Dottorato in MATERIALS FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Recent advances in synthetic organic chemistry and materials science have enabled the development of functional organic materials whose properties can be rationally engineered through molecular design and structural control. However, the preparation of highly pure materials, the expansion of their chemical functionality, and the precise control of long-range structural order remain challenging. In this talk, these aspects will be discussed through two representative case studies: Carbon Dots (CDs) and Covalent Organic Frameworks (COFs). CDs are photoluminescent carbon nanoparticles synthesized from small organic molecules through solvothermal methods. Despite the simplicity and accessibility of their preparation, the properties often reported for novel CDs can arise from molecular impurities that are not removed during purification. In our recent work, we introduced advanced characterization protocols to reveal these inconsistencies and establish new quality standards for the field. Building on this expertise, we expanded this synthetic methodology to access novel chiral CDs, which were successfully employed as catalytic platforms for organic transformations by exploiting both the core and surface functionalities of the nanoparticles.In parallel, COFs provide an ideal platform to investigate how structural order impacts material properties. COFs are crystalline porous polymers that are typically obtained as polycrystalline materials. Our recent efforts have enabled the development of synthetic methodologies for the growth of single-crystalline imine-based COFs.[3,4] Access to highly ordered materials enabled us to elucidate how crystallinity influences their properties and performance in targeted applications.

24/06/2026