydrates can be found in cell membranes, this special feature makes these proteins proper to mediate molecular recognition processes as cell proliferation, cell-cell and cell-virus interactions. Although those proteins have been extensively studied during the last decades, new lectins with interesting properties have been isolated and even the most studied ones presented open questions about their biological function and conformational changes as well. In this sense, this talk aims to present some conformational studies of lectins and other proteins with biotechnological application that have been performed in several structure levels. The changes in secondary structure by means of Far-UV Circular Dichroism, steady-state and phase domain fluorescence at aromatic vicinities and tertiary and quaternary levels using Small-Angle X-Ray Scattering (SAXS) will be presented.

Professor in Chemistry and Biochemistry,

Faculty of Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.

Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome

Office: Department of Experimental Medicine and Biochemical Sciences

Tel: +39 06 72596354

Research Activity

1) Laboratory development and managing.
2) Molecular biology techniques
3) Microbiology techniques.
4) Immunobiosensors for analisys of enviromental pollution and food contaminants.
5) Cellular immunology
6) Immunochemistry
7) Cell culture and monoclonal antibody production
8) Drug design and HTS
9) Activity evaluation of new drugs against parasites.

Recent Publications

[1]. Ciaccio C, Coletta A, De Sanctis G, Marini S., Coletta M. (2008) Cooperativity and allostery in haemoglobin function. IUBMB Life. Feb;60(2):112-23

[2]. Gemma S, Campiani G, Butini S, Kukreja G, Coccone SS, Joshi BP, Persico M, Nacci V, Fiorini I, Novellino E, Fattorusso E, Taglialatela-Scafati O, Savini L, Taramelli D, Basilico N, Parapini S, Morace G, Yardley V, Croft S, Coletta M, Marini S, Fattorusso C. (2008) Clotrimazole scaffold as an innovative pharmacophore towards potent antimalarial agents: design, synthesis, and biological and structure-activity relationship studies. J Med Chem. 2008 Mar 13;51(5):1278-94. Epub 2008 Feb 16.

[3]. Monaco S, Gioia M, Rodriguez J, Fasciglione GF, Di Pierro D, Lupidi G, Krippahl L, Marini S, Coletta M. (2007) Modulation of the proteolytic activity of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (gelatinase A) on fibrinogen. Biochem J. Mar 15;402(3):503-13.

[4]. Saladino R, Fiani C, Crestini C, Argyropoulos DS, Marini S, Coletta M. (2007) An efficient and stereoselective dearylation of asarinin and sesamin tetrahydrofurofuran lignans to acuminatolide by methyltrioxorhenium/H(2)O(2) and UHP systems. J Nat Prod. Jan;70(1):39-42.

[5]. Gioia M, Monaco S, Fasciglione GF, Coletti A, Modesti A, Marini S, Coletta M. (2007) Characterization of the Mechanisms by which Gelatinase A, Neutrophil Collagenase, and Membrane-Type Metalloproteinase MMP-14 Recognize Collagen I and Enzymatically Process the Two alpha-Chains. J Mol Biol. May 11;368(4):1101-1113. Epub 2007 Mar 2.

Full Professor in Biochemistry at the School of Veterinary Medicine,

University of Teramo, Italy.

Visiting Professor at the School of Medicine,

University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Italy.

Tel.: 0861266875

Tel.: 0672596388

Research Activity

Published 207 full papers including 32 review articles (total I.F. ≈ 800), and 43 invited papers in international refereed journals, besides 41 mini-papers and 128 Congress communications on the following main topics:
1. Structure and function of enzymes; 2. Membranes and lipid messengers in programmed cell death (apoptosis) and in neurodegenerative processes; 3. Endocannabinoids; 4. Ultraweak luminescence in biomedicine; 5. Gravitational effects on enzyme reactions.

Recent Publications

[1] Dainese E, Oddi S, Maccarrone M.
Lipid-mediated dimerization of beta(2)-adrenergic receptor reveals important clues for cannabinoid receptors.
Cell Mol Life Sci. 2008 May 26.

[2] Battista N, Pasquariello N, Di Tommaso M, Maccarrone M.
Interplay between endocannabinoids, steroids and cytokines in the control of human reproduction.
J Neuroendocrinol. 2008 May;20 Suppl 1:82-9.

[3] Di Marzo V, Maccarrone M.
FAAH and anandamide: is 2-AG really the odd one out?
Trends Pharmacol Sci. 2008 May;29(5):229-233.

[4] Cupini LM, Costa C, Sarchielli P, Bari M, Battista N, Eusebi P, Calabresi P, Maccarrone M.
Degradation of endocannabinoids in chronic migraine and medication overuse headache.
Neurobiol Dis. 2008 May;30(2):186-9.

[5] Battista N, Rapino C, Di Tommaso M, Bari M, Pasquariello N, Maccarrone M.
Regulation of male fertility by the endocannabinoid system.
Mol Cell Endocrinol. 2008 Apr 16;286(1-2 Suppl 1):S17-23.

[6] Kurtuncu M, Battista N, Uz T, D’Agostino A, Dimitrijevic N, Pasquariello N, Manev R, Maccarrone M, Manev H.
Effects of cocaine in 5-lipoxygenase-deficient mice.
J Neural Transm. 2008;115(3):389-95.

Opening ceremony of Joint Laboratory on June 30th, 12.00 a.m. Building PP1, via della Ricerca Scientifica., 00133 Roma.

programma

Professor of Biochemistry at the Faculty of Medicine

University of Rome Tor Vergata

Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome

Office: Department of Experimental Medicine and Biochemical Sciences

Tel: +39 06 72596478

Research Activity

Scientific topics: A. Proteases and inhibitors: mast cell proteases, structural and functional studies, interaction with endogenous inhibitors, search for new inhibitors;. B. Protein folding/unfolding of cytochrome c as probed by limited proteolysis, its interaction with lipids and search for the structural requirements for its pro-apoptotic activity.

Recent Publications

[1] Sinibaldi F, Fiorucci L, Patriarca A, Lauceri R, Ferri T, Coletta M, Santucci R. Insights into Cytochrome c-Cardiolipin Interaction. Role Played by Ionic Strength (2008) Biochemistry. [Epub ahead of print]

[2] Santucci R., Sinibaldi F., Fiorucci L. Protein Folding, Unfolding and Misfolding Role Played by Intermediate States Mini-Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry, 2008, 8, 000-000 1

[3]Agueci F., Polticelli F., Sinibaldi F., Piro M.C., Santucci R., Fiorucci L. (2007) Probing the effect of mutations on cytochrome c stability Protein and Peptide Letters, 14, 335-339 ISSN 0929-8665

[4]Sinibaldi F., Mei G., Ponticelli F., Piro M.C., Howes, B.D., Smulevich G., Santucci R., Ascoli F., Fiorucci L. (2005) ATP specifically driver refolding of non native conformations of cytochrome c Protein Science 14: 1049-1058 ISSN 0961-8368

Title of the Research project

Description of work

Qualification and experience

Title of the Research project

Description of work

Qualification and experience

paper.pdf

Villa Mondragone, Università degli Studi di Roma Tor Vergata

Monteporzio Catone, Rome, Italy

7 – 10 July 2008

NANO SEA 2008 will primarily focus on the topics that are of strong current interest in the fields of nanostructures self-assembling and nanostructured substrate

Web site:

http://www.nanosea2008.roma2.infn.it/index.html

Contacts:

Prof. Maurizio De Crescenzi

connect-research-2008.pdf

connect-research-08-program.pdf

Collaborative research among Italian and British scientists and engineers from Nast Centre for Nanoscience Nanotechnology and Innovative Instrumentation, CNR (I), ISIS Spallation neutron Source (UK), Universities of Central Lancashire, Padova and Milano Bicocca, and from the avionics and aerospace industries have been using VESUVIO neutron flux and energy spectrum in benchmark activation measurements to demonstrate that it provides a neutron spectrum similar to the ambient one at sea level, but with an enhancement in intensity of a factor hundred .The VESUVIO beam line at the ISIS spallation neutron source UK Facility over the last few months has been set up for neutron irradiation tests in the neutron energy in the MeV range. The neutron production at ISIS relies upon spallation reactions induced by 800 MeV proton bunches, accelerated through a synchrotron.

Read More microchip-testing.pdf

Read the Press Release

Office: Department of Chemical Science and Technology

Tel: +39 06 72594414

Fax: +39 06 72594328

Research Activity

RP is Assistant Professor of Chemistry at the Faculty of Science of the University of Rome Tor Vergata.

RP research activity is mainly focused on the following topics:

• Nucleation and growth processes of polycrystalline and nanocrystalline diamond films deposited onto technologically important substrates by both Hot Filament Chemical Vapour Deposition (HFCVD) and Microwave Plasma Assisted CVD (MW-PACVD);

• Surface modification of cemented carbides for improved adhesion of diamond coatings;

• Synthesis, characterization and evaluation of functional properties of micro- and nano-structured advanced electroceramics for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs);

• Electrophoretic Deposition (EPD) of ceramic films;

• Chemical Vapour Infiltration (CVI) of porous Silicon layers with nanostructured sp²-carbon.

• RP has been the leader of several R&D projects funded by Italian SMEs concerning nucleation, growth, adhesion, wear resistance and life of CVD diamond films onto cemented carbide base tools (total funding > 350,000 €).

Active Research Collaborations

• Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Aveiro, PORTUGAL;

• Laboratoire Capteurs Diamant (CEA-LIST-DETECS – SSTM), Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique, Saclay, FRANCE;

• Fraunhofer Institute for Surface Engineering and Thin Films (IST), Braunschweig, GERMANY.

Professional Recognitions

• 2008 – Invited Speaker, 5th International Conference on Hot-Wire Chemical Vapor Deposition (HWCVD-5), Cambridge, MA (USA).

• 2008 – Invited Speaker, 2nd International Conference on Advanced NanoMaterials (ANM 2008), Aveiro, Portugal.

• 2007 – “Materials Science and Nanotechnology for Polymeric Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs) and Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs)” (invited seminar), Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, University of Aveiro, Portugal.

• 2007 – Organizer and Chair of the “Nanoporous Semiconductor” Symposium, 2nd International Conference on Surfaces, Coatings and Nanostructured Materials (nanoSMat 2007), Algarve, Portugal.

• 2007 – member of the International Organizing Committee of the 2nd International Conference on Surfaces, Coatings and Nanostructured Materials (nanoSMat 2007), Algarve, Portugal.

• 2006 – Visiting Research Scientist at the Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, University of Aveiro, Portugal.

• 2006 – “Interlayers for diamond film deposition on hostile substrates” (invited seminar), Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, University of Aveiro, Portugal.

• 2006 – “Diamond CVD: nucleation and early growth stages” (invited seminar), Commissariat a l’Energie Atomique (CEA), Saclay, France

• 2005 – Invited Speaker, International Conference on Surfaces, Coatings and Nanostructured Materials (nanoSMat2005), Aveiro, Portugal.

• 2005 – member of the International Scientific Committee of the International Conference on Surfaces, Coatings and Nanostructured Materials (nanoSMat2005), Aveiro, Portugal.

• 2004 – Visiting Research Scientist at the Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, University of Aveiro, Portugal.

• 2001 – Visiting Researcher at the Dept. of Chemistry and Materials, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK.

Scientific Publications

RP is the author of more than 70 papers published in peer-reviewed international scientific journals, 2 patents and more than 30 papers in Conference Proceedings. Click here to read the complete list of RP publications.

Other Activities

RP is a member of the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Surface Science and Engineering (IJSurfSE).

Teaching Activities

Chemistry of Materials, Faculty of Science;Processing Structure and Properties of Sintered Materials, Faculty of Science.Member of the Teaching Supervising Committee of the Ph.D. Course in Materials for Health, Environment and Energy.

Recent Publications (selected)

[1] R. Polini and M. Barletta: “On the use of CrN/Cr and CrN interlayers in hot filament chemical vapour deposition (HF-CVD) of diamond films onto WC-Co substrates”, Diamond Relat. Mater., 17 (2008) 325-335.

[2] R. Polini, A. Falsetti, E. Traversa, O. Schäf, P. Knauth, “Sol-gel synthesis, X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy and electrical properties of Co-doped (La,Sr)(Ga,Mg)O3-δ perovskites”, J. Eur. Ceram. Soc., 27 (2007) 4291-4296.

[3] J. C. Arnault, L. Intiso, S. Saada, S. Delclos, P. Bergonzo, R. Polini, “Effect of 3C-SiC(100) initial surface stoichiometry on bias enhanced diamond nucleation”, Appl. Phys. Lett. 90 (2007) 044101.

[4] G. Mattei, V. Valentini, R. Polini, “Chemical Vapour Infiltration of nano-structured carbon in Porous Silicon”, Phys. Stat. Sol. (c), 4 (2007) 2049-2053.

[5] R. Polini, F. Pighetti Mantini, M. Barletta, R. Valle, F. Casadei, “Hot Filament Chemical Vapour Deposition and wear resistance of diamond films on WC-Co substrates coated by PVD-arc deposition technique”, Diamond Relat. Mater., 15 (2006) 1284-1291.

[6] G. Cabral, P. Reis, R. Polini, E. Titus, N. Ali, J.P. Davim, J. Grácio, “Cutting performance of time-modulated chemical vapour deposited diamond coated tool inserts during machining graphite”, Diamond Relat. Mater., 15 (2006) 1753-1758.

[7] R. Polini, “Chemically vapour deposited diamond coatings on cemented tungsten carbides: substrates pretreatments, adhesion and cutting performance”, Thin Solid Films, 515 (2006) 4-13.

[8] S. Licoccia, R. Polini, C. D’ Ottavi, F. Serraino Fiory, M. L. Di Vona, E. Traversa, “A simple and versatile method for the synthesis of functional nanocrystalline oxides”, Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, 5 (2005) 592-595.

[9] R. Polini, A. Falsetti, E. Traversa, “Sol-gel synthesis and characterization of Co-doped LSGM perovskites”, J. Eur. Ceram. Soc., 25 (2005) 2593-2598.

[10] J. C. Arnault, G. Schull, R. Polini, M. Mermoux, J. Faerber, “Effects of bias enhanced nucleation hot-filament chemical-vapor deposition parameters on diamond nucleation on iridium”, J. Appl. Phys., 98 (2005) 033521 1-9.

Titles of the Research projects

Post Doc Positions

Qualification and experience

Read More at the web site of British Embassy Rome

The technique is based on a small turbomolecular pumped vacuum vessel with access for the laser beam (1064, 532, 355 and 266 nm from a Q-switched Quantel Brilliant b laser), an optical port for stereomicroscopic visual inspection of the ablation sample, an electrostatic deflection system to discriminate between ablated neutrals and ions, a manually microtranslated (XYZ) mask holder, and a liquid nitrogen cooled cold finger cryostat. The available setup is reported in Figure 1.

Figure 1 – The Pulsed Laser Depostion (PLD) equipment has the possibility to micrometrically translate the sample or the shadow mask in order to achieve micropatterned depositions, and to ablate biological samples from frozen solutions. Other micro or nanopatterned deposits can be obtained by e-beam lithography (A. Gerardino, CNR-IFN).

The possibility to steer ionized atoms and molecules out of the ablated neutral beam and address ions on a surface along a trajectory at right angle with respect to the ablation direction allows accomplishment of extremely uniform growth at very low growth rates. This has produced recently very uniform and thin metal layers. Figure 2 reports a lithographically fabricated pattern of platinum squares as imaged by SEM (left) and by AFM (right)

Figure 2. SEM image on the left, AFM detail on the right

The Pt layers we obtain by PLD are extremely thin and uniform. In this AFM scan we have an atomically uniform, 9 Angstrom thick layer, while Figure 3 reports a detail of one such square showing the step height and thickness.

The associated histogram reports the height distributions of the topographic image for both the uncoated native silicon oxide on silicon and for the platinum coated part.

Figure 3
We can see that the step height is 9 Angstrom, while the distribution width of the substrate and of the deposition is identical, showing that the Pt coat does not contribute to the substrate roughness. The same apparatus is used for micropatterned metal deposition (Figure 4) and “soft” biomolecule deposition (Figure 5) using microtranslated shadow masks. Furthermore, visual microscopic control of the laser spot on the target allows quick and easy fabrication of micrometric shadow masks (Figure 6). Platinum micropatterned PLDs on Si as imaged by SEM on the left. On the right, selectively coloured luminescence from chromophore tagged antigens reacting with Pulsed Laser Depositions of their specific antibodies (confocal microscopy). Pulsed Nd-YAG laser drilled shadow mask on 100 micron thick stainless steel blade.

Figure 4 Figure 5

Figure 6

A home made piezoscanner, designed for xy scanning of the sample, is hosted on the sample stage of a modified Cambridge S200 scanning electron microscope, while the STM tip is positioned on the desired feature under study by a ρ,θ,φ nanomanipulator. This configuration is the most suitable to minimize mechanical vibration of the STM; alternatively, a particularly low weight scanner is mounted on the nanomanipulator while the sample is fixed. Laser beams can be directed to the interaction zone through an optical port at the back of the SEM chamber, which also serves for microscopic observation of the laser beam alignment on the STM junction. Directing the Laser beam onto the tip allows tip enhanced localised laser nanostructuring (ablation or multiphoton deposition) and localised spectroscopy.

A scheme of the STM-SEM facility is reported below (left). The images on the right show an optical microscope view of the laser irradiated STM tip on the sample, and an SEM scan of the STM tip operating to deposit material on the tips of a couple of lithographic nanoelectrodes fabricated by A. Gerardino at the CNR-IFN electron beam facility.

This facility is particularly useful for precise positioning of the tip on the specific features or devices to be analyzed or operated upon. It allows STM electronic spectroscopy to be effected on features previously easily located on the basis of the difference in secondary electron emission. It allows a prompt characterization of both tip and sample surface damage. It supplies a first easy characterization of surface modifications, like nanometric pit formation or inorganic material depositions, when the sample is irradiated by laser beams. Finally it gives us the possibility to effect much shorter, and as a consequence slower and less damaging, STM scans for a complete characterization of the sample.

Within the general issue of nanofabrication in our laboratory we are interested in controlling the applied forces during sharp probe interaction with the samples. We have purchased commercial piezoresistive cantilever based dynomometer probes and are planning to build more sensitive ones. Attaching this kind of piezoresistive or mechanical probes to a piezoelectric inertial nanomanipulator allows measurement of the stiffness and compliance of a wide range of materials. If the interaction is made under electron microscopy observation, we can easily gain a practical experience on the interaction of sharp tips with materials. We show here how a commercial AFM probe can be stressed and used to dig pits on a gold surface (movie), how we can measure the sensitivity of insects’ tactile hair sensors (movie), how we can measure the compliance of carbon nanotubes wool (movie), and even how we can accomplish a micrometric electrical switch based on a carbon nanotubes helical spring (movie).

This facility based at the ENEA laboratories is hosted in a 35 l ionically pumped ultra-high vacuum vessel endowed with a home made STM, a Z inertial piezo slider for sample approach and a remotely controlled ρ,θ,φ nanomanipulator for sample movement with submicron precision. The vessel has two load-lock chambers for tip and sample load and a hand actuated wobbling pincer for manual operations. It also has optical ports for access to the tip region by two different laser beams.

Above on the left is the scheme of the UHV STM system coupled to the available laser sources and to the spectroscopic analysis system devoted to “tip-enhanced” photoluminescence studies. On the right, a photograph of the UHV vacuum vessel with its lid lifted shows details of the optical microscope case and of the STM. Below, an optical microscope image of the STM tip over a layer of Rhodamine 6G fluorescent dye in white light (left) and excited by a green laser (540 nm) as recorded through a long wavelength pass filter with cutoff at 560 nm with the tip within tunnelling distance (center) and 5 μm away from the surface (right). Light from the tip-enhancement area is spatially selected by a moveable pinhole and analyzed by a monochromator producing the R6G emission spectrum reported below.

Professor in Structure of Matter

Department of Physics,

University of Rome La Sapienza,

Piazzale Aldo Moro 2, 00185 Rome ITALY

Tel:  +39 06 49914378

Fax: +39 06 4957697

Research Outline

Molecular Dynamics and Monte Carlo of Statistical Mechanical Systems

The focus of my research activity is on developing algorithms fro Molecular Dynamics simulation of complex systems in condensed matter phases. From the from now ancient SHAKE algorithm (a procedure to introduce holonomic constraints in MD) or the Subtraction Technique (a noise reducing approach to compute the response to weak external fields in Nonequilibrium MD) to the introduction of the Blue Moon’s ensemble (to simulate in MD rare events) and techniques to simulate Brownian motion to the most recent, and still very active, field of rigorous algorithms to compute nonadiabatic quantum-classical dynamics, the attempt is to widen the domain of computer simulation in condensed matter with a particular emphasis on MD (as distinguished from the very close but different MC- Monte Carlo). Together with that, I have been, and still am, also interested in challenging applications od atomistic MD simulations ranging from surface/interface physics problems in Materials sciences to simulations of biological molecules to find atomistic level explanations of their behavior or functioning mechanisms. More generally, I am interested in considering a variety of developments/applications in the simulation of systems of Statistical Mechanics interest.

Curriculum Vitae et Studiorum

Full List of Publications

Most Recent Publications

[135] E.Vanden Eijnden, and G. Ciccotti, “Second-order integrators for Langevin equations with
holonomic constraints”, Chem. Phys. Lett., 429, 310, (2006)

[134] M. S. Causo, G. Ciccotti, S.Bonella, and R. Vuilleumier, “An adiabatic linearized path integral approach for quantum time correlation functions II: A cumulant expansion method for improving convergence”, J. Phys. Chem. B, 110, 3638, (2006)

[135] V. Marry, and G. Ciccotti, “Trotter derived algorithms for molecular dynamics with constraints : Velocity Verlet revisited”, J. Comp. Phys., 222, 428, (2007)

[132] L. Maragliano, A. Fischer, E. Vanden Eijnden, and G. Ciccotti, “String method in collective variables: minimum free energy paths and isocommittor surfaces”, J. Chem. Phys., 125, 024106, (2006).

[131_B] R. Kapral, and G. Ciccotti, “Transport Coefficients of Quantum-Classical Systems”, in “Computer Simulations in Condensed Matter: From Materials to Chemical Biology (The Erice Lectures)”, M. Ferrario, G. Ciccotti, and K. Binder Eds, LNP, Springer Verlag, (2006).

[130_B] G. Ciccotti, D. Coker, and R. Kapral, “Quantum statistical dynamics with trajectories”, in Quantum Dynamics of Complex Molecular Systems, p. 275-294, I. Burghardt and D. Micha Eds, Springer Verlag, Berlin, (2007)

[129] G. Kalibaeva, R. Vuilleumier, S.Meloni, A. Alavi, G. Ciccotti, and R. Rosei, “Ab initio simulation of carbon clustering on Ni(111) surface: a model of the poisoning of nickel based catalysts”, J. Phys. Chem. B, 110, 3638, (2006)

[128] F. Pizzitutti, A. Giansanti, P. Ballario, P. Ornaghi, P. Torreri, G. Ciccotti, and P. Filetici, “Relevant role of loop ZA and Pro371 in the function of yeast Gcn5p bromodomain: evidences from Molecular Dynamics and experiments”, Journal of Molecular Recognition, 19, 1, (2006)

Books

B1) “Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Statistical Mechanical Systems.”, ‘E. Fermi’ 1985 Summer School. G.Ciccotti and W.G.Hoover, Eds., North Holland 1986.

B2) “Simulation of Liquids and Solids. Molecular Dynamics and MonteCarlo methods in Statistical Mechanics. A reprint book.”, G. Ciccotti, D. Frenkel and I. R. Mc Donald, Eds. North Holland, 1987.

B3) “MC and MD of condensed matter systems”, Euroconference 1995, K. Binder and G. Ciccotti, Eds., SIF 1996.

B4) “Simulation of classical and quantum dynamics in condensed phase”, Euroconference 1997, B. J. Berne, G. Ciccotti and D. F. Coker, Eds., World Scientific, 1998.

B5) “Bridging time scales: Molecular simulations for the next decade”, SIMU Conference, Konstanz 2001, P. Nielaba, M. Mareschal, and G. Ciccotti, Eds., Springer, Berlin, 2003

B6) “Computer Simulations in Condensed Matter: From Materials to Chemical Biology (The Erice Lectures)”, M. Ferrario, G. Ciccotti, and K. Binder, Eds, LNP, Springer Verlag, Berlin, (2006)

Sezione FIM MATNANO
Bldg. F65, Centro Ricerche della Casaccia, ENEA
Via Anguillarese km 1.3
00123 S.Maria di Galeria, Roma
Tel: +39 06 30486350
Lab: +39 06 30486082

Research Activity

From his first interest in molecular spectroscopy, which he pursued at the University La Sapienza in Roma, at the University of Venice and at the University of Kent UK, PM moved to spectroscopic applications in the field of uranium isotope separation, on which he worked up to the end of the italian laser isotope separation project led by ENEA. More recently he developed an interest in micro and nanobioscience and in nanotechnologies. From 1997 to 2000 he was the european coordinator of the LASMEDS project, devoted to the development of a molecular electronics technology that exploits vapour phase photoionization in the near field of STM probes. Later he coordinated and was involved in other national projects on nanotechnology, nanobioscience and organic devices. His present interests are in nanofabrication following both the inorganic, machine assisted, and the biological selfassembling approaches.

Recent Publications

[1] S. Gagliardi, B. Rapone, L. Mosiello, D. Luciani, A. Gerardino, P. Morales, Laser-Assisted Fabrication of Biomolecular Sensing Microarrays, IEEE Transactions on Nanobioscience, 6 (3): 242 – 248 (2007)

[2] A. Dell’Aquila, P. Mastrorilli, C.F. Nobile, G. Romanazzi, G.P. Suranna, L. Torsi, M.C. Tanese, D. Acierno, E. Amendola, P. Morales, Synthesis and field-effect properties of alpha,omega-disubstituted sexithiophenes bearing polar groups, Journal of Materials Chemistry, 16 (12): 1183-1191 (2006)

[3] S. Gagliardi, S. Nufris B. Rapone, P. Morales, G. D’Agostaro, Laser techniques for the fabrication of nanobiodevices, Proceedings of SPIE – The International Society for Optical Engineering, 5850, pp. 271-279 (2004)

[4] T. Di Luccio, G. Scalia, L. Tapfer, P. Morales, M. Traversa, P. Prete, N. Lovergine, Microstructural and morphological properties of homoepitaxial (001) ZnTe layers investigated by x-ray diffuse scattering,
Journal of Applied Physics, 97 (8): Art. No. 083540 (Apr 15 2005).

[5] I. Dierking, G. Scalia, P. Morales, Liquid crystal-carbon nanotube dispersions, Journal of Applied Physics, 97 (4): Art. No. 044309 (Feb 15 2005).

[6] M. Traversa, N. Lovergine, P. Prete, G. Scalia, M. Pentimalli, L. Tapfer, P. Morales, A.M. Mancini, Effects of substrate treatment and growth conditions on structure, morphology, and luminescence of homoepitaxial ZnTe deposited by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy, Journal of Applied Physics, 96 (2): 1230-1237 (Jul 15 2004).

[7] P. Morales, Laser assisted SPM nanofabrication, in Encyclopaedia of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, American Scientific Publishers, (Jan. 2004).

[8] I. Dierking, G. Scalia, P. Morales, D. LeClere, Aligning and reorienting carbon nanotubes by nematic liquid crystals, Advanced Materials, 16 (11) 865-869 (Jun 4 2004).

[9] A. Gerardino, A. Notargiacomo, P. Morales, Laser assisted deposition of nanopatterned biomolecular layers, Microelectronic Engineering, 67-8: 923-929 (Jun 2003).

LEO 35 Field Emission by Zeiss©

Characteristics

• GEMINI® based Field emission e-beam column capable of ultra high resolution SEM up to 25 KV.
• Achieves a similar low energy spread compared to a cold field emission source, but with a much higher emission current and much higher beam stability.
• Featuring a TV camera and three detectors, i.e. (i) secondary electrons detector, (ii) back-scatter electrons detector (EBSD) , (iii) In-lens detector for ultra high resolution imaging (<10nm).

• Equipped with an energy dispersive x-Ray spectrometer (EDS) from Oxford INCA© allowing for acquisition of sample emitted x-rays. Accompanying software with embedded database of reference spectra for elements identification/recognition, compositional nano-analysis and x-ray mapping.

• Automated stage controlled by a joystick with x-y-z translations, z rotation (full 360° range) and x tilting (up to 90° tilt) for ultra high precision sample positioning.
• Vacuum system (a rotary pump plus a turbo pump) to achieve chamber vacuum of less than 2 x 10^-6 mbar.
• Dynamic vibration-damper.
• Several stubs settings and adaptors for mounting samples on the stage.
• Sample preparation desk.
• Sputter-coater to metallize non-conductive samples (with gold or other target).

Some Results

SEM is a common tool to address a variety of aspects in material research and nanotechnology. For illustrative purposes, some examples of SEM work in a variety of research areas (e.g energy, environment, biotechnology and nanotechnology in general) are reported here. As far as energy and environment are concerned, ceramics and nanostructured materials are key in applications such as fuel cells and chemical sensors. Fig.1 shows a surface micrograph of a composite porous electrode (cathode) designed for Solid Oxide Fuel Cell applications and fabricated by Pulsed Laser Deposition technique. Pd-Au metal droplets have been deposited and condensed on a continuous open La_0.8Sr_0.2Co_0.8Fe_0.2O_3-δ network, previously grown on a dense polycrystalline stabilized ZrO₂. Mixed ionic and electronic properties of La_0.8Sr_0.2Co_0.8Fe_0.2O_3-δ assisted by the electrical properties of metal droplets at high temperature, reduce the cathode polarization in SOFCs.

Figure 1. Surface of a composite porous electrode (cathode) designed for SOFC applications and fabricated by Pulsed Laser Deposition technique. Pd-Au metal droplets were deposited onto a continuous open La_0.8Sr_0.2Co_0.8Fe_0.2O_3-δ network grown on dense polycrystalline stabilized ZrO₂.
Another class of fuel cells are based on the usage of polymeric “Proton Exchange Membranes” (PEM) as the fuel cell electrolyte. Nafion is the best performing polymer currently available for this application but, amongst other drawbacks, suffers of a marked drop in conductivity for working temperatures above 90°C due to morphological transitional and de-hydration. A variety of composite membrane, i.e. hybrid structures of Nafion with dispersed fillers, are under investigation to overcome this problem. Figure 2 shows an example of Nafion mixed with an inorganic phase “sulfonate diphenyl silane diol” (SDPSD), appearing as “bright” islands in the photos. The PEM performances improve based on the content and distribution of the SDPSD. Thermal treatment is one way of controlling the microstructure of the composite structure. SEM micrographs clearly shows that heating the samples at 170 °C induces a finer dispersion of the filler, yielding more minute SDPSD clusters. The limited electronic conductivity of this material makes it difficult to analyze with the SEM.

Figure 2. Two SEM pictures of the Nafion/SDPSD 70:30 composite membrane for PEM fuel cells. Photos selected demonstrate the effect of the thermal treatment at 170°C on the dispersion SDPSD in the microstructure. Sample “as-prepared” (far left) and the “heat-treated” one (left) exhibit different dispersion of SDPSD islands within the Nafion matrix, highlighting a size reduction of the SDPSD clusters induced by the thermal treatment.

SEM imaging is also crucial for the characterization of nanostructured materials for biological applications. Within biotechnology, tissue engineering combines the fields of engineering, chemistry, biology, and medicine to fabricate replacement tissues able to restore, maintain, or improve structurally and functionally damaged organs. Polymeric scaffolds for stem cells growth and differentiation represent an active research topic. Some scaffolds are fabricated by electrospinning as highly interconnected porous polymeric networks. Figure 3 shows a SEM image of nanostructured PLA electrospun nanofibers endowed with nanopores. Such fibres are multiscale features, having lengths in the centimetre range, micrometric and sub-micrometric diameters and nanoscale roughness/porosity. The various length-scales can be largely tuned and tailored through processing parameters.
Figure 3. SEM image of PLA electrospun nanofibers with nanopores. The fibres have a multiscale geometry with lengths in the centimetre range, diameters between few tens of nanometers and few micrometers, and nanoscale porosity. Length-scales can be tuned and tailored through processing parameters. Controlled porosity is important also for drug delivery.

The topics briefly highlighted in the examples are discussed in greater details in several papers. The interested reader can consult the selected papers cited in the reference.

SEM capabilities go beyond pure geometrical and morphological information, highlighted in the previous examples. In fact backscattered electrons and EDS can be used to obtain compositional data. In the next example in Figure 4, a carbon nanoparticle of about 400 nm deposited from the environment onto a substrate made of nanoporous Si. The X-ray spectra shown on the left were collected with the EDS at two different locations pointed out in the SEM micrograph, i.e. at point (1) centered on the nanoparticle and at point (2) away from it. From comparison, the missing peak in the spectrum collected at site (2) is characteristic of C, which reveals the chemical nature of the nanoparticle.

Figure 4: Micro-analisys by EDS of a 400nm carbon particle (site 1) deposited from the environment onto a nanoporous Si substrate. The nature of the nanoparticle is highlighted as a “difference”, because the yellow spectrum at site (2) is missing a peak characteristic of carbon and present in the red spectrum at site (1).

References on SOFC and PEM

[1] D. Z. de Florio, R. Muccillo, V. Esposito, E. Di Bartolomeo and E. Traversa, “Preparation and Electrochemical Characterization of Perovskite/YSZ Ceramic Films”, J. Electrochem. Soc., 152 (1), A88, (2005).

[2] V. Esposito, D. Z. de Florio, F.C. Fonseca, E.N.S. Muccillo, R. Muccillo and E. Traversa, “Electrical properties of YSZ/NiO composites prepared by a liquid mixture technique”, J. Eur. Ceram. Soc., 25, 2637, (2005).

[3] Deganello, V. Esposito, E. Traversa and M. Miyayama. “Cathode performance of nostructured La1-aSraCo1-bFebO3-d on a Ce0.8Sm0.2O2 electrolyte prepared by citrate-nitrate auto-combustion”, F J. Electrochem. Soc., 154 (2), A89, (2007).
[4] Barbara Mecheri, Alessandra D’Epifanio, Enrico Traversa, Silvia Licoccia. “Effect of an ormosil-based filler on the physico-chemical and electrochemical properties of Nafion membranes”, J. Power Sources, 169 (2007) 247–252.

References on Chemical Sensors

[5] M.L. Grilli, E. Di Bartolomeo, A. Lunardi, L. Chevallier, S. Cordiner and E. Traversa, “Planar Non-Nernstian electrochemical sensors: field test in the exhaust of a spark ignition engine”. Sensors and Actuators B, 108 (2005) 319-325

[6] L. Chevallier, M.L. Grilli, E. Di Bartolomeo and E. Traversa. “Non-Nernstian planar sensors based on YSZ with Ta (10 at.%)-doped nanosized titania as sensing electrode for high temperature applications”. International Journal of Applied Ceramic Technology, 3 [5] 393-400 (2006)

References on Tissue Engineering

[7] E. Traversa, B. Mecheri, C. Mandoli, S. Soliman, A. Rinaldi, S. Licoccia, G. Forte, F. Pagliari, S. Pagliari, F. Carotenuto, M. Minieri, P. Di Nardo. “Tuning Hierarchical Architecture of 3D Polymeric Scaffolds for Cardiac Tissue Engineering”, J. Exp. Nanoscience, (accepted sept. 2007).

Office: Physics Department
Tel:     +39 06 72594554
Fax:    +39 06 2023507

Research Activity

• Folding versus misfolding: physiological and pathological role of metal

• The role of metals in neurodegenerative diseases – Alzheimer, BSE and Parkinson

• Structural studies of biomolecules by XAS (X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy)

• Numerical simulation based approaches (Molecular Dynamics, Monte Carlo, Car-Parrinello)

Recent Publications

[1] V. Minicozzi, S. Morante, G.C. Rossi, F. Stellato, K. Jansen, The role of metals in misfolding and aggregation processes: X-ray spectroscopy and numerical simulations, in From Computational Biophysics to System Biology (CBSB07), Proceedings of the NIC Workshop 2007, 36: 223

[2] S. Furlan, F. Guerrieri, G. La Penna, S. Morante, G.C. Rossi, Studying the Cu binding sites in the PrP N-terminal region. A test case for ab initio simulations, European Biophysics Journal, 36: 841-845 (2007)

[3] S. Furlan, G.La Penna, F. Guerrieri, S. Morante, G.C.Rossi, Ab initio simulations of Cu binding sites on the N-terminal region of PrP,  Journal of Biological Inorganic Chemistry, 12(4), 571-583, (2007)

[4] S. Furlan, F. Guerrieri, G.La Penna, S. Morante, G.C. Rossi, Ab initio simulations of Cu binding sites in the N-terminal region of PrP, in From Computational Biophysics to System Biology, J. Meinke, O. Zimmermann, S. Mohanty, U.H.E.Hansmann (Editors) John von Neumann Institute for Computing, Juelich, NIC Series, 34, 153-156, (2006).

[5] S. Morante, G. C. Rossi, M. Testa, The stress tensor of a discrete system: an exercise in Statistical Mechanics, J. Chem. Phys., 125, 034101 (2006).

[6] F. Stellato, G. Menestrina, M. Dalla Serra, C. Potrich, R. Tomazzolli, W. Meyer-Klaucke, S. Morante, Metal binding in amyloids beta peptides shows both intra- and inter-peptide coordination modes, European Biophysics Journal, 35(4), 340 (2006).

[7] S. Morante, C. Poltrich, R. González-Iglesias, C. Meneghini,W. Meyer-Klaucke, G. Menestrina, M. A. Pajares, M. Gasset, Inter- and Intra-octarepeat Cu(II) Site Geometries in the Prion Protein. Implication in Cu(II) binding cooperativity and Cu(II)-mediated assemblies, J. Biol. Chem. 279, 11753 (2004).

[8] G. La Penna, S. Morante, A. Perico, G.C. Rossi, Designing generalized statistical ensembles for numerical simulations of biopolymers, J. Chem. Phys., 121, 10725 (2004).

[9] M. Benfatto, S. Della Longa, Z. Wu, Y. Qin, G. Pan, S. Morante, The role of Zn in the interplay among Langmuir-Blodgett Multi-Layer and Myelin Basic Protein: a quantitative analysis of XANES spectra, Biophysical Chemistry, 110, 191 (2004).

[10] G. La Penna, V. Minicozzi, S. Morante, G.C. Rossi, Tuning force-field parameters by pressure measurements in micro-canonical simulations, International Journal of Modern Physics C., 15, 205 (2004).

Office: Department of Science and Chemical Technologies
Tel:  +39 06 72594463
Fax: +39 06 72594328

Research Activity

• 3-D structures of peptides in solution
• Peptide-membrane interactions
• Biomolecular electronics
• Molecular recognition and chiral discrimination
• Computational chemistry and molecular modeling

Recent Publications

[1] L. Stella, G. Bocchinfuso, E. Gatto, C. Mazzuca, M. Venanzi, F. Formaggio, C. Toniolo, A. Palleschi and B. Pispisa.
 “Peptide foldamers: from spectroscopic studies to applications”. 
Reviews in Fluorescence 2007. C. D. Geddes and J. R. Lakowicz (Eds.), Springer, New York, (2007).

2] E. Gatto, C. Mazzuca, L. Stella, M. Venanzi, C. Toniolo, B. Pispisa.
 “Effect of peptide lipidation on membrane perturbing activity: a comparative study on two trichogin analogues”.
 J. Phys Chem. B., 110: 22813 (2006).

3] M. Venanzi, E. Gatto, G. Bocchinfuso, A. Palleschi, L. Stella, C. Baldini, F. Formaggio, C. Toniolo. 
”Peptide folding dynamics: a time-resolved study from the nanosecond to the microsecond time regime”. 
J. Phys. Chem. B, 110: 22834 (2006).

4] B. Pispisa, L. Stella, C. Mazzuca, M. Venanzi.
 “Trichogin topology and activity in model membranes as determined by fluorescence spectroscopy” .
 Reviews in fluorescence 2006, C. D. Geddes and J. R. Lakowicz (Eds.), Springer, New York, pp. 47 (2006).

5] E. Gatto, M. Venanzi, A. Palleschi, L. Stella, B. Pispisa, L. Lorenzelli, C. Toniolo, F. Formaggio, G. Marletta. 
”Self-assembled peptide monolayers on interdigitated gold microelectrodes” .
 Mat. Sci. Eng. C., 26: 918 (2006).

6] C. Carta, F. Pantaleoni, G. Bocchinfuso, L. Stella, I. Vasta, A. Sarkozy, C. Digilio, A. Palleschi, A. Pizzuti, P. Grammatico, G. Zampino, B. Dallapiccola, B. D. Gelb, M, Tartaglia.
 “Germline missense mutations affecting KRAS isoform B are associated with a severe Noonan syndrome phenotype” .
 Am. J. Hum. Gen., 79: 129 (2006).

Office: Department of Experimental Medicine and Biochemical Sciences
Tel: +39 06 72596471
Fax: +39 06 72596465

Research Activity

Fields of interest: structure and function of biological macromolecules under high pressure and electromagnetic field. Application of optical spectroscopy and Near Infrared Spectroscopy “in vivo”. Smart nanomaterials in biology and medicine. From 1991 is a member of the commission for the medical application of informatics at the Medical School of the “Tor Vergata” University. From March 2000, is Full Professor in Biochemistry in the Faculty of Medical EngineeringFrom December 2002 is director of the Medical Engineering Service in the “Tor Vergata” University Hospital.N. Rosato is author of about 70 scientific publications (60 on international journals) in the fields of optical spectroscopy of biological molecules, fluorescence instrumentation and medical informatics.

Recent Publications

[1] Bottini M, D’Annibale F, Magrini A, Cerignoli F, Arimura Y, Dawson MI, Bergamaschi E, Rosato N, Bergamaschi A, Mustelin T., “Quantum dot-doped silica nanoparticles as probes for targeting of T-lymphocytes”, Int. J. Nanomedicine, 2(2):227-33, (2007)

[2] Bottini M, Cerignoli F, Tautz L, Rosato N, Bergamaschi A, Mustelin T., “Adsorption of streptavidin onto single-walled carbon nanotubes: application in fluorescent supramolecular nanoassemblies”, J. Nanosci. Nanotechnol. 6(12), 3693-8 (2006)

[3] Nicolai E, Di Venere A, Rosato N, Rossi A, Finazzi Agro’ A, Mei G., “Physico-chemical properties of molten dimer ascorbate oxidase”, FEBS J. , 273(22):5194-204. (2006)

[4] Iucci G, Rossi L, Rosato N, Savini I, Duranti G, Polzonetti G., “The interaction of the polyphenylacetylene surface with biological environments studied by XPS, RAIRS and biological tests”, J Mater Sci Mater Med. 17(9):779-87, (2006)

[5] Bottini M, Cerignoli F, Dawson MI, Magrini A, Rosato N, Mustelin T., “Full-length single-walled carbon nanotubes decorated with streptavidin-conjugated quantum dots as multivalent intracellular fluorescent nanoprobes”, Biomacromolecules, 7(8):2259-63, (2006)

[6] Bottini M, Magrini A, Rosato N, Bergamaschi A, Mustelin T., “Dispersion of pristine single-walled carbon nanotubes in water by a thiolated organosilane: application in supramolecular nnoassemblies”, J Phys Chem B.,20; 110 (28) : 13685-8, (2006)

[7] Bottini M, Magrini A, Di Venere A, Bellucci S, Dawson MI, Rosato N, Bergamaschi A, Mustelin T. “Synthesis and characterization of supramolecular nanostructures of carbon nanotubes and ruthenium-complex Luminophores”, J Nanosci Nanotechnol., 6(5):1381-6, (2006)

[8] Mei G, Di Venere A, Rosato N, Finazzi-Agro A., “The importance of being dimeric”, FEBS J., 272(1):16-27, (2005), Review.

[9] Iucci G, Infante G, Rossi L, Polzonetti G, Rosato N, Avigliano L, Savini I, Catani MV, Palacios AC., “Albumin-containing sol-gel glasses: chemical and biological study”, J Mater Sci Mater Med., 15(5):601-6, (2004)

PhD Schools

PhD Program in Nanostrucutres and Nanotechnologies
a Joint Program between Università degli Studi di Milano Bicocca and Università degli Studi di Roma Tor Vergata

Ph.D. Program in Materials for Environment and Energy
a Joint Ph.D. Program with The University of Tokyo, Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology and The University of Florida, Department of Materials Science and Engineering.

PhD Program in Physics
in collaboration with Physics Department, Università degli Studi di Roma Tor Vergata

Schools

1^st Doctorate School in Nano – Materials & Biomaterials (May 2007) Group Photo

Office: Università degli Studi di Milano Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 3, Milano
Tel: +39 02 6448 2312

Academic career

1986 – 1988 Phd student, Scuola Normale Superiore – Pisa
1989 – 1990 Researcher, IFP-CNR, Milan
1990 – 1998 Researcher, Universita’ degli Studi di Milano
1998 – 2000 Researcher, Universita’ degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca
2000 – present Associate Professor, Universita’ degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca

Research Activity

Neutron spectroscopy in thermonuclear plasmas.
Neutron spectroscopy for materials science
Physics of high temperature plasmas
Application of neutron-based techniques to Cultural Heritage research

Ancient Charm

Teaching

Electromagnetism and optics, degree in Environmental Science.
Physics of Plasmas, degree in Physics.
Supervisor of undergraduate and Ph D students in Physics.

Recent Publications

[1] G. Gorini et al, The resonant detector and its application to epithermal neutron spectroscopy, Nucl. Instr. and Meth. A, 529, 293 (2004).
[2] C. Andreani, G. Gorini, E. Perelli-Cippo, A. Pietropaolo, N. Rhodes, E. S. Schooneveld, R. Senesi, M. Tardocchi, A resonant detector for high-energy inelastic neutron scattering experiments, Appl. Phys. Lett., 85, 5454 (2004).
[3] J Källne, L Ballabio, J Frenje, S Conroy, G Ericsson, M Tardocchi, E Traneus, G.Gorini, Observation of the Alpha Particle “Knock-On” Neutron Emission from Magnetically Confined DT Fusion Plasmas, Phys Rev Lett., 85, 1246 (2000).
[4] G.Gorini, P.Mantica, G.M.D.Hogeweij, F.De Luca, A.Jacchia, J.A.Konings, N.J.Lopes Cardozo, M.Peters, Simultaneous Propagation of Heat Waves Induced by Sawteeth and ECH Power Modulation in the RTP Tokamak, Phys. Rev. Lett., 47, 2038 (1993).

Contact details

Office: Department of Chemical Science and Technology
Tel:  +39 06 72594386
Lab: +39 06 72594479
Fax: +39 06 72594328

Research Activity

SL is Professor of Chemistry in the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Rome Tor Vergata.
Active Member of The Materials Research Society of The International Sol-Gel Society. Secretary of the Board of Directors of AICIng (Italian Association of Chemistry for Engineering), Member of the Executive Committee of The Electrochemical Society.

SL Research activity is mainly focused on the following topics:
• Development of nanostructured materials for Polymeric and Solid Oxide Fuel Cells and for gas sensors for environmental monitoring.
• Synthesis and spectroscopic characterization of new materials for energy, environmental and biomedical applications.
• Multinuclear NMR spectroscopy and its application to kinetic and structural studies.
• Synthesis, reactivity and study of the spectroscopic properties of transition metal complexes of tetrapyrrolic macrocycles. Investigation of the electronic and molecular structure of paramagnetic derivatives by means of NMR spectroscopy.

SL is co-author of 145 refereed scientific publications (115 on international Journals) and about 190 scientific oral contributions at international conferences, meetings and schools.

Active Research Programs

• FISR NUME Project: Development of composite proton conducting membranes and new electrode configurations for PEMFC applications (http://www.progetto-nume.it/) Partners: U. of Rome ‘La Sapienza’, U. of Genoa, U. of Camerino, U. of Pavia, U. of Bologna, U. of Perugia, U. of Padua, CNR, CRS4
• FISR Project: Polymeric and Ceramic Fuel Cells: systems demonstrators and development of new materials. Partners: CNR-ITAE, INSTM, Enitcnologie S.p.A., ENEL S.p.A., Nuvera Fuel Cells Europe s.r.l., De Nora tecnologie Elettrochimiche s.r.l.
• PRIN: Preparation and characterization of hybrid organic-inorganic materials by assembling of nano-building block. Partners: U. of Trento, U. di Padua, U. Sassari, U. Campus Biomedico
• PRIN: Protonic ceramics for Fuel Cells Partners: U. of Palermo, U. of Reggio Calabria, U. of Cassino, U. of Genoa
• EU Project CARISMA: Coordination Action for Research on Intermediate and high temperature Specialised Membrane electrode Assemblies. A network of research activities in Europe on high temperature membrane electrode assemblies and their components. Coordination activities are centered around membranes, catalysts and high temperature MEAs, with cross-cutting activities on the impact of high temperature operation on degradation of MEA components and MEA durability, identification of proton transfer mechanisms operating in water free conditions, and technical specifications for high temperature PEMFC applications. The CARISMA partnership assembles the expertise in high temperature PEMFC in European research institutes and universities and includes committed stakeholders and industrial developers.

Other Activities

Co-organizer of different conferences and symposia under the frame of the MRS, Electrochemical Society and of The European Ceramic Society meetings.

Teaching

Chemistry 1, Faculty of Engineering, Chemistry 3, Faculty of Engineering ,Environmental Monitoring, Faculty of Engineering

Member of the Teaching Supervising Committee of the International Ph.D. Program in Materials for Environment and Energy, a Joint Ph.D. Program with The University of Tokyo, Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology and The University of Florida Department of Materials Science and Engineering.

Recent Publications (selected)

[1] B. Mecheri, A. D’Epifanio, M. L. Di Vona, E. Traversa, S. Licoccia, M. Miyayama, “Sulfonated polyether ether ketone-based composite membranes doped with a tungsten-based inorganic proton conductor for Fuel Cell applications, Journal of Electrochemical Society, 153, A463-A467 (2006).

[2] F. A. Walker, S. Licoccia, R. Paolesse, “Iron Corrolates: Unambiguous Chloroiron(III) (Corrolate)2–• π-Cation Radicals”, Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry, 100, 810 – 837 (2006).

[3] S. Licoccia, M. L. Di Vona, P. Romagnoli, L. Narici, M. Acquaviva, S. Carozzo, S. Di Marco, M. Saturno, W. G. Sannita, E. Traversa, “Nanocomposite polymeric electrolytes to investigate human electrophysiological brain signals in prolonged, unconventional or extreme conditions”, Acta Biomaterialia, 2, 531-536 (2006).

[4] S. Licoccia, E. Traversa, “Increasing the operation temperature of Polymer Electrolyte Membranes for Fuel Cells: from nanocomposites to hybrids”, Journal of Power Sources, 159, 12-20 (2006).

[5] A. Rainer, F. Basoli, S. Licoccia. E. Traversa, “Foaming of filled polyurethanes for fabrication of Porous Anode Supports for Intermediate Temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (IT-SOFCs)”, Journal of The American Ceramic Society, 89 [6], 1795-1800 (2006).

[6] S. Licoccia, M. L. Di Vona, A. D’Epifanio, Z. Ahmed, S. Bellitto, D. Marani, B. Mecheri, C. de Bonis, M. Trombetta, E. Traversa, “SPPSU-Based Hybrid Proton Conducting Polymeric Electrolytes For Intermediate Temperature PEMFCs”, Journal of Power Sources, 167, 79-83 (2007).

[7] B. Mecheri, A. D’Epifanio, E. Traversa, S. Licoccia, “Effect of an ormosil-based filler on the physico-chemical and electrochemical properties of Nafion membranes”, Journal of Power Sources, 167, 247-252 (2007).

[8] A. D’Epifanio, B. Mecheri, E. Fabbri, A. Rainer, E. Traversa, S. Licoccia, “Composite Ormosil/Nafion Membranes As Electrolytes For Direct Methanol Fuel Cells”, Journal of The Electrochemical Society, 154, 1-4 (2007).

Dr. W. Meyer-Klaucke

(EMBL – Hamburg)

Related Information
EMBL

The synergism of structural techniques in live sciences plays an increasingly important role these days. in x-ray absorption spectroscopy mainly collaborations with NMR or protein crystallography have let to a better understanding of the systems under study. Based on a series of projects the synergism of these methods will be highlighted and the future options discussed.

One example is FurB from /Mycobacterium tuberculosis/. Iron, zinc and other transition metals are essential elements for almost all living organisms as they play important roles in a wide range of cellular processes. They act either as structural components or as obligate co-factors in various functions ranging from respiration to DNA replication. A balanced efflux/influx of these metal ions has to be achieved in order to satisfy the requirements of the cell and to avoid toxicity. Organisms have therefore developed highly sophisticated systems to reach homeostasis based on storage, export, and uptake of metals. Members of the ferric/zinc uptake regulator (Fur/Zur) family are the central metal-dependent regulator proteins in many gram-negative and positive bacteria. They are responsible for the control of a wide variety of basic physiological processes and the expression of important virulence factors in human pathogens. Therefore Fur has gathered significant interest as a potential target for novel antibiotics.

The initial EXAFS experiments in which the protein sample was first dialyzed against an Fe(II) containing solution and afterwards dialyzed against metal-free buffer did not show any significant Fe-fluorescence.These results further supported the microPIXE and gel shift experiments which both indicated no iron binding. The EDTA treated sample was used to record the Zn-EXAFS to determine the chemical environment of the strongly bound Zinc cation. In order to investigate the nature of the exchangeable metal site(s) a protein sample was incubated with Co^2+ . The divalent cobalt ion can occupy the site(s) normally reserved for the Zn^2+ ion.By projecting the local environments for the strongly bound Zn-ion and the exchangeable metal on the crystal structure of FurB, which was determined by multiwavelength anomalous diffraction (MAD) at the Zn-edge, the different role of the metal binding sites were determined.

Office: Physics Department

Tel: +39 06 72594547

Lab: +39 06 72594532

Fax: +39+06 2023507

web page

Research Activity

From 1979 his research activity has been focused on the study of the structural and electronic properties of surfaces (clean and interacting with chemisorbed species), and of metal/semiconductor interfaces by means of spectroscopic techniques such as Auger, XPS and Energy Loss in reflection and STM (Scanning Tunneling Microscopy) microscope.
During these years he has contributed actively to the development of some electron spectroscopic techniques as local surface structural tool, as the EELFS (Extended Energy Loss Fine Structure) and the EXFAS (Extended Fine Auger Structure). He has received for this several invited talks and oral presentations at topic Surface Science Conferences.
He has investigated the growth of nanostructures of Germanium/Silicon and Fe/Cu/Si ultrathin films through MBE process. Recently he has synthetized nanotubes of carbon and other materials, such as silicon, and they have been visualized through STM and AFM microscopy.He has been co-author or author of more than 200 international publications concerning electronic and structural properties of the condensed matter and applications of different electron scattering and absorption spectroscopies. He has written a book entitled: ”Electron Scattering and Related Spectroscopies” (World Scientific 1996) providing an overview of all spectroscopic techniques related to electron scattering phenomena. He is in the board of editors of the following international reviews: Journal of Physics (Condensed Matter), Surface Review and Letters, Journal of Electron Spectroscopy.

Recent Publication

[1] P. Castrucci, N. Pinto, L. Morresi, R. Gunnella, R. Murri, M. Scarselli, M. De Crescenzi, “Magnetic properties of thin MnGe films investigated by magnetic force microscopy”, Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials 272-276, 1541 (2004).

[2] F. Ratto, F. Rosei, A. Locatelli, S. Cherifi, S. Fontana, S. Heun, P.-D. Szkutnik, A. Sgarlata, M. De Crescenzi, N. Motta, “Composition of Ge(Si) islands in the growth of Ge on Si(111) by x-ray spectromicroscopy”, Journal of Applied Physics 97, 043516 (2005).

[3] M. De Crescenzi, P. Castrucci, M. Scarselli, M. Diociaiuti, P. S. Chaudari, C. Balasubramanian, T. M. Bhave, S. V. Bhoraskar, “Experimental images of silicon nanotubes”, Applied Physics Letters 86, 231901 (2005). Paper selected to appear on June 1, 2005 of “Virtual Journal of Nanoscale Science & Technology“.

[4] P. Castrucci, M. Scarselli, M. De Crescenzi, M. Diociaiuti, P. Chistolini, M. A. El Khakani, F. Rosei, “Packing-induced electronic structure changes in bundled single-wall carbon nanotubes”, Applied Physics Letters 87, 103106 (2005).

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Prof. Teruo Okano

(Tokyo Women’s Medical University)

Related Information
Tokyo Women’s Medical University

My research group develops polymeric “intelligent surfaces” proven useful and published for applications in medicine [1-4] and biotechnology [5-8]. We have synthesized several temperature-responsive polymers of N-(isopropylacrylamide), and have attached these polymers to various surfaces. This new surface modification technology demonstrates several intelligent functions, including dramatic, reversible surface property alterations with slight temperature changes, useful for new applications. We use temperature-responsive cell culture to prepare novel living cell sheets [9, 10] that represent attractive, interesting new alternatives to tissue as scientific models and as living clinical tissue replacements.

Ocular trauma commonly causes corneal opacification and visual loss because of limbal stem cell deficiency and inability to regenerate the ocular surface. Although corneal transplantation is required in these cases, numbers of donor corneas are very limited. We have initiated clinical treatment to transplant our engineered ocular epithelial cell sheet cultured either from a patient’s biopsied limbal stem cells or oral mucosal cells. With intact native adhesive matrix, cell sheets bind structurally and functionally to eye stroma [11, 12] without sutures. In more than 30 human patients, significant improvement of visual acuity is observed beyond 36months to date.

Using cardiomyocyte heart muscle cells, we have demonstrated a novel tissue engineering methodology layering harvested cell sheets to construct 3-D functional cardiac tissues. When two pulsing cell sheets are layered,, the two sheets synchronize their pulsations through gap junctions between the sheets. We have succeeded in demonstrating long-term survival in vivo for these engineered pulsatile cardiac grafts [13-15]. Analogous cell sheet patches fabricated from autologous skeletal myoblasts are now on-going in large animal models. Cardiac tissue engineering based on our “Cell Sheet Engineering” [16-19] should prove useful for heart model fabrication and clinical cardiovascular tissue repair.

These new cell sheet manipulation techniques are promising for many cell types and tissue structures, and device shapes. We believe that two- and three-dimensional cell sheet manipulation – Cell Sheet Engineering – represents a useful, fundamental, generalized technique for next-generation tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

References

1. M. Yamato and T. Okano, “Cell Sheet Engineering”, Materials Today, 7 (5), 42-47(2004).

2. J. Yang, M. Yamato and T. Okano, “Cell-sheet engineering using intelligent surfaces”, MRS Bulletin, 30(3), 189-193 (2005).

3. J. Yang, M. Yamato, C. Kohno, A. Nishimoto, H. Sekine, F. Fukai, T. Okano, “Cell sheet engineering: recreating tissues without biodegradable scaffolds”, Biomaterials, 26 (33), 6415-6422 (2005).

4. J. Yang, M. Yamato, K. Nishida, Y. Hayashida, T Shimizu, A. Kikuchi, Y. Tano and T. Okano, “Corneal epithelial stem cell delivery using cell sheet engineering: Notlost in transplantation”, Journal of Drug Targeting, 14 (7) 471-482 (2006).

5. A. Kikuchi, and T. Okano, “7. Hydrogels :Stimuli-sensitive hydrogels”, Polymeric Drug Delivery Systems, Drugs and the pharmaceutical sciences, 148, 275-322, Edited by Glen S. Kwon, Taylor & Francis (2005),

6. H. Kanazawa, Y. Matsushima and T. Okano, “Temperature-responsive chromatography”, Advances in Chromatography, Edited by P. R. Brown, E. Grushka, Marcel Dekker, Inc., 41, 311-336 (2001).

7. N. Idoda, A. Kikuchi, J. Kobayashi, Y. Akiyama, K. Sakai and T. Okano, “Thermal modulated interaction of aqueous steroids using polymer-grafted capillaries”, Langmuir, 22 (1), 425-430 (2006).

8. K. Itoga, J. Kobayashi, M. Yamato, A. Kikuchi and T.Okano, “Maskless liquid-crystal-display projection photolithography for improved design flexidility of cellular micropatterns”, Biomaterials, 27 (15), 3005-3009 (2006).

9. N. Yamada, T. Okano, H. Sakai, F. Karikusa, Y. Sawasaki and Y. Sakurai, “Thermo-Responsive Polymeric Surfaces; Control of Attachment and Detachment of Cultured Cells”, Macromol. Chem. Rapid Commun., 11(11), 571-576 (1990).

10. T. Okano, N. Yamada, H. Sakai and Y. Sakurai, “A Novel Recovery System for Cultured Cells Using Plasma-Treated Polystyrene Dishes Grafted with Poly (N-isopropylacrylamide)”, J. Biomed. Mater. Res., 27(10), 1243-1251 (1993)

11. K. Nishida, M. Yamato, Y. Hayashida, K. Watanabe, N. Maeda, H. Watanabe, S. Nagai, A. Kikuchi, Y. Tano and T. Okano, “Functional bioengineered corneal epithelial sheet grafts from corneal stem cells expanded ex vivo on a temperature-responsive cell culture surface”, Transplantation, 77(3), 379-385 (2004).

12. K. Nishida, M. Yamato, Y. Hayashida, K. Watanabe, K. Yamamoto, E. Adachi, S. Nagai, A. Kikuchi, N. Maeda, H. Watanabe, T. Okano and Y. Tano, “Corneal reconstruction with tissue-engineered cell sheets composed of autologous oral mucosal epithelium”, N. Engl. J. Med., 351 (12), 1187-1196 (2004).

13. T. Shimizu, M. Yamato, A. Kikuchi and T. Okano, “Two-dimensional manipulation of cardiac myocyte sheets utilizing temperature-responsive culture dishes augments the pulsatile amplitude”, Tissue Engineering, 7(2), 141-151 (2001).

14. T. Shimizu, M. Yamato, Y. Isoi, T. Akutsu, T. Setomaru, K. Abe, A. Kikuchi, M. Umezu and T. Okano, “Fabrication of pulsatile cardiac tissue grafts using a novel 3-dimensional cell sheet manipulation technique and temperature-responsive cell culture surfaces”, Circ Res. 90:e40-e48 (2002).

15. Y. Haraguchi, T. Shimizu, M. Yamato, A Kikuchi and, T. Okano, “Electrical coupling of cardiomyocyte sheets occurs rapidly via functional gap junction formation”, Biomaterials, 27 (27), 4765-4774 (2006).

16. H. Sekine, T. Shimizu, S. Kosaka, E. Kobayashi and T. Okano, “Cardiomyocyte bridging between hearts and bio-engineered myocardial tissues with mesenchymal transition of mesothelial cells”, J. Heart Lung Transplant., 25 (3), 324-332 (2006).

17. T. Shimizu, H. Sekine, J. Yang, Y. Isoi, M. Yamato, A. Kikuchi, E. Kobayashi and T. Okano, “Polysurgery of cell sheet grafts overcomes diffusion limits to produce thick, vascularized myocardial tissues”, FASEB J., 20 (6), 708-710 (2006).

18. H. Hata, G. Matsumiya, S. Miyagawa, H. Kondo, N. Kawaguchi, N. Matsuura, T. Shimizu, T. Okano, H. Matsuda Hikaru and Y. Sawa, “Grafted skeletal myoblast sheets attenuate myocardial remodeling in pacing-induced canine heart failure model”, J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg., 132 (4) 918-924 (2006).

19. Y. Miyahara, N. Nagaya, M. Kataoka, B. Yanagawa, K. Tanaka, H. Hao, K. Ishino, H. Ishida, T. Shimizu, K. Kangawa, S. Sano, T. Okano, S. Kitamura and H. Mori, “Monolayered mesenchymal stem cells repair scarred myocardium after myocardial infarction”, Nature Med., 12 (4), 459-465 (2006).

Contact details

Office: Department of Physics

Tel:  +39 06 72594549

Fax: +39 06 2023507

R. Senesi is an experimental physicist with a background in condensed matter and material science. The main Research Topics are: Neutron Scattering, Monoatomic and Molecular Quantum Fluids and solids in bulk and confinement. Experimental determination of the atomic momentum distributions and microscopic structure and dynamics of these systems are carried out using neutron scattering and x-ray and techniques. Relevant examples are: 1) Momentum distribution and kinetic energy in fluid and solid He-3, He-4 and He-3/He-4 mixtures; 2) Kinetic energy of He-4 in nanoporous xerogels; 3) Static structure factor of binary fluid mixtures. R. Senesi has been involved in the design and construction of neutron scattering instruments at the ISIS pulsed neutron facility (UK), such as VESUVIO and e.VERDI, as well as research and development of neutron detection systems for neutrons in the energy range 1- 100 eV. R. Senesi has published more than 60 papers on international journals and presented about 20 scientific contributions at international conferences and schools.

Recent Publications

• R. Senesi, A. Pietropaolo, A. Bocedi, S. E. Pagnotta, F. Bruni, Proton Momentum distribution in a protein hydration shell, Physical Review Letters, 98, 138102 (2007), also in Virtual Journal of Biological Physics Research, 13, issue 7 (2007).

• R. Senesi, D. Colognesi, A. Pietropaolo, T. Abdul-Redah, Deep inelastic neutron scattering from orthorhombic ordered HCl: short-time proton dynamics and anomalous neutron cross-sections, Physical Review B, 72, 054119 (2005).

• C. Andreani, D. Colognesi, J. Mayers, G. Reiter, R. Senesi, Measurement of Momentum Distribution of Light Atoms and Molecules in Condensed Matter Systems Using Inelastic Neutron Scattering, Advances in Physics, 54, 377 (2005).

• C. Andreani, G. Gorini, E. Perelli-Cippo, A. Pietropaolo, N. Rhodes, E. M. Schooneveld, R. Senesi, M. Tarocchi, A resonant detector for high-energy inelastic neutron scattering experiments, Applied Physics Letters, 85, 5454, (2004).

• C. Andreani, C. Pantalei, R. Senesi, Mean kinetic energy of helium atoms in fluid 3He and 3He-4He mixtures, Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter, 18, 5587 (2006).

• R. Senesi, C. Andreani, A. L. Fielding, J. Mayers, W. G. Stirling, Kinetic energy of He atoms in liquid 4He-3He mixtures, Physical Review B, 68, 214522 (2003).

• R. Senesi, C. Andreani, D. Colognesi, A. Cunsolo, M. Nardone, Deep Inelastic Neutron Scattering determination of the single particle kinetic energy in solid and liquid 3He Physical Review Letters, 86, 4584, (2001).

Contact details

Physics Department “G. Occhialini”

University of Milan “Bicocca”

Tel: +39 02 6448 2302

Research activity

AP is an experimental physicist whose research interests concern the dynamics of condensed matter systems and the investigation of the high energy neutron-induced soft errors in electronics, using neutron scattering techniques, and the development of instrumentation for epithermal neutron scattering for applications on materials of cultural heritages interest (epithermal neutron imaging). As far as neutron instrumentation is concerned, AP worked on the development of gamma detectors for the Resonance Detector configuration at the VESUVIO spectrometer at ISIS spallation neutron source and the design and realization of the Very Low Angle Detector (VLAD) bang for High-energy Inelastic Neutron Scattering (HINS) on VESUVIO. In the field of condensed matter, recent experimental studies concerned the short time proton dynamics in bulk and confined water at different thermodynamic states, as well as the sub-femtosecond dynamical properties of the structural hydrogen (silanols) in porous silica xerogels of different porosity. Within the EU-funded ANCIENT CHARM project, AP is developing ancillary equipment and gamma detectors to be used for Neutron Resonance Capture Imaging (NRCI) and neutron tomography on objects of cultural and archaeological interest. A recent experimental activity is related to the test of the new Silicon Photomultiplier (SiPM) coupled to YAP scintillators crystals. Very recently AP, within a joint collaboration of Italian academic institutions and the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), performed the first irradiation experiments on silicon-based Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA) on the VESUVIO beam line, that assessed the suitability of the ISIS source for this kind of investigation.

Recent publications

• R.Senesi, A. Pietropaolo, A. Bocedi, S.E. Pagnotta, F. Bruni, Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 138102 (2007);
• M. Violante, L. Sterpone, A. Manuzzato, S. Gerardin, P. Rech, M. Bagatin, A. Paccagnella, C. Andreani, G. Gorini , A. Pietropaolo, G. Cardarilli, S. Pontarelli, C. Frost, IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci. 54, 1184 (2007);
• E. M. Schooneveld, J. Mayers, N. J. Rhodes, A. Pietropaolo, C. Andreani, G. Gorini, E. Perelli-Cippo, R. Senesi, M. Tardocchi, Rev. Sci. Instr. 77, 095103 (2006);
• S. Imberti, C. andreani, V. Garbuio, G. Gorini, A. Pietropaolo, R. Senesi, M. Tarocchi, Nucl. Instr. Meth. A 552, 463 (2005);
• C. Andreani, G. Gorini, E. Perelli-Cippo, A. Pietropaolo, N. Rhodes, E. M. Schooneveld, R.Senesi, M. Tardocchi, Appl. Phys. Lett. 75, 5454 (2004).

Notes: AP is author of about 40 publications on international journals and presented about 20 scientific contributions at international conferences and meetings.

———————————————–
Ufficio Stampa di Ateneo
via O. Raimondo 18 00173 ROMA
tel. 0672592709
fax 0672593750
e mail:
Responsabile: dr. Sandro Lomonaco
e mail:
dr Pamela Pergolini
e mail:

The Variable Temperature STM/AFM

Characteristics

Stainless steel UHV system (Standard pressure 6 10-11mbar).Turbo molecular pump for roughing: 240 l/sec – Ionic pump: 500 l/sec – Titanium sublimator.X-Y-Z manipulator with direct current or resistive heating. Tmax=1500 K.STM/AFM (piezoresistive).Heating at the STM position: up to 1500 K.Cooling at the STM position: down to 25 K.E-beam evaporators at the STM position: Ge and Si.Reverse view LEED-Auger with LaB6 filament.

Some Results

Ge/Si(111) – experiments performed were related to the visualization of the growth by Physical Vapour Deposition of Ge nanostructures on 7×7 Si(111) reconstructed surfaces. By evaporating Ge on Si(111) at T=500°C the formation ofwetting layers have been studied by Scanning Tunneling Microscopy in situ. The evolution of the Ge islands appearing after the wetting layer (completed at 3 ML). The 3D islands appear as truncated tetrahedrons (7×7 reconstructed on the top) and evolves into rounded shape, flat islands with a central hole. An erosion of the substrate around the islands has been also evidenced and measured. The island have lateral dimensions in the range 200 – 500 nm. The statistical distribution of the islands shapes and contact angles has been analysed. On Si step bunched surfaces (obtained by flashing at 1200°C in proper condition the Si substrate) the self aggregation and ordering of the islands has been evidenced. These results have been published in several papers and conference or school proceedings [1-6].

Fig 1. Ge islands grown on Si(111) observed by STM and AFM at various stages of evolution. Top left, a) an island after the nucleation (STM: 236×236x8 nm), top rigth, b) new facets (100 and 117) appear (STM: 230×230x38 nm); bottom left, c). First stage of ripening. (STM: 527×527x12 nm) bottom rigth, d) final stage of ripening (AFM image: 527×527x10 nm). Ge flux was 1 Å/min. The substrate temperature was 530 °C for a), 450 °C for b) and 500 °C for c) and d).

Fig 2. Organization of the Ge islands on a Si(111) step-bunched substrate a) STM image of 2.5 nm Ge deposition on Si(111) at T=450 °C 2.7×3.7 μm2. The total height of the image is 56 nm. b) STM image of 6 nm Ge deposition on Si(111) at T=450 °C 10×10 μm2. The total height of the image is 82 nm.InAs/GaAs quantum dotsThe InAs quantum dots on GaAs were prepared ex-situ by MBE as follows: the GaAs(001) wafer was initially deoxidized in As flux at 640 °C until a weak 2×4 RHEED pattern appeared. Afterwards, the substrate temperature was lowered to 590 °C and an epitaxial GaAs buffer layer of approximately 0.75 mm was grown at a rate of 1 μm/h. After 10 min of annealing, the temperature was further lowered to 500 °C for the InAs growth. The deposition rate was 0.028 ML/s with an In/As flux ratio of 1/15. The InAs coverage was 3 ML (the 2D-3D transition occurs at 1.6 ML). A 50 nm As capping layer is grown on top of the quantum dots, in order to protect the surface during the transfer to the AFM/STM chamber if atomic resolution and reconstruction have to be obtained by STM. The other samples are grown on intrinsic GaAs exhibiting a resistance too high to be imaged by STM, so the measurements are normally performed by AFM. Many samples, with different InAs coverages and growth modes have been prepared and measured. The size and distribution of the dots obtained in various growth conditions have been measured. Two main growth modes have been analysed: Continuous (the In flux was never interrupted) and Migration Enhanced (the In flux was interrupted at regular intervals, in order to increase the atomic movements ad aggregation on the surface). The island size increases in the Migration Enhanced mode. The onset of the quantum dot formation has been evidenced by also by STM, by imaging 2D islands after which act as precursors. The results have been published in two papers [7-8]Fig 3. STM images at 1.3 ML of InAs on GaAs(001); a) 2D-islands of average height 0.4 nm (precursors); b) high resolution image of the wetting layer. The RHEED image has been acquired in the MBE system at the end of the growth.Fig 4. Needle-Sensor AFM of self-assembled quantum dots of InAs on GaAs(001) imaged using the VT SPM; dimensions: 300×300 nm. Height: 10 nm. The typical dot size is around 25 nm, and the height is 7 nm.

References on Ge/Si

[1] F. Boscherini, G. Capellini, L. Di Gaspare, F. Rosei, N. Motta and S. Mobilio, “Ge-Si intermixing in Ge quantum dots on Si(001) and Si(111)”, Appl. Phys. Lett. 76, 682 (2000).[2] F. Rosei, N. Motta, A. Sgarlata, G. Capellini and F. Boscherini, “Formation of the Wetting Layer in Ge/Si(111) studied by STM and XAFS”, Thin Solid Films 369 p29 (2000).[3] F. Boscherini, G. Capellini, L. Di Gaspare, F. Rosei, N. Motta and S. Mobilio, “Atomic intermixing in Ge Quantum Dots”,“ESRF Highlights” 1999, Surfaces and Interfaces (may be visualized on the web site www.esrf.fr).[4] F. Boscherini, G. Capellini, L. Di Gaspare, M. De Seta, F. Rosei, N. Motta A. Sgarlata and S. Mobilio, “Ge-Si intermixing in Ge quantum dots on Si”, Thin Solid Films 380, 173 (2000).[5] A. Sgarlata, F. Rosei, M. Fanfoni, N. Motta and A. Balzarotti, “STM/AFM study of Ge Quantum Dots grown on Si(111)”, IEEE Proceedings of the 11th International Semiconducting and Insulating Materials Conference, February 2000.[6] F. Rosei, N. Motta, A. Sgarlata and A. Balzarotti, “Growth and characterization of Ge nanostructures on Si(111)”, submitted for publication to Lecture Notes in Physics. (February 2001).[7] Nunzio Motta Self-assembled Quantum Dots studied by scanning probes and other structural techniques. Proc. Workshop on Nanotubes and Nanostructures 2000, S.M.Pula (CA), Ed. S.Bellucci, (Editrice Compositori 2001)[8] N. Motta, F. Rosei, A. Sgarlata, G. Capellini, S. Mobilio, F. Boscherini, Evolution of the intermixing process in Ge/Si(111) Self-assembled islands, submitted to Materials Science B

References on InAs/GaAs

[1] F. Patella, M. Fanfoni, F. Arciprete, S. Nufris, E. Placidi, and A. Balzarotti; Kinetic aspects of the morphology of self-assembled InAs quantum dots on GaAs(001) Applied Physics Letters 76 (2001) 320.[2] Arciprete, A. Balzarotti, M. Fanfoni, N. Motta, F. Patella, A. Sgarlata; Morphology of self-assembled quantum dots of InAs on GaAs(001) and Ge on Si(111) in Recent Research developments in Vacuum Science & Technology. Publisher: Transworld Research Network (2001).

Related Information
contact: Ernesto Placidi

Characteristics

(Mod.32; Riber)Stainless steel UHV system (Standard pressure 6 10-11 mbar). Turbo molecular pump for roughing: 240 l/sec – Ionic pump: 500 l/sec – Titanium sublimator. X-Y-Z manipulator with resistive heating.

Tmax=800 °C. Knudsen cells: Ga, As, In, Al, Si (as dopant). Rheed optics E= 10 KeV.

High Resolution Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy

Related Information
contact: Fabrizio Arciprete

HREELS cross section

Characteristics

Related Information
contact: Fabrizio Arciprete

Stainless steel UHV system (Standard pressure 4×10-11mbar). Turbo molecular pump for roughing: 240 l/sec – Ionic pump: 200 l/sec – Titanium sublimator. X-Y-Z manipulator with resistive heating. T max=800 °C. Leed optics.

Contact details

Office: Physics Department

Tel: +39 06 72594441

Lab: +39 06 72594422

Fax: +39 06 72594089

webpage

Current Professional Positions

Full Professor in Condensed Matter at the Faculty of Science of the University of Rome Tor Vergata.

Research Experience

Following a Laurea in Physics at the Università degli Studi di  Roma ‘La Sapienza’, Italy, (Final grade: 110/110 “Summa cum Laude”, dissertation Topic: “Missing Mass in the Universe and Black Holes”), I held a Post Docs positions at the AERE Harwell (UK) and visiting scientist positions at the ISIS Facility at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (UK), the ILL Reactor (F) and at the IPNS pulsed Neutron source, Argonne National Laboratory (USA).

I have a track record in studying and directing research on the study of microscopic structure and dynamics of disordered systems. In particular I have investigated the structure factor and single particle dynamics, i.e. momentum distribution – n(p) – and mean kinetic energy of light atoms – <E_K> – of:

• quantum fluids and solids – liquid ⁴He, liquid and solid ³He, in bulk and confined geometry, and ³He-⁴He mixtures [1,2];
• molecular fluids and solid – [3,4,5,6,7]. Examples includes diatomic homonuclear fluids (Cl₂, Br₂, I₂, H₂, D₂) hydrogen halides (HCl, HBr, HI), H₂S and H₂O (in bulk and confined geometry);

In my most recent n(p) experimental studies I have addressed the proton quantum dynamics in water – in normal and metastable phases – in bulk and confined geometry [5,6,7].

In most cases I have employed a combination of diffraction and spectroscopy techniques (most notably, neutron and x-ray diffraction, neutron spectroscopy, combined with Raman spectroscopy). Neutron scattering represents an important tool for the study of the properties of matter at the nanoscale, the ideal probe of microscopic correlations in bulk sample in reciprocal space. Its provides relevant information to nanoscience and application to nanotechnology, which add and complement real space visualization and manipulation of matter on the nanometer scale.

As experimental scientist I have contributed to the design and development of several instrumentation for neutron diffraction and scattering: the DBSS diffractometer, at PLUTO reactor (Harwell, UK), the  2 ASSI diffractometer at TRIGA reactor (ENEA Casaccia, I), the constant-Q spectrometer at HELIOS Linac (Harwell, UK), the TOSCA spectrometer at ISIS pulsed neutron source (UK). I have proposed a novel design a concepts for the  VESUVIO and e.VERDI spectrometers at ISIS for Deep Inelastic Neutron Scattering  (DINS) [3], and given a significant contribution to the development of gamma detector for epithermal neutron spectroscopy [8]. DINS is the unique technique to access microscopic information on the dynamics,  n(p), and the local structure of light atoms and molecules in a variety of environments.

In eV spectroscopy I have proposed:

• the use neutrons at the eV energies to produce quantitative measures and even 3D images of the elemental composition and physical structure of artefacts. Within the ANCIENT CHARM project an analysis technique based on neutron absorption has been developed, quite innovative in the field of archaeology. This technique uses the “Neutron Resonant Capture Imaging” combined with “Neutron Resonance Transmission” (NRCI/NRT) as a non-invasive technique for producing quantitative measurements and even 3D images of the elemental composition and physical structure of artifacts.

• the use of neutrons at the MeV for accelerated irradiation test on electronic devices. Following benchmark experiments on VESUVIO a novel beamline (ChIPIR) for fast neutron irradiation tests of electronics is at present under construction at the ISIS spallation neutron source [9].

Teaching Activities

CA is member of the Graduate School in Physics – PhD Program at the University of Roma Tor Vergata – and the Graduate School Nanostructure and Nanotechnology – a joint PhD program between University of Tor Vergata and  University of Milano-Bicocca. CA has a long-standing interest in teaching improvements in undergraduate and graduate physics also providing the students with a modern introduction to spectroscopic techniques. Much of this work has concentrated on the use of modern technology to improve the student’s conceptual understanding of basic experimental physical concepts.

Management and organizational experience

Member of the Neutron Committee of Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR) (1994-present)

Member of the Executive Board of University of Rome Tor Vergata (2005-2008).

Member of the International Advisory Board of the International Advisory Board ESS Bilbao Initiative (2008-present)

Member of the Novel Neutron Instrumentation Think Tank (2005-2009)

Member of the Science Advisory Board del Studsvik Neutron Research Laboratory (NFL) – Svezia (2000-2002 )

Member of the OECD MEGASCIENCE FORUM: NEUTRON SOURCES WORKING GROUP Panel B: International cooperation in the development of neutron instrumentation and data evaluation (1996-1999)

Member (scientific secretary) of the Scientific Advisory Board for Physical Sciences of the Italian national research Council CNR (1994-1998)

Member of the Round Table on Neutron Sources, http://neutron.neutron-eu.net/n nmi3/n (1994-present)

Peer Review

I served as:

• member of evaluation Area panel Physical Science, CIVR for Italian Ministry of Research (MIUR) (2003-2009)

• member of the ISIS Facility Access Panel (FAP 5), 2006-2008

• member of peer review panel for material science for Georgia National Science Fundation (2007-2008)

• Chairperson of the Area Panel for Physical Sciences, Italian Research Council, CNR Italy (2009)

• Chairperson of the Ministry of Research advisory board for the Italian Infrastructure roadmap prioritisation exercise (2010)

• member of review panel for research projects of Regione Lombardia  (2010)

I currently serve as:

• member of SNS neutron scattering science proposal Review Panel (2008-present)

Since 1998 I serve as referee for:

• a number of  National and international scientific journals (e.g. the Physical Review journals and Reviews of Modern Physics) and in a number of peer-review roles.

I am currently supervising 6 scientists. I have significant experience in recruiting and interviewing. I have served as project scientist and, more recently, project sponsor in a variety of instrument development projects at ISIS (UK) and SNS (US).

Membership of professional societies

• Italian Physical Society

• American Chemical Society

• School of Neutron Scattering “Francesco Paolo Ricci“

• Sociedad Española de Tecnicas Neutronicas

Editorial Roles

Editor of Notiziario Neutroni e Luce di Sincrotrone a journal supported by Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR)

Recent Publications

[1] C. Andreani, C. Pantalei and R. Senesi, Journal of Physics Condensed Matter, 18, 5587 (2006)

[2] R. Senesi, C. Andreani, D. Colognesi, A. Cunsolo, M. Nardone, Phys. Rev. Letts. 86, 4584, (2001)

[3] C. Andreani, D. Colognesi, J. Mayers, G. Reiter, R. Senesi, Advances in Physics, 54, 377 (2005)

[4] A. Pietropaolo, R. Senesi, and C. Andreani, A. Botti, M. A. Ricci, and F. Bruni, Phys. Rev. Letts., 100, 127802 (2008)

[5] C. Pantalei, A. Pietropaolo, R. Senesi, S. Imberti, C. Andreani, J. Mayers, C. Burnham, and G. Reiter, Phys. Rev. Letts., 100, 177801 (2008)

[6]  A. Pietropaolo, R. Senesi, C. Andreani, A. Botti, M. A. Ricci and F. Bruni, Phys. Rev. Lett. 103, 069802 (2009)

[7]  A. Pietropaolo, R. Senesi, C. Andreani, J. Mayers, Brazilian Journal of Physics, 39, 318, (2009)

[8] C. Andreani et al., Appl. Physics Letters, 85, 5454, (2004)

[9] C. Andreani_, A. Pietropaolo, A. Salsano, G. Gorini, M. Tardocchi, A. Paccagnella,^, S. C. D. Frost, S. Ansell, S. P. Platt, Applied Physics Letters, 92, 114101 (2008).

Notes. CA has authored about 150 publications on international journals and about 100 scientific oral contributions at international conferences, meetings and schools.

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Joint venture between Italy and Canada-Quebec (decreto n-1744 del 28-05-2008). Scientific Coordinator: Prof. Silvia Licoccia.
Project foreign Coordinator: Prof. Federico Rosei

DESCRIZIONE DELL’INIZIATIVA

L’accesso a fonti di energia rinnovabili e sostenibili, la conservazione e protezione dell’ambiente e la possibilità di garantire una qualità di vita adeguata ad una popolazione con prospettive di vita media sempre più lunga sono le grandi sfide dell’umanità nel XXI secolo.
Questo progetto si propone di affrontare lo studio dello sviluppo e della stabilità di materiali nanostrutturati che possano trovare applicazione nel campo della sanità (ingegneria tissutale), dell’energia e dell’ambiente (celle a combustibile e catalisi) mediante l’istituzione di un laboratorio congiunto su “Advanced Nanostructured Materials for Energy, Catalysis, and Biomedical Applications (ANaMECaBA)” tra l’Università di Roma Tor Vergata e l’istituto INRS-EMT dell’ Université du Quebec, sita a Varennes, Quebec, Canada in collaborazione con il Prof. Federico Rosei.
E’ infatti oramai ampiamente riconosciuto che le proprietà dei materiali nanostrutturati sono sensibilmente diverse da quelle dei corrispondenti materiali massivi. La riduzione a livello nanometrico delle dimensioni di un materiale comporta una significativa alterazione delle sue proprietà chimiche, ottiche, elettroniche e meccaniche. Le attuali sofisticate tecniche di sintesi, processo e caratterizzazione di materiali nanostrutturati permettono di sviluppare nuove funzionalità e di sfruttarne le peculiari proprietà in numerose applicazioni, quali ad esempio celle a combustibile per produrre energia con basso impatto ambientale, catalizzatori innovativi, più economici ed efficienti, ed ingegneria tissutale per la medicina rigenerativa. Per tutte queste applicazioni è fondamentali ottenere materiali nanostrutturati di elevata stabilità chimica.
Si valuterà la reattività chimica e la stabilità dei materiali nanostrutturati per comprendere la loro interazione con l’ambiente mediante l’analisi delle superfici e delle interfacce. Si condurranno inoltre studi volti a comprendere le relazioni struttura/funzione e, dunque, le prestazioni dei materiali nelle varie applicazioni.
A tal scopo, è stato creato un gruppo dalle competenze fortemente interdisciplinari che prevede la partecipazione di chimici, fisici, biologi, ingegneri e medici. Grande attenzione sarà inoltre dedicata agli aspetti relativi alla formazione di studenti di dottorato e giovani ricercatori che verranno coinvolti nelle attività del laboratorio congiunto per sviluppare e diffondere le conoscenze nel settore delle nanotecnologie.
Tutti i gruppi coinvolti sono riconosciuti leaders a livello internazionale nelle loro rispettive aree di ricerca. E’ dunque prevedibile un effetto sinergico derivante dall’interazione tra i vari partners che porterà a significativi sviluppi nel settore delle nanotecnologie Poiché il progetto proposto è un Laboratorio Congiunto, è prevista la presenza di ricercatori italiani a Varennes per svolgere attività di ricerca comuni. Si prevede che due post-doc ed uno studente di Dottorato italiani svolgeranno la maggior parte della loro attività presso il laboratorio congiunto in Quebec. Tentativamente ognuno di tali ricercatori sarà coinvolto principalmente in una delle diverse linee di ricerca individuate: celle a combustibile, catalisi, applicazioni biomediche. Nell’ambito della tematica energia/ambiente, uno dei problemi che saranno studiati sarà lo sviluppo di catalizzatori a basso costo che possano sostituire il platino nelle celle a combustibile a elettrolita polimerico (PEMFCs). La necessità di utilizzare catalizzatori a base di platino, elemento prezioso e la cui disponibilità è limitata, è infatti uno dei maggiori ostacoli alla diffusione delle PEMFCs. Nell’ambito della tematica Salute, si studierà la possibilità di realizzare costrutti di tessuto ingegnerizzato (tissue-engineered constructs, TECs) abili a promuovere la riparazione e la rigenerazione dei tessuti mediante lo sviluppo e l’integrazione di un set di metodologie di sintesi e di tecnologie innovative per la prototipazione rapida di matrici di supporto (scaffold) 3D realizzate con biomateriali ibridi nanostrutturati da applicare nella medicina rigenerativa.
L’Istituto INRS-EMT dell’ Univ. du Quebec allestirà uno spazio dedicato al Laboratorio Congiunto. Il partner canadese fornirà non solo lo spazio, ma anche accesso a tutte le strumentazioni in dotazione, materiale di consumo e supporto logistico per gli studiosi italiani. Qualora il finanziamento sia approvato, si indirà al più presto un bando per due borse di studio post-doc i cui vincitori svolgeranno la loro attività a Varennes.

CURRICULUM VITAE DEL RESPONSABILE SCIENTIFICO Prof. SILVIA LICOCCIA

Professore Ordinario di Fondamenti Chimici delle Tecnologie, Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche & NAST: Centro Interdipartimentale per Le Nanoscienze, Nanotecnologie e Strumentazione Avanzata
Università degli Studi di Roma Tor Vergata, Via della Ricerca Scientifica 1, 00133 Roma
Tel: 06-7259-4386: Fax: 06-7259-4328; e-mail: licoccia@uniroma2.it

S. Licoccia ha ottenuto la Laurea Summa cum Laude in Chimica presso l’Università di Roma nel 1978. Ha frequentato le seguenti Scuole post-laurea: Chimica Teorica (1979, Pisa, CNR Fellow), Coordination Chemistry of Metalloenzymes (1982, San Miniato, NATO Fellow), Spettrocopia NMR (1986, Roma).
Ha successivamente ricoperto le seguenti posizioni accademiche: 1979-1981: Postdoctoral fellow, York University, Toronto, Ont., Canada; 1981-1983: Professore a contratto, Università della Calabria; 1983-1984: Borsista AIRI (Associazione Italiana per la Ricerca Industriale) Università di Roma La Sapienza; 1984-1992: Ricercatore (SSD: Chimica), Facolta’ di Ingegneria, Università di Roma Tor Vergata; 1987: Visiting Professor, University of California, Davis, CNR Fellow; 1992: Professore Associato di Chimica Generale ed Inorganica, Facoltà di Farmacia, Università di Siena; 1993-2001: Professore Associato di Chimica, Facoltà di Ingegneria, Università di Roma Tor Vergata; dal 2001: Professore Ordinario di Fondamenti Chimici delle Tecnologie, Facoltà di Ingegneria, Università di Roma Tor Vergata
Dal 1995 al 2001 ha fatto parte del Senato Accademico dell’Universita’ di Roma Tor Vergata.
Dal 2001 è Membro del Collegio dei Docenti del Corso di Dottorato di Ricerca Internazionale in Materiali per l’Ambiente e l’Energia. Il corso prevede corsi di dottorato congiunto con la University of Florida e la Ehime University, Matsuyama, Giappone, ed è stato istituito grazie a finanziamenti MiUR nell’ambito di progetti di internazionalizzazione (University of Florida ed Ehime University).
Dal 2002 è Vice Presidente dell’AICIng (Associazione Italiana di Chimica per l’Ingegneria)
Membro del Comitato esecutivo della sezione Europea dell’Electrochemical Society, della Materials Research Society, dell’International Sol-Gel Society e della Royal Society of Chemistry.
L’attività scientifica, documentata da 2 brevetti, 2 libri, e più di 230 lavori, di cui 145 pubblicazioni su riviste internazionali, è attualmente principalmente rivolta allo sviluppo di procedure sintetiche ed alla caratterizzazione di nuovi materiali per applicazioni nei settori dell’ambiente, dell’energia e della medicina. Tra le tematiche studiate al momento ci sono materiali nanostrutturati per celle a combustibile polimeriche e a ossidi solidi e per sensori chimici di gas per il monitoraggio ambientale, materiali compositi per l’ingegneria tissutale ricostruttiva, per lo sviluppo di elettrodi per la registrazione di segnali elettrofisiologici in condizioni estreme (emergenze, pazienti non collaboranti, condizioni di microgravità) e per il rilascio, per via topica, di sostanze farmacologicamente attive, composti modello di sistemi biologici.
E’ stata invitata a tenere conferenze su invito a diversi congressi internazionali e a tenere seminari sia in Italia che all’estero. Ha ricevuto diversi contributi dall’Università di Roma Tor Vergata per Professori Visitatori.
Svolge attività di Peer Review per numerose riviste scientifiche internazionali tra cui: J. of the American Chemical Society, Chemistry of Materials, J. of Electroceramics, J. of Electrochemical Society, J. of Sol-Gel Science and Technology, Solid State Ionics, J. of the European Ceramic Society, Advanced Functional Materials, J. of Power Sources, European Polymer Journal. Ha coorganizzato diverse Conferenze e Simposi nell’ambito dei Congressi della Materials Research Society, Electrochemical Society e European Ceramic Society.
E’ Responsabile di Unità Operativa del progetto FISR NUME: Sviluppo di membrane protoniche composite e configurazioni elettroniche innovative per celle a combustibile a elettrolita polimerico (€ 620,000), Coordinatore Nazionale del Progetto di Rilevante Interesse Nazionale: Materiali ibridi organici/inorganici da assemblaggio di unita’ molecolari nanostrutturate per applicazioni multifotoniche (€ 367,000) e Responsabile di Unità Operativa del Progetto di Azione Coordinata dell’Unione Europea CARISMA: Coordination Action for Research on Intermediate and high temperature Specialised Membrane electrode Assemblies (€ 20,000).

Pubblicazioni significative più recenti:

1. S.Licoccia, M.L.Di Vona, A.D’Epifanio, D.Marani, M.Vittadello, J.R.P.Jayakody, S.G.Greenbaum Ormosil/Sulfonated Polyetheretherketone-based hybrid composite proton conducting membranes. J. Electrochem. Soc. 2006, 153, A1226-A1231
2. S.Licoccia, M.L.Di Vona, P.Romagnoli, L.Narici, M.Acquaviva, S.Carozzo, S.Di Marco, M.Saturno, W.G.Sannita, E.Traversa Nanocomposite polymeric electrolytes to investigate human electrophysiological brain signals in prolonged, unconventional or extreme conditions. Acta Biomaterialia 2006, 2, 531-536
3. S.Licoccia, E.Traversa Increasing the operation temperature of Polymer Electrolyte Membranes for Fuel Cells: from nanocomposites to hybrids. J. Power Sources 2006, 159, 12-20
4. A.D’Epifanio, B.Mecheri, E.Fabbri, A.Rainer, E.Traversa, S.Licoccia Composite Ormosil/Nafion Membranes As Electrolytes For Direct Methanol Fuel Cells. J. Electrochem. Soc. 2007, 154, B1148-1151
5. M.Trombetta, A.Rainer, S.Giannitelli, F.Abbruzzese, E.Traversa, S.Licoccia Fabrication of bioactive glass-ceramic foams mimicking human bone portions for regenerative medicine. Acta Biomaterialia, 2007, in press

DESCRIZIONE DELLA STRUTTURA PROPONENTE

L’iniziativa è proposta dal gruppo Chimica ed Ingegneria dei Materiali, Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche, Università di Roma Tor Vergata.
Il gruppo è costituito da una trentina di unità di personale, di cui 8 di personale dipendente, comprendenti 2 professori di I fascia (Silvia Licoccia ed Enrico Traversa), 3 ricercatori (Alessandra D’Epifanio, Elisabetta Di Bartolomeo e Riccardo Polini), ed 1 tecnico (Cadia D’Ottavi); in questo momento sono presenti 4 post-doc (Laure Chevallier, Vincenzo Esposito, Barbara Mecheri, Antonio Rinaldi), 20 studenti di dottorato (Chiara Abate, Zakarya Ahmed, Serafina Bellitto, Francesco Bozza, Marco Fronzi, Daniele Mirabile Gattia, Francesco Basoli, Catia de Bonis, Emiliana Fabbri, Chen Fang, Corrado Mandoli, Andrea Orsini, Francesca Pagliari, Stefania Pagliari, Michele Russo, Simone Sanna, Alma Santibanez Mendieta, Alessia Santucci, Sherif Soliman, Milan Zunic), e alcuni studenti di Laurea e di Laurea Specialistica.
Le competenze del gruppo sono fortemente interdisciplinari e coprono dalla sintesi dei materiali per vie innovative alla loro applicazione. Infatti i docenti sono di 3 raggruppamenti disciplinari diversi, Fondamenti Chimici delle Tecnologie, Chimica Generale ed Inorganica e Scienza e Tecnologia dei Materiali. Il gruppo dispone di tutte le apparecchiature necessarie allo svolgimento delle ricerche proposte.
Negli ultimi 5 anni il gruppo ha potuto contare in media su finanziamenti annuali di circa 300.000 euro. Tra gli altri finanziamenti, il gruppo proponente ha ora a disposizione un finanziamento biennale del MUR (PRIN) di 367.000 euro (fino al 2008), su materiali nanostrutturati per applicazioni ottiche, e di due finanziamenti triennali FISR (PNR) di circa 200.000 e 620.000 euro rispettivamente (fino al 2008), su tematiche concernenti celle a combustibile ad ossidi solidi per operazione a temperature intermedie e celle a combustibile polimeriche per temperature intermedie; quindi tutti i progetti sono in relazione al programma proposto.
Il gruppo è molto attivo in collaborazioni internazionali, ed in particolare con il Giappone e gli Stati Uniti. Il proponente è membro del Collegio dei Docenti di un corso internazionale di Dottorato di ricerca in Materiali per l’Ambiente e l’Energia, che prevede curriculum congiunti con la University of Florida, la Ehime University e la Université de Provence – Marseille.
Collabora o ha collaborato con i seguenti gruppi, tra gli altri:
* Institute for Industrial Science, University of Tokyo, Japan (Prof. M. Miyayama)
* Dept. of Mater. Sci. Engineering, Ehime Univ., Japan (Prof. Y. Sadaoka)
* Dept. of Mater. Sci. Engineering, Nagasaki Univ., Japan (Prof. Y. Shimizu)
* Dept. Física de la Materia Condensada, Univ. of Cádiz, Spain (Prof. Luis M. Esquivias)
* Lab. MADIREL, UMR 6121, Université de Provence, Marseille, France (Prof. P. Knauth)
* Dept. of Chemistry, University of Arizona, USA (Prof. F.A.Walker)
* Dept. of Physics, University of Uppsala (Prof. S. Svensson)
* Dept. of Psychiatry, State University of New York, Usa (Pro. W.G. Sannita)
* Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, City Univ. of New York, USA (Prof. S.G.Greenbaum)
* Dept. of Chemistry, University of Luisiana, USA (Prof. M.G.Vicente)
* Inst. of Physics, University of Lubeck, Germany (Prof. A.X.Trautwein)
* National High Magn. Field Lab., Florida State University, USA (Prof. J. Krzystek)

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Dr Antonio Cricenti

(CNR, Italy and Vanderbilt University, USA)

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Scanning Probe Microscopy dept.
CNR, ISM
Vanderbilt University

An overview of research activity in the field of Scanning Probe Microscopy taking place in Rome, Lausanne and at Vanderbilt is presented. Several applications in Material Science and Biology will be presented as well some recent developments in instrumentation.

Prof. Silvia Morante

(Università degli Studi di Roma Tor Vergata)

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Università degli Studi di Roma Tor Vergata

Molecular biology is nowadays strongly overlapped with supramolecular chemistry. An important aspect of supramolecular chemistry, which has recently come to the attention of the scientific community, is the structural role played by metals in intra-molecular and inter-molecular interactions.

Metals are essential elements for many of the fundamental activities of cells and their storing, metabolism and trafficking is mediated by many proteins via well tuned mechanisms because of the toxicity of free ions.
Recently the high sociological impact of neuro-degenerative diseases (like Alzheimer disease, BSE, Parkinson disease, etc.) has pushed the attention of researchers, both from the Biophysical and Biomedical point of view, towards the problem of mis-folding that is a common phenomenon in all amyloidosis pathologies and is regarded as a possible cause of aggregation of protein and plaque formation.

It has been observed that very often plaques contain large amounts of transition metal ions (like Cu+2, Fe+3 and Zn+2). None of the experimental techniques used so far, has been able, however, to unambiguously reconstruct the local structure around the metal ions and elucidate the role they possibly play in the mis-folding process.
I will show the contributions we have given in this direction by using both X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy and ab initio Car-Parrinello Molecular Dynamics in two very much studied systems: Prion Protein and Aβ-amyloids.

Prof. Mauro Rovere

(Università Roma Tre)

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Theory of Structural and DynamicalProperties of Fluids
Università Roma tre

Water plays an important role in many natural processes where it is confined or at contact with substrates. Examples can be found in different fields of geology, biology, chemical engineering. Changes in the static and dynamical properties of water are expected to take place for the geometrical constraints and the interaction with the different substrates. In particular it has been shown that confined water can be more easily supercooled in experiments.
The presentation summarizes Molecular Dynamics results obtained for water confined in a silica pore and presents recent results on water embedded in a hydrophobic matrix. For water confined in a silica pore it is found that the interaction with the hydrophilic surface and the geometrical constraints give rise to layering effects of great relevance in modifying static and dynamical properties with respect to the bulk phase. For water at contact with an hydrophobic matrix a study of the thermodynamical behaviour upon supercooling shows modifications in the limit of stability of water. The hydrophobic effect however does not change the general trends of the liquid spinodal.

Prof. Maurizio De Crescenzi

(Università degli Studi di Roma Tor Vergata)

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Nano Phd School
Università degli Studi di Roma Tor Vergata

Photovoltaic effect has always relied on semiconductors p-n junctions based on doped silicon or III-V-semiconductors. Recently, however, the use of carbon nanotubes has evoked large promises to increase the potential of light conversion and current generation (1). Carbon nanotubes in fact possess extended π-electron systems and characteristic van Hove singularities, which in combination with photoexcitable electron donors can provide the basic structural element for efficient photovoltaic conversion devices as demonstrated by Lee et al. (2) and by Guldi et al. (3). However single wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) have shown a low efficiency (0.2%). Relative to SWCNTs, multi wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) present a number of important applicative advantages. In particular, they are slightly easier to process than SWCNTs, because they generally do not form bundles and are found to be straight. Moreover, due the large number of concentric graphitic inner shells, they appear more suitable for achieving charge transfer and charge transport. Remarkably, also MWCNTs can be good light converters as shown by our own recent measurements reported in Ref. (4). We have demonstrated in fact the ability of multi wall carbon nanotubes to generate photocurrent upon the whole visible and ultraviolet spectral range.
Photocurrent measurement of MWNTs/SiO2 electrode, put in an electrochemical cell, was excited with visible light and a solution of 0.5 M NaI and 0.01M I2 in acetonitrile has been used as electrolite. The maximum photon-to-current conversion efficiency is approximately 7%, about 50 times higher than that reported for single wall carbon nanotubes.
Our experience shows that the lifetimes of the charge separated species are enough long to consider nanotubes excellent candidates for the fabrication of photovoltaic nanodevices and solar energy conversion applications.

Photocurrent generation of nanometric Ge droplets has been also investigated by using the same electrochemical photocurrent apparatus. Ge dots have been grown depositing by MBE several nominal thicknesses of Ge (ranging from 0.5 to 15 nm) on clean SiO2 surface at room temperature and then annealed to reach full crystallization. The photocurrent signals always show a feature located at about 280 nm. This peak can be ascribed to the bulk direct electronic transitions located at X point of the Brillouin zone. Only in the case of 0.5 nm Ge film a broad and intense feature at 550 nm has been observed while the peak due to the bulk direct electronic transitions results to be dramatically reduced. Since this last sample is characterized by 5 nm nanodots medium size (the smallest among the measured samples) this broad band in the photocurrent can be due to quantum confinement effect. On the other hand we have already reported for this sample a significant increase of the energy band gap to approximately to 1.8 eV from STM I-V measurements (5). This means that only for very small quantum dots an efficient electron-hole separation occurs thus generating a significant photocurrent in the visible range. This result is of particular relevance for photovoltaic nanodevices and quantum dot based lasers.

(1) S.Barazzouk, S. Hotchandani, K. Vinodgopal, P. V. Kamat, J. Phys. Chem. B 108, 17015 (2004).
(2) J.U. Lee, Appl. Phys. Lett. 87, 073101 (2005).
(3) D.M.Guldi, G.M.A.Rahman, M.Prato, N.J.Jux, S.Qin, W.Ford, Angew.Chem.Int.Ed.44, 2015 (2005).
(4) P.Castrucci, F. Tombolini, M. Scarselli, E. Speiser, S. Del Gobbo, W. Richter, M.Diociaiuti,
M. De Crescenzi, Appl. Phys. Lett. 89, 253107 (2006).
(5) I.Berbezier, A. Karmous, A. Ronda, A. Sgarlata, A. Balzarotti, P. Castrucci, M. Scarselli,
M. De Crescenzi, Appl.Phys.Lett.89, 063122 (2006).

Prof. Svante Svensson

(Uppsala University, Sweden)

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Uppsala University

An overview of the activities at the HIKE facility at the KMC1 beamline at BESSY will be given. This facility gives possibility to perform electron spectroscopy studies at energies from 2-12 keV. The KMC1 beamline is based on a double crystal monochromator with possibilities to use Si(111) and Si(422) reflexes and the higher orders of these. At backscattering conditions the resolution is very high, notably in the higher orders.

The electron spectrometer is a high energy upgrade of the state of art R4000 spectrometer from Scienta AB.
In the seminar results from metallic multilayers, CIGS solar cells and from conducting polymer devices will be presented. For the first cases a depth profile down to 10-20 nm can be achieved. In the case of a porous polymer we show a depth profile up to 80 nm!It is my hope that we may have a fruitful discussion of the future use of these types of experiments crossing applied science and fundamental science as well as the line between physics and chemistry.

Prof. Rita Grandori

(Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca)

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UNIMIB

The possibility to preserve non-covalent interactions during mass spectrometric detection of macromolecules has opened exciting new perspectives in folding and binding studies. Although the forces that act on molecular structures in the gas phase are different from those in aqueous solutions, experiments and theory indicate that it is possible to detect native-like protein conformers and assemblies after ionization and desolvation by mass spectrometry. Results by nano-electrospray-ionization mass spectrometry (nano-ESI-MS) on these topics will be presented.
Reference proteins such as cytochrome c, myoglobin, ubiquitin and lysozyme have been used for the investigation of conformational effects in protein spectra.
Three other systems will be discussed as examples of non-covalent complexes: the hexameric arginine repressor (ArgR), the dimeric beta-lactoglobulin (BLG), and the tetrameric flavodoxin-like protein WrbA. The first one illustrates detection of complexes that are stabilized in solution exclusively by hydrophobic interactions. The second one describes the pH-dependent behavior of the protein in the pH range 2-11. The third one shows analysis of linked protein-protein and protein-ligand binding equilibria.

Dr. Simone Melchionna

(SOFT-INFM, Università degli studi di Roma La Sapienza)

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We present a computational method to model nano-sized systems, such as colloidal suspensions and DNA in solution. As compared to existing literature our model includes i) a new treatment of solid-fluid boundary conditions ii) effective potentials specific to gel-forming fluids iii) fluctuating hydrodynamics with stochastic forcing of the kinetic modes.
On the colloidal side, some preliminary results regarding deep quenching scenarios and gel-formation are presented. Regarding DNA, we expound a numerical study of DNA translocation across nanopores mimicking devices for automatic sequencing.

Dr. Leonardo Guidoni

(Universita’ di Roma La Sapienza)

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Università di Roma La Sapienza