Pietro Sofia Email & Phone Number

Genova, Liguria, Italia

Research group: Polymers and Biomaterials (PolBioM) led by Prof. Nicola Tirelli

Cremona, Lombardia, Italia

Amsterdam, Olanda Settentrionale, Paesi Bassi

Master's thesis at Self-Organizing Matter (SOM) research group led by Prof. Dr. W. L. NoorduinAbstract:Biomineralization is a process by which Nature produces materials characterized by ordered three-dimensional structures that are a source of inspiration for the production of a new generation of synthetic functional materials. Under alkaline conditions, barium or strontium carbonates precipitate in the presence of a high concentration metasilicates forming fascinating composite structures of carbonate crystals enveloped in amorphous silica matrix, known as silica biomorphs. It has been shown that the morphogenesis of these superstructures is driven by local pH gradients due to the establishment of an autocatalytic regime of carbonate precipitation which in turn activates the polymerization of amorphous silica, generating a self-powered system. Those characteristics were strongly inspiring for the development of a new synthesis method by using a specific reaction-diffusion system that allows us to rationalize the methods by which we can precisely construct a wide variety of biomorphs through photo-induced carbon dioxide (CO2) diffusion in a solution of strontium chloride and sodium metasilicate. Our goal is to obtain maximum control over the nucleation and growth of silica biomorphs. We have carried out a process of optimization of the reaction conditions to play with the most significant parameters such as pH values of the solution, the concentration of the synthetic precursors, the modulation of the UV light monitoring the local supersaturation, and the interfacial energies of the system. Our experimental data demonstrate the real dependence that links the parameters related to the UV light and the different concentrations of reactants and additives with the parameters related to nucleation and growth such as the nucleation rate and abundance, the growth rate, the morphology of the resulting materials.

Genova, Liguria, Italia

Bachelor's thesis at the research group led by Orietta Monticelli (University of Genova)Abstract:Today's society in which we live imposes a change of mentality compared to our predecessors in terms of management and optimization of available resources. If first, the cornerstones of green chemistry were contemplated only by a few, today sustainability in scientific progress and in industrial production is a key point in every sector. These concepts can be found in the branch of chemistry that deals with the development of polymeric materials with high sustainability, such as the use of poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) obtained from waste of the agricultural production and the food industry. For these reasons, our work focused on developing, through the amynolisis with two different substituted amines, a biocompatible hydrophobic and conductive material. Afterwards the synthesis, a series of analytical characterizations were carried out to define both mechanical and chemical properties in order to ensure the quality of the resulting product.

M.Sc. Degree (Lm-54), Chemistry, Methods Of Synthesis And Bio-Organic Chemistry, 107/110

Solid state chemistry: (Prof. Dr. Wim L. Noorduin, Universiteit van Amsterdam) (Prof. Giuseppe Falini, University of Bologna) Title.

B.Sc. Degree (L-27), Chemistry And Chemical Technologies

Polymeric synthesis: (Prof. Orietta Monticelli, University of Genova) Title of the thesis: Functionalization of polymeric films based.

High School Diploma