Research Group n. 3
UNIVERSITA’ DEGLI STUDI DI PARMA
FROM COMPLEXES TO CLUSTERS TO NANOPARTICLES CONFINED IN SOL-GEL
INORGANIC OR HYBRID MATRICES
Predieri Giovanni, Graiff Claudia, Alfieri Ilaria, Lorenzi Andrea, Bergamonti Laura, Canossa Stefano
Department of Chemistry, University of Parma, Area delle Scienze 17/A, 43124 Parma, Italy;
[email protected]
The research activity deals with preparation and characterization of inorganic and hybrid inorganicorganic nanosols for the protection and cleaning of both (i) stone materials and (ii) lignocellulosic
artifacts
(i) By means of functionalized silica nanosols, produced by sol-gel, hydrophobic coatings for stone
materials have been obtained. In addition, water based sols containing titanium dioxide were
deposited on various biocalcarenite substrates to obtain self-cleaning coatings taking advantage of
the well known TiO2 photocatalytic properties. Basic and acid sols were synthesized by sol-gel
method, with the aim to evaluate the effects of sols at different pH on calcarenite substrate. The
TiO2 obtained was principally made of anatase, crystallites having dimensions of about 4-6 nm.
(ii) Protection of wood from biotic decay has been obtained by means of sol-gel siloxane materials
functionalized with amine functions able to bind copper(II) cation. Moreover, we have considered
polyamidoamines (PAA) as suitable materials able to interpenetrate wood, to modify its physicochemical characteristics and to act as consolidants and preservants against biotic decay. Preliminary
results indicate that PAA effectively penetrate inside the wood and are very active alone against
fungus Coniophora puteana. In addition, PAAs are able to fix and vehiculate metal nanoparticles
and metal cations so eventually extending their spectrum of biocide activity.
Furthermore, our studies have been focused on the evaluation of deacidifying effect of PAA on acid
papers by comparing different modality of application, such as immersion of paper in deacidifying
solution containing PAA, application of rigid gel of Agar containing PAA and application of PAA
in water-ethanol solution by brush. Applications are performed with different polymer
concentrations, in alkaline and neutral pH.
This activity is carried out in collaboration with other groups, in particular those of Prof. Pier Paolo
Lottici (Dept. of Physics UniPr), Prof. Federica Bondioli (Dept. of Industrial Eng., UniPr), Dr.
Sabrina Palanti (CNR IVALSA, Florence) and Dr. Lara Maistrello (Dept. of Life Sci., UniMoRe).
Key words: Sol-gel; hybrid materials; photocatalysis; TiO2 anatase; wood protection; paper proptection
Pubblications:
1. L. Bergamonti, I. Alfieri, A. Lorenzi, A. Montenero, G. Predieri, G. Barone, P. Mazzoleni,
S. Pasquale, P.P. Lottici, Characterization and photocatalytic activity of TiO2 nanoparticles
on Modica and Comiso stones, Appl. Surf. Sci. 282, 165-173 (2013) - DOI
10.1016/j.apsusc.2013.05.95
2. L. Bergamonti, I. Alfieri, M. Franzò, A. Lorenzi, A. Montenero, G. Predieri, M. Raganato,
A. Calia, L. Lazzarini, D. Bersani, P.P. Lottici, Synthesis and characterization of
nanocrystalline TiO2 with application as photoactive coating on stones, Environmental
Science & Pollution Research 21, 13264-13277 (2014) - DOI: 10.1007/s11356-013-2136-5
3. L. Bergamonti, I. Alfieri, A. Lorenzi, A. Montenero, G. Predieri, R. Di Maggio, F. Girardi,
L. Lazzarini, P.P. Lottici, Characterization and photocatalytic activity of TiO2 by sol-gel in
4.
5.
6.
7.
acid and basic environments, J. Sol Gel Science & Technol 73, 91-102 (2015) –
DOI:10.1007/s10971-014-3498-y
Palanti S., Predieri G., Vignali F., Feci E., Casoli A, Conti E., Copper complexes grafted to
functionalized silica gel as wood preservatives against the brown rot fungus Coniophora
puteana. Wood Sci. & Technol. 45 (2011) 707-718
V
P
G
E P
S
M
R
E M
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K., 2011. Interpenetration of wood with NH2R-functionalized silica xerogels: anchoring
copper(II) for preservation purposes. Journal of Sol-Gel Science and Technology 60, 445456.
Bergamonti L., Chiappini E., Predieri G., Palanti S., Maistrello L., (2015) Wood
preservative composition, Int. Patent Appl., WO 2015/004590 A1
Graiff, C.; Pontiroli, D.; Bergamonti, L.; Cavallari, C.; Lottici, P.P.; Predieri, G., Structural
investigation of N,N’-methylenebisacrylamide via X-ray diffraction assisted by crystal
structure prediction, J. Appl. Cryst. (2015, in the press) doi:10.1107/S1600576715004161
SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL
Position of the components of the Research Groups
Name
Surname
Position *
Affiliation
Giovanni
Predieri
PO
UNIPR
Claudia
Graiff
PA
UNIPR
Ilaria
Alfieri
PoD
UNIPR
Andrea
Lorenzi
PoD
UNIPR
Laura
Bergamonti
PoD
UNIPR
Stefano
Canossa
PhD S
UNIPR
*: PO = Full professor; PA = Associate professor; RU = University researcher; CO = contract; PoD
= Postdoctoral fellows; RC = CNR staff or other Institutions Research; T = technician, VR =
visiting researcher, S = student
Equipment
Type
Producer
Year of acquisition
NMR spectrophotometer AV300
NMR spectrophotometer AV400
FTIR-ATR spectrophotometer
NICOLET 5700
XRPD pp u ARL X’TRA
X-ray diffractometer Apex2
CCD
ESEM equipment (250 FEG,
FEI)
TEM equipment Jeol 2200FS
(200 kV)
Bruker
Bruker
Thermo-Scientific
2001
2009
2001
Thermo-Scientific
Bruker
2000
2005
Quanta
2013
Jeol
2008 (CNR, IMEM)
Technical skills
• Sol-gel syntheses
• silica and titania nanosols
• Protection and consolidation of lignocellulosic materials
• Protection and cleaning of stone materials
• Crystal engineering