Nanoparticles Synthesis Assisted by Design of ExPERimEnts
We develop Design of Experiments approaches for the fabrication of luminescent dye-doped silica and metallic nanoparticles
SAPERE is a PRIN 2022 research project aimed at the development of chemiometric tools based on Design of Experiments (DOE) to guide for the fabrication of luminescent dye-doped silica and metallic nanoparticles for bioanalysis and catalysis.
Nanotechnology relies on precisely engineered nanoparticles (NPs), yet their synthesis remains difficult to optimize due to the many interacting chemical and physical variables involved. Limited‑throughput microscopy techniques (TEM, SEM, AFM) further constrain morphological characterization, introducing operator bias and reducing reproducibility. These challenges become even more pronounced for complex architectures such as core–shell and bimetallic NPs, despite their high potential in electrochemiluminescence (ECL), photonics, and catalysis. This project applies Design of Experiments (DOE) to systematically optimize the synthesis of advanced NPs, including Ag‑core/silica‑shell systems for ECL and bimetallic nanostructures for catalytic applications. By integrating user‑friendly, open‑source chemometric tools (CAT, based on R), the project aims to make DOE accessible to researchers with no prior expertise, providing practical protocols and guides. The approach will enhance efficiency, sustainability, and reproducibility in nano‑chemistry, promoting broader adoption of DOE for NP fabrication.
The SAPERE project contains six work packages (WP-1,6), working in synergy, while WP-7 is in charge of dissemination. The WP dedicated to the synthesis of NPs (1-2 and 5-6 respectively) are strongly connected to WP-3 (characterization methods, source of factors and responses) and WP-4 (DOE planning, interpretation and optimization), but they maintain a degree of independence one from the other.
The Research Units involved in the project are:
1) UNIBO, that merges the competences of:
a. inorganic chemistry and photochemistry (Prof. Enrico Rampazzo)
b. chemiometry (Prof. Dora Melucci)
2) UNIPV (Prof. Yuri Antonio Diaz Fernandez), expertise in metallic nanoparticles fabrication and catalysis.
A paper regarding the development of DOE tools for the simultaneous optimisation of luminescent dye-doped silica nanoparticles is under preparation.
