This course aims to introduce the concepts of reticular chemistry, intended as the discipline of nanoporous materials made by inorganic and/or organic building blocks, as well as their composites with biological species. The course discusses the salient characteristics of these materials, their properties, synthetic routes and typical characterization methods, as well as their current and future applications.

The students, upon completion of this course, will be able to:
- Understand the basic concepts of reticular chemistry;
- Identify the structure-properties relationship of different frameworks;
- Adopt the appropriate synthetic methodology for the desired architecture;
- Know the relevant characterization techniques for porous materials and composites;
- Learn about their applications, especially in sieving, sensing, catalysis, drug delivery.

None

I. Reticular Chemistry and Porous Materials
1. Brief Introduction on Organometallic and Coordination Chemistry
2. Topology and 3D networks: building blocks, cages
3. Nanoporosity: micro-, meso- and macro-
4. Mesoporous and microporous materials based on silica, alumina, titania, and zeolites
5. Porous Coordination Polymers (PCPs): Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs), Covalent Organic Frameworks (COFs), and Hydrogen bond-based Networks (HOFs).
6. Composites with inorganic and biological guest species
II. Synthesis and characterization of PCPs
1. Hydro- and solvothermal techniques
2. Low temperature methods: conversion, mechanochemistry, spray-drying
3. Diffraction and Scattering techniques (XRD, SAXS/WAXS)
4. Surface Area and Pore Size Distribution: Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) theory
5. Positron Annihilation Lifetime Spectroscopy (PALS)
III. Applications
1. Gas separation, adsorption, and storage
2. Catalysis and bio-catalysis
3. Environment: sequestration of hazardous species
4. Materials for medicine: drug delivery

No designated textbook, but class notes and handouts will be provided.

1. Introduction to Porous Materials (P. Van Der Voort, K. Leus, E. De Canck; Wiley)
2. Chemistry of Zeolites and Related Porous Materials: Synthesis and Structure (R. Xu, W. Pang, J. Yu, Q. Huo, J. Chen; Wiley)
3. Introduction to Reticular Chemistry: Metal-Organic Frameworks and Covalent Organic Frameworks (O. M. Yaghi, M. J. Kalmutzki, C. S. Diercks; Wiley)
4. The Chemistry of Metal–Organic Frameworks: Synthesis, Characterization, and Applications – Vol. 1 (S. Kaskel; Wiley)
5. Porous Materials: Processing and Applications (P. S. Liu, G. F. Chen; Elsevier)
6. Metal-Organic Frameworks: Applications from Catalysis to Gas Storage (D. Farrusseng; Wiley)
7. Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) for Environmental Applications (S. K. Ghosh; Elsevier)

1. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
2. Chemistry of Materials
3. Crystal Growth & Design
4. Journal of the American Chemical Society
5. Chemical Communications
6. CrystEngComm
7. Journal of Materials Chemistry A/B/C
8. Materials Horizons
9. Angewandte Chemie (International Edition)
10. Advanced Materials

Lecture hours = 15 h
Self-study = 30 h

Teaching and learning methods include lectures, class discussions, tutorials, and presentations to understand the interdisciplinary concepts of Reticular Chemistry, with examples to easily grasp more complex topics.

The final grade results from the Final exam (100%). Closed-book examination will be used.
Breakdown of final grades (A to D):
A: The student can demonstrate excellent understanding of the knowledge learned in class.
B+: The student can demonstrate a very good understanding of the knowledge learned in class.
B: The student can understand the basic principles of the knowledge learned in class, and shows overall understanding of all the given topics.
C+: The student shows a fair understanding of the topics presented in the course.
C: The student can understand partially the basic principles of the knowledge learned in class, but meets below average expectation on both acquired knowledge and analysis.
D: The student shows a lack of understanding of the topics presented in the course.