CHINANOR Advanced Materials

CHINANOR is a multidisciplinar group composed by researchers with expertise in the fields of Inorganic (Prof. Maria Cristina Cassani, maria.cassani@unibo.it) and Analytic Chemistry (Prof. Barbara Ballarin, barbara.ballarin@unibo.it).

The overall research activity of the CHINANOR GROUP  regards:

  • the preparation of nanomaterials with a focus on the synthesis and characterization of metal or metal oxide nanoparticles supported on several functionalized substrates (polycarbonate membranes, silica, alumina, titania, magnetite, hydroxyapatite) and their applications in heterogeneous catalysis and biomedical field;
  • the chemical and electrochemical preparation of composite materials (i.e. conducting polymers + metal or metal oxide nanoparticles);
  • the chemical modification of long and short cellulose fibres or other fibres with conducting polymers and their assembly for the build-up of sensor devices;
  • the chemical and electrochemical synthesis of Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), a class of crystalline materials constructed from organic linkers and inorganic nodes that possess ultra-high surface areas and pore volumes. Ideal candidates for biomedical, energetic and sensor applications.

Instrumental techniques routinely employed: GC-MS, AAS, ICP-AES, FTIR, UV-Vis spectroscopy, ESI-MS, DLS, multinuclear NMR spectroscopy (1H, 13C, 15N, 31P, 195Pt, 11B), including 1D and 2D techniques, electrochemical techniques.  

Group members and most recent publications:

Prof. Barbara Ballarin (https://www.unibo.it/sitoweb/barbara.ballarin)

Prof. Maria Cristina Cassani (https://www.unibo.it/sitoweb/maria.cassani/)

Dr. Valentina di Matteo (PhD student, valentina.dimatteo5@unibo.it)

Dr. Lamyea Yeasmin (PhD student, yeasmin.lamyea@unibo.it) 

  • G. D’Altri, L. Yeasmin, V. Di Matteo, S. Scurti, A. Giovagnoli, M.F. Di Filippo, I. Gualandi, M.C. Cassani, D. Caretti, S. Panzavolta, E. Scavetta, M. Rea, B. Ballarin, “Preparation and Characterization of Self-Healing PVA−H2SO4 Hydrogel for Flexible Energy Storage”ACS Omega 2024, 9, 6391; https://doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.3c05392
  • Di Matteo, M.F. Di Filippo, B. Ballarin, G.A. Gentilomi, F. Bonvicini, S. Panzavolta, M.C. Cassani, "Cellulose/Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework (ZIF-8) Composites with Antibacterial Properties for the Management of Wound Infections”,  J. Funct. Biomater., 2023,14, 472; https://doi.org/10.3390/jfb14090472
  • I. Ragazzini, I. Gualandi, G. D’Altri, V. Di Matteo, L. Yeasmin, M.C. Cassani, E. Scavetta, E. Bernardi, B. Ballarin, “Polyaniline/poly-(2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid) modified cellulose as promising material for sensor design”Carbohydrate Polymers, 2023, 316, 121079; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2023.121079
  • I. Ragazzini, R. Castagnoli, I. Gualandi, M.C. Cassani, D. Nanni, F. Gambassi, E. Scavetta, E. Bernardi, B. Ballarin,  “A resistive sensor for humidity detection based on cellulose/polyaniline”, RSC Adv.2022, 12, 28217; DOI: 10.1039/d2ra03982f
  • G. Pagot, M.C. Cassani, F. Gambassi, B. Ballarin, D. Nanni, M. Coi, D. Barreca, E. Boanini, Vito Di Noto, “Propargyl carbamate-functionalized Cu(II)-metal organic framework after reaction with chloroauric acid: An x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy data record”,  Surf. Sci. Spectra, 2022, 29, 024007; https://doi.org/10.1116/6.0001950

  • Ragazzini, I. Gualandi, S. Selli, C. Polizzi, M.C. Cassani, D. Nanni, F. Gambassi, F. Tarterini, D. Tonelli, E. Scavetta, B. Ballarin, “A simple and industrially scalable method for making a PANI-modified cellulose touch sensor”, Carbohydrate Polymers, 2021, 254, 117304.

  • M.C. Cassani, F. Gambassi, B. Ballarin, D. Nanni, I. Ragazzini, D. Barreca, C. Maccato, A. Guagliardi, N. Masciocchi, A. Kovtun, K. Rubinig, E. Boanini “A Cu(II)-MOF based on a propargyl carbamate-functionalized isophthalate ligand”, RSC Adv., 2021, 11, 20429.

  • M.C. Cassani, R. Castagnoli, F. Gambassi, D. Nanni, I. Ragazzini, N. Masciocchi, E. Boanini and B. Ballarin, “A Cu(II)-MOF based on a propargyl carbamate-functionalized isophthalate ligand as nitrite electrochemical sensors”, Sensors, 2021, 21, 4922.