Thursday, February 19, 2026
7:00 am – 8:00 am
Presenter: Giorgio Capuzzello, PhD Student, Chair of Materials Science and Nanotechnology
Abstract
This presentation focuses on the fundamentals of magnetic nanocrystals synthesis and their applications, with particular emphasis on the synthesis and characterization of magneto-plasmonic heterostructures (MHS). These nanostructures, composed of gold and iron oxide, integrate the optical properties of gold nanoparticles with the magnetic properties of iron oxide –surface plasmon resonance and superparamagnetism respectively– within a single ~20 nm nanostructure. This combination of properties makes the MHS promising candidates not only for theranostic applications, such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Photothermal Therapy, but also for a broad range of biomedical applications, ncluding sensing. The core of the presentation describes the research conducted during the exchange period at TU Dresden, where MHS are functionalized with different ligands to identify the most suitable one for effective interaction with Ti₃C₂X MXene sheets. The goal of this work is to enable the self assembly of MHS onto the MXene surface, thereby trying to enhance the sensitivity of the resulting hybrid material to gases and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
CV
Giorgio Capuzzello earned his Master’s degree in Medical Biotechnologies and Nanobiotechnologies from the University of Salento in 2022, graduating with a thesis on the synthesis, characterization, and drug delivery of cisplatin derivatives using magnetic nanoclusters composed of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles. He is currently a PhD student in Physics and Nanoscience in Italy, where his research focuses on the synthesis and characterization of magnetic and plasmonic inorganic nanoparticles and nanostructures for biomedical applications, including drug delivery, biosensing, Photothermal Therapy (PTT), and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).