OVERVIEW

The energy and technological transition that is becoming necessary implies a profound transformation of the chemical industry, with the transition from fossil raw materials to renewable raw materials and with a drastic reduction of environmental impacts. The use of renewable raw materials for the production of intermediates and chemical end products implies the development of new industrial processes, which will be made possible by the production of optimized catalysts for these processes. These materials will not necessarily be drastically different from those used in current industrial chemistry, but they will have to be adapted to the new green chemistry.
During ADVANCED CATALYTIC AND ADSORBENT MATERIALS FOR GREEN INDUSTRIAL PROCESSES, the specific problems relating to the optimization of catalysts for some of the main processes of green chemistry will be dealt with in practice. In parallel, the topic of solid adsorbents used in chemical processes and for environmental protection will be dealt with.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims to introduce students to the materials and catalysts necessary for the development of the themes of "green" industrial chemistry, i.e. based on renewable and/or recycled raw materials and applied to environmental protection, in the scenario of the energy transition to be implemented through the development of sustainable processes

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

Participation in the proposed training activities (lectures, exercises, visits, seminars), individual study and group discussion will allow the student to:
- orienting oneself in the current technological context and knowing the strategies for the future;
- learn the fundamentals of catalytic processes for environmental protection, use of biomass
- apply the skills acquired to specific contexts of environmental and material engineering by evaluating the advantages and disadvantages of technologies and processes that can be developed. 
- the acquisition of these skills is indicated both for the "Materials Scientist: Research Specialist" profile and for the "Materials Scientist: Technology Specialist" profile, in the materials sector for industry and chemical processes.

PREREQUISITES

Basic knowledge of chemistry, industrial chemistry and physics is required for successful learning; however, no formal prerequisites are envisaged.

Working students and students with SLD, disability or other special educational needs certification are advised to contact the teachers at the beginning of the course to agree on teaching and examination methods that, in compliance with the teaching objectives, take into account individual learning modalities

TEACHING METHODS

The course will be carried out through classroom lessons held in English. Visits to plants and laboratories will be possible.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Microporous and mesoporous materials. Pure oxides and mixed oxides. Surface acidity and basicity. Acid and basic catalysis. Use of oxides as supports for the production of heterogeneous catalysts. Mechanism of dispersion of metal nanoparticles through supports with a high surface area. Zeolites as shape selective, environmentally friendly solid acid catalysts. Their application to hydrocarbon chemistry and biomass chemistry. Zeolites as selective adsorbents and molecular sieves. Application of catalytic materials to green chemistry technologies.Supported catalysts and advanced reactor configurations. Catalysts for CO2 utilisation.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

The teaching material used during the lessons will be available in the teaching room. The notes taken during the lessons and the material in Aulaweb are sufficient for the preparation of the exam, but the following books are suggested as supporting and in-depth texts.
Handouts issued by teachers.
G. Busca, Heterogeneous Catalytic Materials, Solid State Chemistry, Surface Chemistry and Catalytic Behavior, Elsevier Publishing, 2014.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

GABRIELLA GARBARINO (President)

ELENA SPENNATI

GUIDO BUSCA (President Substitute)

PAOLA RIANI (Substitute)

LESSONS

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The exam will consist of an oral test, consisting of three questions on different parts of the program carried out
There will be 2 exam sessions for the 'winter' session (January and February) and 3 exam sessions for the 'summer' session (June, July, September). Furthermore, the test can also be taken during the didactic breaks that may be foreseen in autumn and spring.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The oral exam involves discussion on the basis of three questions that may relate to the entire program presented in class, formulated in terms of theoretical questions or in the form of application problems. The exam aims to ascertain the specific skills acquired and above all the ability to use them combined together to orient themselves in concrete application cases. The quality of the exposure, the correct use of technical terminology and critical reasoning skills will also be assessed.

Exam schedule

FURTHER INFORMATION

Students who have valid certification of physical or learning disabilities on file with the University and who wish to discuss possible accommodations or other circumstances regarding lectures, coursework and exams, should speak both with the instructor and with Professor Sergio Di Domizio (sergio.didomizio@unige.it), the Department’s disability liaison.