
Carla CannasUniversity of Cagliari | UNICA · Department of Chemical and Geological Science
Carla Cannas
PhD Chemistry
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Publications (183)
This work deals with the design of nanocomposite hydrogenation‐dehydration bifunctional catalysts for the one‐pot conversion of CO2 to dimethyl ether (DME), focusing on obtaining a high and homogeneous dispersion of a Cu‐based CO2 hydrogenation phase into the pores of mesostructured supports. Particularly, three aluminosilicate mesostructured acid...
Solution combustion (SC) remains among the most promising synthetic strategies for the production of crystalline nanopowders from an aqueous medium, due to its easiness, time and cost‐effectiveness, scalability and eco‐friendliness. In this work, this method was selected to obtain anisometric ceria‐based nanoparticles applied as catalysts for the d...
In this work, non-ordered and ordered CeO2-based catalysts are proposed for CO2 conversion to dimethyl carbonate (DMC). Particularly, non-ordered mesoporous CeO2, consisting of small nanoparticles of about 8 nm, is compared with two highly porous (635–722 m²/g) ordered CeO2@SBA-15 nanocomposites obtained by two different impregnation strategies (a...
Designing well-defined magnetic nanomaterials is crucial for various applications and demands a comprehensive understanding of their magnetic properties at the microscopic level. In this study, we investigate the contributions to the total anisotropy of Mn-Co mixed spinel nanoparticles. By employing neutron measurements sensitive to the spatially r...
In this work, non-ordered and ordered CeO2-based catalysts are proposed for the CO2 conversion to dimethyl carbonate (DMC). Particularly, a non-ordered mesoporous CeO2, consisting of small nanoparticles of about 8 nm, is compared with two highly porous (635-722 m2/g) ordered CeO2@SBA-15 nanocomposites obtained by two different impregnation strategi...
This work challenges the conventional approach of using NdIII 4F3/2 lifetime changes for evaluating the experimental NdIII→YbIII energy transfer rate and efficiency. Using near-infrared (NIR) emitting Nd:Yb mixed-metal coordination poly-mers (CPs), synthesized via solvent-free thermal grinding, we demonstrate that the NdIII [2H11/2 → 4I15/2] → YbII...
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the increased use of disposable face masks worldwide, resulting in a surge of potentially infectious waste. This waste must be safely managed and disposed of to prevent the spread of the virus. To address this issue, a preliminary study explored the use of hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) as a potential method for c...
Cubic bi-magnetic hard–soft core–shell nanoarchitectures were prepared starting from cobalt ferrite nanoparticles, prevalently with cubic shape, as seeds to grow a manganese ferrite shell. The combined use of direct (nanoscale chemical mapping via STEM-EDX) and indirect (DC magnetometry) tools was adopted to verify the formation of the heterostruct...
In this work, a detailed study of Monte Arci obsidian sub-sources using the increasingly accessible technique of pXRF is presented based upon a large dataset of 68 geological samples, for the development of X-ray fluorescence-based analytical standardless procedure. In addition, a non-conventional (for obsidian provenance study) direct application...
In this work, we propose two bifunctional nanocomposite catalysts based on acidic mesostructured γ-Al2O3 and a Cu/ZnO/ZrO2 redox phase. γ-Al2O3 was synthesized by an Evaporation-Induced Self-Assembly (EISA) method using two different templating agents (block copolymers Pluronic P123 and F127) and subsequently functionalized with the redox phase usi...
The synthesis of highly ordered magnetic L1 0 alloys by means of the so-called pre-ordered precursor reduction (PPR) approach is deeply investigated by in situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy experiments.
Despite modern preparation techniques offer the opportunity to tailor the composition, size, and shape of magnetic nanoparticles, understanding and hence controlling the magnetic properties of such entities remains a challenging task, due to the complex interplay between the volume-related properties and the phenomena occurring at the particle’s su...
Among mesoporous ordered silica‐based materials, MCM‐41 is widely employed in both experimental and computational investigations of gas adsorption. Specific surface area and pore size distribution are typically obtained by analyzing the N2 adsorption isotherm. To this aim, different models and theories are available, and which one is more accurate...
Arsenate, As(V), and arsenite, As(III), are the most available arsenicals present in the soil solutions, in particular in mine polluted substrates, and cause several symptoms of toxicity in plants (like inhibition of seed germination and reduction of seedling development). For these reasons, seeds germination studies are essential for the design of...
Dimethyl ether (DME) production from hydrogenation of CO2 based on two-function (redox and acidic) catalysts is receiving increasing attention due to the high demand for alternative and green fuels. In this work, we propose different mesostructured acidic metal oxides as methanol dehydration catalysts to be used as physical mixtures in combination...
An important Bronze Age settlement was discovered during an archaeological excavation in the Monte Meana karst cave in south-western Sardinia (Italy) between 2007 and 2012. In this region, the caves were used since the Neolithic for different purposes, such as burials or other rituals. The dig highlighted a rare example of domestic use of a cave an...
Iron oxides/oxyhydroxides, namely maghemite, iron oxide-silica composite, akaganeite, and ferrihydrite, are studied for AsV and AsIII removal from water in the pH range 2–8. All sorbents were characterized for their structural, morphological, textural, and surface charge properties. The same experimental conditions for the batch tests permitted a d...
In this work, a detailed study of Monte Arci obsidian sub-sources using the increasingly accessible technique of pXRF is presented based upon a large dataset of 68 geological samples, for the development of X-ray fluorescence-based analytical standardless procedure. In addition, a non-conventional (for obsidian provenance study) direct application...
In this work, the effect of different molecular coatings on the alternating magnetic field-induced heating properties of 15 nm maghemite nanoparticles (NPs) in water dispersions was studied at different frequencies (159-782 kHz) and field amplitudes (100-400 G). The original hydrophobic oleate coating was replaced with dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA...
We explored a series of highly uniform magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) with a core-shell nanoarchitecture prepared by an efficient solvothermal approach. In our study, we focused on the water dispersion of MNPs based on two different CoFe2O4 core sizes and the chemical nature of the shell (MnFe2O4 and spinel iron oxide). We performed an uncommon syst...
Understanding the complex link among composition, microstructure, and magnetic properties paves the way to the rational design of well-defined magnetic materials. In this context, the evolution of the magnetic and structural properties in a series of oleate-capped manganese-substituted cobalt ferrites (MnxCo1–xFe2O4) with variable Co/Mn molar ratio...
Arsenic pollution in ground and drinking water is one of the major problems worldwide due to the natural abundance of arsenic by dissolution from ground sediments or mining activities as...
Achieving metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) in the form of nanoparticles (NanoMOFs) represents a recent challenge due to the possibility to combine the intrinsic porosity of these materials with the nanometric dimension, a fundamental requirement for strategic biomedical applications. In this outlook we envision the current/future opportunities of th...
The potential of silicon-based fluorescent platforms for the detection of trace toxic metal ions was investigated in an aqueous environment. To this aim, silicon chips were first functionalized with amino groups, and fluorescein organic dyes, used as sensing molecules, were then covalently linked to the surface via formation of thiourea groups. The...
Multifunctional nano-heterostructures (NHSs) with controlled morphology are cardinal in many applications but the understanding of the nanoscale colloidal chemistry is yet to be fulfilled. Stability of the involved crystalline phases in different solvents at mid and high temperature and reaction kinetics considerably affect the nucleation and growt...
This work is a part of a research project conducted in order to characterize the volcanic ash from Mount Etna, focusing in particular on the surface reactivity of ashes and possible consequence for human health. In this framework, a sampling campaign began on 16 March 2013, taking advantage of the intense volcanic activity on Etna. The interaction...
Artificial nano-heterostructures (NHs) with controlled morphology, obtained by combining two or more components in several possible architectures, make them suitable for a wide range of applications. Here, we propose an oleate-based solvothermal approach to design silver-spinel ferrite flower-like NHs. Small oleate-coated silver nanoparticles were...
Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have shown a great potential in biomedicine due to their promising applications in different fields, including drug delivery, thermometry, theranostics etc. In this context, the development of magnetic sub-micrometric or nanometric MOFs through miniaturization approaches of magnetic MOFs up to the nanoscale still rep...
In this work, industrial waste hexafluorosilicic acid (H2SiF6 or FSA) has been proven to be a low-cost alternative to silicate esters for the synthesis of high-quality MCM-41 (high surface area, high degree of order, narrow pore size distribution, high thermal stability) through a head-to-head comparison between the most common silica precursor, te...
A smart synthesis strategy exploiting the use of crystalline precursor salts, which until now has only been applied to the FePt system, was here extended to other binary alloys (CoPt, NiPt) with the aim of demonstrating the high potential of such a method and formulating a comprehensive explanation of the underlying process. Indeed, by exploiting t...
The effect of the annealing temperature Tann on the magnetic properties of cobalt ferrite nanoparticles embedded in an amorphous silica matrix (CoFe2O4/SiO2), synthesized by a sol-gel auto-combustion method, was investigated by magnetization and AC susceptibility measurements. For samples with 15% w/w nanoparticle concentration, the particle size i...
Bi-magnetic core-shell spinel ferrite-based nanoparticles with different CoFe2O4 core size, chemical nature of the shell (MnFe2O4 and spinel iron oxide), and shell thickness were prepared using an efficient solvothermal approach to exploit the magnetic coupling between a hard and a soft ferrimagnetic phase for magnetic heat induction. The magnetic...
Mesostructured titania (Anatase) and silica (MCM-41) were proposed as supports to design highly active, selective, and regenerable FeIII-based nanostructured sorbents for mid-temperature H2S removal in a model sour syngas. The resulting sorbents (Fe–SiO2 and Fe–TiO2) were tested as H2S removers at 300 °C and exhibited high reactivity and regenerabi...
In this work, we investigate the flexibility of the high temperature thermal decomposition (HTD) synthesis to design magnetic nanoparticles with engineered properties. We prepared spinel iron oxide particles with desired composition ( Fe3O4 and CoFe2O4 ) and well-controlled average size (5—8 nm) by tuning the synthesis procedure. We show that the s...
Nanosheets of two mixed linker (anilate/carboxylate)/YbIII-based 2D layered coordination polymers (CPs) are herein reported. Bulky sized CPs, formulated as [Yb4(ClCNAn)5(DOBDC)1(DMSO)10]n•(DMSO)2 (1) and [Yb2(ClCNAn)2(F4-BDC)(DMSO)6]n(2), are formed by two dimensional neutral polymeric networks based on YbIII ions, heterosubstituted ClCNAn2- anilat...
A Raman study on Zinc-substituted Cobalt ferrites, with different Zn(II) contents in each sample of formula: CoFe₂O₄ (1), Zn0.30Co0.70Fe2.00O₄ (2), Zn0.46Co0.54Fe2.02O₄ (3), Zn0.53Co0.47Fe2.02O₄ (4) is reported. These samples show the same crystallite size (∼6 nm), particle size (∼7 nm) and particle size distribution (∼20%) and they have been synth...
Nanostructured spinel ferrites with formula M2+Fe2O4 (where M2+ ═ Fe, Co, Mn, Ni, Zn, etc.) represent a class of magnetic materials widely employed in different research fields, due to the possibility of finely tuning the magnetic properties by changing the chemical composition, size, shape, capping agents, etc. Herein, a review of the most common...
In this work, highly dispersed maghemite (λ-Fe₂O₃) in form of ultrasmall nanoparticles (about 2 nm) was embedded into a mesostructured silica MCM-41 (about 600 nm) featuring regular submicrometric hexagonal shaped particles via the two-solvent incipient wetness impregnation strategy. The obtained nanocomposite was then tested as H₂S sorbent in the...
Nanostructured spinel cobalt ferrite samples having crystallite size ranging between 5.6 and 14.1 nm were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray induced Auger electron spectroscopy in order to determine the chemical state of the elements, the iron/cobalt ratio and the cation distribution within tetrahedral and octahedral sites....
This paper aims to analyze the competition of single particle anisotropy and interparticle interactions in nanoparticle ensembles using a random anisotropy model. The model is first applied to ideal systems of non-interacting and strongly dipolar interacting ensembles of maghemite nanoparticles. The investigation is then extended to more complex sy...
The synthesis, structural characterization, photophysical studies and exfoliation of 2D layered coordination polymers (CPs), formulated as {[Ln2(ClCNAn)3 (DMF)6]•(DCM)x}n (Ln(III) = Yb(x=0), Nd, and Er (x=2)) based on the heterosubstituted chlorocyananilate ligand are herein reported. These compounds consist of neutral polymeric two-dimensional (2D...
In this work, the effect of the M41S support pore structure (hexagonal or cubic) and of the wall thickness of the silica mesochannels have been evaluated aimed to achieve more and more efficient and regenerable iron oxide-based sorbents for H2S removal at mid-temperature. With this purpose, we set up a simple Pluronic-free synthetic strategy capabl...
During the 2nd millennium BC anthropomorphic menhirs belonging to a 3rd millennium BC sanctuary were reused as building material in the Arasseda Nuraghe (Sardinia, Italy). To analyse the Arasseda menhirs and the local Monte Ironi geological samples (presenting similar visual features), chemical (pXRF, ICP-OES, ICP-MS), mineralogical-chemical (PXRD)...
A green one-pot approach based on the solvothermal amidation of carboxylic acids with amines has been developed for the synthesis of diverse aliphatic and aromatic amides. It does not require...
An easy, low-cost, repeatable seed-mediated growth approach in solvothermal condition has been proposed to synthesize bimagnetic spinel ferrite core-shell heterostructures in the 10-20 nm particle size range. Cobalt ferrite and manganese ferrite nanoparticles (CoFe2O4 and MnFe2O4) have been coated with isostructural spinel ferrites like maghemite/m...
MCM-41 is proposed to build mesostructured Fe2O3-based sorbents as an alternative to other silica or alumina supports for mid-temperature H2S removal. MCM-41 was synthesized as micrometric (MCM41_M) and nanometric (MCM41_N) particles and impregnated through an efficient Two-Solvents (hexane-water) procedure to obtain the corresponding γ-Fe2O3@MCM-4...
Mesostructured NiOCeO2 mixed oxides, with Ni loadings in the range 5–35 wt% (gNi/gCeO2), were synthesized by the hard template procedure using SBA-15 as the template. A hard-templated CeO2 was also prepared and used as the support for depositing Ni (5–35 wt%) by impregnation. Two NiOAl2O3 catalysts were synthesized for comparison, by impregnating n...
NiO-CeO2 mixed oxides were prepared by the soft-template method with nominal Ni/Ce molar ratios between 0.3 and 4.0. NiO and CeO2 pure oxides were also prepared through the same procedure. A second series of NiO-CeO2 mixed oxides (nominal Ni/Ce values = 0.3–1.5 mol mol⁻¹) was synthesized by using the soft-templated ceria as the support and depositi...
Obsidian is a natural volcanic glass in which nanocrystalline and microcrystalline phases can coexist with the glassy one. In this paper, magnetic properties of Monte Arci obsidians are investigated by an experimental approach commonly applied to synthetic nanostructured materials and rarely to natural ones, and correlated with the mineralogical co...