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Un nuovo sistema donatore-accettore bisaddotto bitiofene fulleropirrolidi na (bis-C60Bi) è stato elettropolimerizzato su ITO/PET(ossido di Indio-Sta gno)/PoliEtilene Tereftalato per cronoamperometria. E’ stato applicato un potenziale anodico di 1.5V alla soluzione di monomero per un certo tempo ¿QR DOO¶RWWHQLPHQWR GL XQ ¿OP VRWWLOH SROLPHULFR VXO VXEVWUDWR &DUDWWHUL]]D zioni XPS, UV-vis hanno confermato la presenza del polimero sull’elettrodo. ...

Uno degli argomenti di maggiore interesse della Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) è il controllo del posizionamento su superficie degli “hot spots” – le zone interstiziali fra aggregati di particelle metalliche che producono un aumento locale del segnale Raman. I substrati SERS consistono tipicamente in una matrice di hot-spots ad alta densità sui quali volumi macroscopici (>1 µL) di molecole di analita sono disperse. Questo approccio porta ad una alta invasività ed una distribuzione non uniforme dell’analita a causa dei flussi capillari. In questo lavoro, viene sviluppata una nuova piattaforma SERS realizzata da stampa a getto d’inchiostro2 in cui una miscela di un analita SERS (alizarina 10 µM) e nanoparticelle di Argento da 60 nm (AgNPs) è stampata sotto forma di gocce con volumi sulla scala dei picolitri2 (vedere Figura 1).

We report a novel multi-step method for the preparation of ordered mesoporous titania scaffolds and show an illustrative example of their application to solar cells. The method is based on (monolayer) colloidal nanosphere lithography that makes use of polystyrene nanoparticles organised at a water–air interface and subsequently transferred onto a solid substrate. A titania precursor solution (titanium(IV) isopropoxide in ethanol) is then drop-cast onto the monolayer and left to “incubate” overnight. Surprisingly, instead of the expected inverse monolayer-structure, a subsequent calcination step of the precursor yields an ordered monolayer of hollow titania nanospheres with a wall thickness of ∼30–50 nm, and a slightly larger diameter than that of the starting spheres. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) characterization of such scaffolds confirm that they consist of nanocrystalline anatase titania, and that any polystyrene/carbon residues in the scaffolds are below the XPS detection level. As an illustrative application we prepared perovskite solar cells incorporating the templated-nanoparticle scaffolds displaying a respectable power conversion efficiency of ∼9%, twice as large as that of our unoptimized “reference” cells (i.e. incorporating conventional mesoporous or compact titania scaffolds), thereby also demonstrating that the process is relatively robust with respect to optimization of the process parameters.

Background and importance The therapeutic approach for cerebellar damages heavily relies on neurorehabilitation since there are no medications that may improve clinical symptoms mainly those related to cognitive dysfunctions. Nevertheless, neurorehabilitation programs tailored to cerebellar damages have never been validated. Here we describe a new rehabilitation approach based on cooking training (CT). The idea that cooking may stimulate cerebellar activity relies on previous evidence demonstrating the beneficial effect on the executive functions as well as in promoting neural plasticity within the cerebellum. Indeed, CT requires motor/mental coordination, thinking flexibly, planning, implementing strategies, shifting and self-monitoring behaviors, all functions drastically affected in cerebellar disorders. Case description A 68-year-old male stroke patient with isolated right cerebellar ischemia in the posterior cerebellum characterized by mild executive dysfunctions. After intensive six weekly two-hour sessions, we found that CT was effective in improving some cognitive abilities in a context of mild motor impairment. In particular, deficits in the execution of the Symbol digit modality test and Wisconsin card-sorting test were recovered. Conclusion The comparison of our data with those reported in previous studies confirmed the Schmahmann’s hypothesis on the effectiveness of neurorehabilitation approaches in cerebellar patients acting as external timekeeping of conscious thoughts.

The use of microreactor technology for continuous-flow chemistry has received a significant amount of attention in recent years. In this chapter, we discuss the important aspects of this technology and its impact on synthetic organic chemistry. Basic engineering principles, unusual reaction conditions, the use of immobilized reagents, multistep syntheses, microreactor clogging, reaction screening and self-optimization, and scale-up potential facilitated by micro flow chemistry are described.

Cobalt nanostructures have been prepared by a chemical route based on the Co(II) reduction in the confined space of cobalt bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate (Co(DEHSS)(2)) reverse micelles dispersed in n-heptane. This procedure involves the rapid formation of surfactant softly coated Co nanostructures followed by a slow separation process of the magnetic-field responsive Co/surfactant nanocomposites from the liquid phase. The detailed structure of thin films of the Co/surfactant nanocomposites has been investigated by scanning force microscopy (SFM). The thin films were characterized by different anisotropic features. Micrometric long domains of self-aligned ellipsoidal NPs (tens of nanometers in size) have been observed, together with bendable micrometric long homogeneous nanofibers (NFs). The film structures were strongly dependent on the Co/surfactant ratio and, by increasing the Co percentage, the system was forced towards the formation of mutually connected superstructures consisting of anisotropic bands of self-aligned NFs and anisotropic 2D close packed Co-NP super-lattices. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed that the NPs observed by SFM are in effect composed of almost spherical and oxygen-free cobalt nanoparticles, 1-3 nm in size, which typically assemble in larger ellipsoidal systems tens of nanometers in size. Magnetic force microscopy (MFM) demonstrates the magnetic response of these thin films, highlighting the different behavior (attractive/repulsive) of the Co-NPs aggregates towards the oscillating magnetized tip. The above structural findings have been interpreted in terms of nanostructures/matrix interaction along with a fine balance between short-range isotropic repulsions, van der Waals attractions and long-range anisotropic magnetic interactions.