Nanomaterials for Lighting and Solar Energy Conversion

Luminescence and photoinduced energy- and electron transfer are fundamental processes that are acquiring an increasing importance for a number of applications in several fields. Our group is particularly concerned with those related to lighting and solar energy conversion, which entail the design, preparation and characterization of suitably designed molecules, metal complexes, supramolecular arrays and nanomaterials. Some of our most recent results will be illustrated, particularly on (i) transition metal complexes, (ii) luminescent hybrid materials made of inorganic luminophores and carbon nanotubes, and (ii) photoinduced processes in multichromophoric systems containing fullerenes and other electron acceptors combined with suitable donors. The seminar will be presented in a tutorial framework that will discuss some preparative strategies to obtain nanomaterials, potential applications and, more generally, the challenge of the energy transition to be accomplished in the present century.