Selected topics in nanoscience

This course will focus on the emerging ideas of nanoscience where the small size of systems plays a crucial role in determining their properties and behaviours. The fundamental aim is to provide the students with a working knowledge of contemporary nano-science.
The course will focus on:
-) how the surface plays a major role in nanoscience
-) how the quantum mechanics assumes importance as material size is diminished
-) how the band bending at surfaces and interfaces of nanostructured materials affects their photochemical behaviour.
• A surface science perspective on TiO2 photocatalysis

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• Introduction to the concepts of nanoscience, nanotechnology, and nanostructured materials
• General overview of characterization and fabrication methods
• Material, Structure and the nanosurface: Importance of the surface; Engineering Materials, Particle Shape and Surface; Surface and volume; Atomic structure; Examples.
• The material continuum: Basic Quantum Mechanics and the solid state, Zero, One and Two dimensional materials. Hierarchical structures and quantum size effect. The study of electron confinment on thin films by means of photoemssion spectroscopy.
• Physical aspects of the nano- photocatlysis. Overview of band bending effects on photochemistry: molecular adsorption and desorption, photoexcited charge carrier transfer and recombination, surface structure and particle size-induced band bending etc.
• A surface science perspective on TiO2 photocatalysis

On completion of this course, the learner will be able to: achieve a critical knowledge and understanding of nanoscience. Demonstrate a detailed knowledge and understanding of advanced concepts and applications in the nano-scale regime; integrate previous knowledge from physics and chemistry courses with the topics discussed in the module; analyse advanced problems in nanoscience related to energy production.

• Edward L. Wolf, Nanophysics and nanotechnolgy, An introduction to Modern Concepts in Nanoscience, WILEY-VCH, 2nd edition, 2006.Catalogue E-version
• Gabor L. Hornyak, Joydeep Dutta, Harry F. Tibbals, Anil K. Rao, Introduction to Nanoscience, CRC Press, 2008. Catalogue
• William D. Callister, David G. Rethwisch, Fundamentals of Materials Science and Engineering, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.,2012 Catalogue E-version
• K. Oura, V.G. Lifshits, A.A. Saranin, A.V. Zotov, M. Katayama, Surface Science an Introduction, Springer, 2003. Catalogue E-version
• Zehn Zhang and John T. Yates, Band Bending in Semiconductors: Chemical and Physical Consequences at Surfaces and Interfaces, Chem. Rev. 112, 5520 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1021/cr3000626 E-version
• Michael A. Henderson, A surface science perspective on TiO2 photocatalysis, Surface Science Reports 66 (2011) 185–297 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surfrep.2011.01.001 E-version
• Akira Fujishima, Xintong Zhang, Donald A. Tryk, TiO2 photocatalysis and related surface phenomena, Surface Science Reports 63 (2008) 515 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surfrep.2008.10.001 E-version

Oral exam and seminar presentation. (60/40)

Associate professor of Material Science at the University of Nova Gorica.

Bibliography