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Roberto Simonutti

Researcher
Via Roberto Cozzi, 53
tel./fax: 02-6448-5132 - Riceve Venerdi dalle 11:00 alle 12:30.
e-mail: roberto.simonutti@mater.unimib.it
web page: http://www.mater.unimib.it/utenti/simonutti

Academic career

Feb. 1995 - Feb. 1996 Research stay, University of Duisburg with Prof. W. Veeman.
Nov. 1996 - Aug. 1998 Postdoctoral fellow, University of Milan (Grant INSTM) with Prof. P. Sozzani.
Sep. 1998 - Jun. 1999 Postdoctoral fellow, University of California at Berkeley, with Prof. A Pines.
Since July 1999 Assistant Professor of Industrial Chemistry at the University of Milano-Bicocca.

Teaching

2001/02: Laboratory of Chemistry of Materials I M. S. degree in Materials Science (5 years);Laboratory of Chemistry of Materials B. S. degree in Materials Science (3 years)
2002/03: Laboratory of Chemistry of Materials B. S. degree in Materials Science (3 years)
2003/04: Laboratory of Chemistry of Materials B. S. Degree in Materials Science (3 years)

Research

The main fields of his research are the synthesis and characterization of polymers, polymeric nanocomposites, micro- and mesoporous materials. The key technique used is Solid State Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy. Roberto Simonutti built the first system in Italy for the production of hyperpolarized xenon for NMR applications. This new technique is particularly suited for the study of polymeric surfaces and porous systems. The projects currently followed are:
1) Study of the polymorphism of polyolefins due to the incorporation of conformational and configurational defects in the crystals.
2) Confinement of polymers in self-assembled nanochannels for the study of weak interactions sustaining the supramolecular architecture.
3) Preparation and characterization of nanocomposites using organophilic clays.
4) Polymerization in meesoporous systems.

Main publications

P. Sozzani, R. Simonutti,M. Galimberti. "MAS NMR characterization of syndiotactic polypropylene: crystal structure and amorphous phase conformation." Macromolecules, 1993, 26, 5782-5789.
R. Simonutti,W. S. Veeman, F. C. Runhau, M.C. Gallazzi, P. Sozzani, "Mobility of Side Chains in Poly diethylphosphazenes) As Studied by 1H/13C/14/N Triple Resonance Solid-State NMR." Macromolecules, 1996, 29, 4958-4962.
P. Sozzani, A. Comotti, R. Simonutti, T. Meersmann, J.W. Logan, Pines, A. "A porous crystalline molecular solid explored by hyperpolarized xenon" Angewandte Chemie-International Edition, 2000, 39, 2695-2698.
P. Sozzani, S. Bracco, A. Comotti, R. Simonutti, I. Camurati. "Stoichiometric compounds of magnesium dichloride with ethanol for the supported Ziegler-Natta catalysis: first recognition and multidimensional MAS NMR study" Journal of American Chemical Society, 2003, 125, 12881-12893.
P. Sozzani, S. Bracco,A. Comotti, L. Ferretti, R Simonutti."Methane and Carbon Dioxide Storage in a Porous van der Waals Crystal"-Angewandte Chemie-International Edition, 2005, 44,.early view to be published in February 2005 (VIP paper)

Other notes

He published more than 60 papers on international journals with high impact factor and he presented more that 80 scientific contributions at international conference. Dr. Simonutti is collaborating with many national and international research groups including: Università di Padova (Prof. M. Brustolon), Colorado State University (Prof. T. Meersmann), University of Freiburg (Dr. K. Saalwàcther, Prof. R. Mulhaupt). He is a referee of important journals as "Macromolecules", "Chemistry of Materials" and "Microporous and Mesoporous Materials". Dr. Simonutti is a member of several scientific societies among others: American Chemical Society, Associazione Italiana di Macromolecole, Gruppo Discussione di Risonanze Magnetiche (GIDRM). He has been in the board of directors of GIDRM from 2001 to 2004. He organized several national and international meetings.