Maurizio Prato

Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche e Farmaceutiche, Università degli Studi di Trieste, Piazzale Europa 1, 34127 Trieste, Italy

CIC BiomaGUNE, San Sebastian, Spain

We will show how nanocarbons are particularly suited for a variety of applications, ranging from neurosciences to energy. In particular, we will discuss how with carbon nanotubes are ideal materials for integration with neuronal tissues. Nanotubes are compatible with neurons, but especially they play a very interesting role in interneuron communication, opening possibilities towards applications in spinal cord repair therapy.

In addition, in combination with catalysts of different nature, carbon nanotube modified surfaces can serve for many scopes. Experiments aiming at the splitting of water to give oxygen, and therefore, molecular hydrogen, ideal for clean energy generation, will be described.

Finally, moving from electrochemical devices to light-driven processes, we will discuss the synthesis and applications of perylene bisimides, which, in combination with polyoxometalates, are ideal partners in the photosplitting of water.