Major phenolic and volatile compounds and their influence on sensorial aspects in stem-contact fermentation winemaking of Primitivo red wines.

In red winemaking de-stemming is crucial since the stems contain polymeric phenolic compounds responsible for the astringency of wine. Wine such as Primitivo has low phenolic constituents and tannins and stems affect aroma, taste body and olfactory characteristics. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of presence of stems during fermentation on polyphenolic, volatile compounds and sensory characteristics of wine.

Nanocomposites Based on Luminescent Colloidal Nanocrystals and Polymeric Ionic Liquids towards Optoelectronic Applications.

Polymeric ionic liquids (PILs) are an interesting class of polyelectrolytes, merging peculiar physical-chemical features of ionic liquids with the flexibility, mechanical stability and processability typical of polymers. The combination of PILs with colloidal semiconducting nanocrystals leads to novel nanocomposite materials with high potential for batteries and solar cells. We report the synthesis and properties of a hybrid nanocomposite made of colloidal luminescent CdSe nanocrystals incorporated in a novel synthesized imidazolium-based PIL, namely, either a poly(-vinyl-3-butylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate) or a homologous PIL functionalized with a thiol end-group exhibiting a chemical affinity with the nanocrystal surface.

Surface chemical functionalization of single walled carbon nanotubes with a bacteriorhodopsin mutant.

In this work, single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) have been chemically functionalized at their walls with a membrane protein, namely the mutated bacteriorhodopsin D96N, integrated in its native archaeal lipid membrane. The modification of the SWNT walls with the mutant has been carried out in different buffer solutions, at pH 5, 7.5 and 9, to investigate the anchoring process, the typical chemical and physical properties of the component materials being dependent on the pH.

Hybrid nanocomposites based on luminescent colloidal nanocrystals in poly(methyl methacrylate): spectroscopical and morphological studies.

We report on preparation process and optical characterization of a nanocomposite material obtained dispersing colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs), namely CdS and CdSe@ZnS core-shell system in poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). Such method allows a large flexibility on nanocrystal materials and on the choice of the polymer characteristics. Nanocomposite thin films were extensively investigated by means optical and morphological techniques.

Modification of spontaneous emission of (CdSe)ZnS nanocrystals embedded in nanoimprinted photonic crystals.

Highly luminescent (CdSe)ZnS nanocrystals, with band edge emission in the red region of the visible spectrum, were successfully synthesized and incorporated in a resist, namely mr-NIL 6000. The nanocomposite material was imprinted by using conventional nanoimprint lithography (NIL) process. We report on the fabrication and characterization of nanoimprinted photonic crystals in this new functional material.