Department of Chemistry

This research line addresses the challenge of providing advanced materials for industrial production, with special attention to innovative production technologies allowing to design innovative materials with advanced properties.

1. alloys for additive manufacturing (Battezzati)
2. amorphous metals (Battezzati)
3. high entropy alloys (Battezzati)
4. magnetic alloys (Baricco)
5. industrial alloys: ferrous and non-ferrous alloys (Baricco)
6. precious metals (Battezzati)
7. Thermoplastic Polymers (Zanetti)
8. Thermoset Polymers (Zanetti)
9. Polymeric Composites (Zanetti)
10. Polymeric Nanocomposites (Zanetti)
11. Polymers for additive manufacturing (Zanetti)

This research line addresses the challenge of providing advanced materials for improving characteristics and performances of vehicles or component.

1. alloys for additive manufacturing (Battezzati)
2. amorphous metals (Battezzati)
3. high entropy alloys (Battezzati)
4. magnetic alloys (Baricco)
5. industrial alloys: ferrous and non-ferrous alloys (Baricco)
6. Thermoplastic Polymers (Brunella)
7. Thermoset Polymers (Brunella)
8. Polymeric Composites (Zanetti)
9. Polymeric Nanocomposites (Zanetti)
10. Polymer varnishes/coatings (Luda)
11. thermoplastic adhesives (Brunella)
12. fibers and fabrics for aesthetic applications (Brunella)
13. elastomers (Brunella)
14. carbon-based conductive composites for electrical wiring (Scarano)
15. Composites and surface modifications for tribological applications (Maurino, Pellegrino)
16. Tribological studies of sliding pairs in dry friction regimes (Maurino, Pellegrino)

This research line addresses the challenge of providing advanced materials for a sustainable energy system, i.e. materials for harvesting energy from renewable sources, transporting energy, storing energy, or converting it into other forms of energy. The energy related materials research at Department of Chemistry spans across the full spectrum.

1. materials for hydrogen storage (Baricco)
2. thermoelectric materials (Castellero, Barolo)
3. wicks for heat pipes (Rizzi)
4. Carbon Molecular Sieves (Zanetti, Scarano)
5. Polymers for PEM fuel cells (Trotta)
6. Materials for batteries (Minero, Minella, Baricco, Trotta)
7. Materials for electrodes, functionalized electrodes and electrolytes (Minero, Sordello, Nervi, Gobetto, Barolo)
8. Materials for CO2 reduction (Minero, Sordello, Zanetti, Nervi, Gobetto, Bordiga)
9. Materials for water splitting (Minero, Sordello, Nervi, Pellegrino)
10. Materials for hybrid solar cells (Barolo, Viscardi)
11. Amorphous and organic materials for optoelectronics (Benzi, Barolo)
12. Conductive polymers (Quagliotto, Viscardi)
13. materials for heat pumps (Bordiga)
14. materials for CO2 capture and storage (Bordiga)
15. perovskite materials for fuel cells (Magnacca)
16. hybrid materials for light harvesting and energy transfer (Minero, Minella, Martra, Bonino, Civalleri, Barolo)

This research line addresses the challenge of providing innovative materials from various research fields.

1. nanoporous metals (Rizzi)
2. polymeric nanocomposites (Zanetti)
3. nanoporous/nanostructured polymers (Zanetti, Trotta)
4. Nanostructured metal oxides from electrospinning of polymer carriers (Zanetti, Bracco)
5. Molecular crystalline materials (Chierotti, Gobetto)
6. NLO biosensors (Marabello, Benzi)
7. Biomimicking materials and nanomaterials (Baggiani)
8. nanostuctured metals/metal oxides as tracer and signal enhancer (Anfossi)
9. Materials for quantum information processing and spintronic (Chiesa)
10. carbon-based conductive composites for sensoring (Scarano)

This research line addresses the challenge of developing novel catalytic materials, with improved catalytic activity and stability.

1. nanoporous metals (Rizzi)
2. nanoporous carbon (Zanetti, Trotta, Giordani)
3. activated carbons (Groppo)
4. Materials for heterogeneous catalysis, photo-catalysis and photo-water splitting (Minero, Maurino, Minella, Sordello, Calza, Fabbri, Vione, Giamello, Paganini, Livraghi, Berlier, Martra, Scarano, Spoto, Magnacca Pellegrino)
5. transition metal exchanged zeolites for redox catalysis (Berlier, Bordiga)
6. zeolites for acid catalysis (Berlier, Bonino, Bordiga)
7. zeolites for oligomerization reactions (Berlier, Bordiga)
8. hierarchical zeolites and mesoporous materials for catalysis (Bordiga, Bonino, Quagliotto)
9. nanocatalysts for C-N bond formation reactions (Martra, Bonino, Ugliengo)
10. carbon based/oxides/graphene like hybrid materials (Minero, Minella, Calza, Scarano, Spoto Pellegrino)
11. supported metal nanoparticles (Groppo)
12. single-sites on silica and alumina for olefin polymerization reactions (Groppo)
13. Ziegler-Natta catalysts (Groppo)

This research line addresses the challenge of providing advanced materials for the protection of the environment and food.

1. Nanoporous/nanostructured membranes/coatings (Scalarone)
2. Nanoporous/polymer adsorbents (Trotta, Baggiani, Giovannoli)
3. Microporous carbon (Zanetti)
4. Carbon molecular sieves (Zanetti, Trotta)
5. Nanoporous metals (Rizzi)
6. Porous silica glasses for air pollution adsorption and sensing (Berlier, Damin, Bordiga)
7. Nanostructured devices for spectroscopic detection of food contaminants (Martra)
8. Hybrid oxide/sulphide materials (Scarano)
9. Low cost materials for pollutants adsorption (from gas and liquid phase) (Magnacca)
10. Materials for the abatement of pollutants in aqueous phase (Minero, Maurino, Calza, Minella, Sordello, Fabbri Pellegrino)
11. Materials for the abatement of pollutants in gaseous phase (Minero, Maurino, Minella Pellegrino)
12. Mesoporous silica nanoparticles for drug delivery and targeting (Berlier)
13. Nanohydroxyapatites for regenerative medicine and drug delivery (Martra)
14. Photoluminescent nanobiomaterials (for in-vitro and in-vivo imaging) (Martra)
15. Enzyme-metal oxides hybrid nanoparticles (for medicine) (Martra)

METALS, GLASSES, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL STRONE MATERIALS

Metals

Characterization of the microstructure for technological production and diagnostic studies (Baricco, Battezzati, Castellero, Rizzi). Decay, conservation and preservation studies (Croveri, Poli).

Ceramics and porcelains  

Technological characterization for manufactures and fabrics definition, surfaces treatments, firing, authentication and provenance evaluation (Agostino, Davit, Diana, Gulmini, Operti, Turco). Decay studies and conservation materials (Croveri).

Mortars, plasters and mural painting

Technological characterization: raw materials, firing, hydraulicity (Cerrato, Davit, Operti, Turco). Decay, consolidation and preservation. (Croveri, Poli, Scalarone).

Glasses and enamels

Destructive (Croveri, Davit, Gulmini) e non-invasive analyses for composition determination, chromophores, opacifiers; decay studies on mock-ups (Agostino, Operti).

Natural and artificial stone materials

Technological characterization of bricks (Davit, Operti, Turco). Decay, conservation and preservation studies (Croveri, Poli, Scalarone).

BINDERS, VARNISHES, PIGMENTS, DYES AND THEIR SUPPORTS

Miniature codex and parchments

Non-invasive and micro-invasive analytical procedure set-up for the characterization of dyes and pigments (Davit, Gulmini, Agostino).

Easel paintings

Characterization of materials, decay studies and conservation (Agostino, Croveri, Diana, Poli, Scalarone)

Historical textiles

Characterization, technological studies on production, provenance and authentication (Davit, Gulmini).

Finishing treatments on historical musical instruments

Characterization, provenance, dating and authentication (Davit, Gulmini).

Wood and paper

Characterization, provenance evaluation and authentication (Agostino, Cerrato, Croveri, Diana).

MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY MATERIALS

Photographic and cinematographic materials  

Characterization and conservation (Agostino, Croveri, Diana, Poli).

Plastic materials

Characterization, decay studies on polymeric materials (Chiantore, Poli, Scalarone).

Materials for the restoration and conservation (Croveri, Poli, Scalarone)

PREVENTIVE CONSERVATION

Air quality in museum show-cases

Emission studies (VOCs) on museum artefacts and show-case materials; pollutants removal (Chiantore, Poli, Scalarone).

Analytical tools

• Electronic microscopies and microanalysis (SEM-EDS, TEM-EDS)
• Optical spectroscopies (FT-IR, UV-VIS-NIR, Raman)
• Colorimetry
• ICP-OES
• GC, GC/MS, Pyrolysis-GC/MS
• HPLC, various detectors
• Metallographic techniques
• XRD
• XRF
• NMR
• Optical microscopies
• Thermal analyses (DSC, TGA)
• Mechanical (tensile and compressive) tests
• Rheological analysis
• Measurement of the contact angle
• Preparation of polished sections
• UNI standard protocols for the evaluation of stone treatments

Questa linea di ricerca è correlata allo studio del degrado e della stabilità di varie classi di materiali.

1. studi di degradazione di materiali polimerici (Scalarone, Bracco, Luda)
2. stabilizzazione di materiali polimerici (Bracco)
3. durata dei polimeri nelle opere d'arte contemporanea e negli oggetti di design (Scalarone)
4. bio-degradazione dei materiali (Bracco, Fenoglio)

This research line is related to the study of new production technologies and to their effects on materials properties.

1. rapid solidification of metallic materials (Battezzati)
2. additive manufacturing (Battezzati)
3. diffusion bonding (Rizzi)
4. Nanocomposites (Zanetti)

The Department of Chemistry is equipped with a comprehensive set of equipment for materials characterisation.

1. microscopy (optical, SEM, TEM, HRTEM, AFM) (Martra, Rizzi, Cerrato, Scarano, Turco)
2. X-ray diffraction (XRD) (Baricco, Marabello, Turco, Bonometti)
3. thermal analysis (DSC, HTDSC, HPDSC, TGA, TGA/FTIR, TGA/GC/MS) (Battezzati, Zanetti, Fenoglio, Turco)
4. mechanical properties (Battezzati, Bracco)
5. pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) and GC/MS (Scalarone)
6. size exclusion/gel permeation chromatography (SEC/GPC) (Scalarone)
7. infrared spectroscopy (FTIR, ATR-FTIR, FTIR mapping, FTIR imaging) (Bracco, Nervi, Gobetto, Garino, Cerrato, SURFIN)
8. rheological measurements (Brunella, Scalarone)
9. UV-Vis and DR-UV-Vis spectroscopy (Brunella, Nervi, Gobetto, Garino, Barbero N., Cerrato, SURFIN)
10. Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) (Luda)
11. elemental analysis (micro-XRF, trace elements, mapping mode, CHNS-O) (Agostino, Benzi, Turco)
12. HPLC (Valter Maurino, Fabrizio Caldera)
13. Fire text (Oxygen Index and UL-94) (Zanetti)
14. Accelerated aging of polymers (Scalarone, Bracco)
15. Solid-state Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (Gobetto, Chierotti)
16. Impedance spectroscopy (Nervi)
17. Solid-state conductivity (Nervi)
18. Biocompatibility (chemical characterization) (Fenoglio, Martra)
19. Hydrodynamic diameter (submicro- and nanometric particles) (Fenoglio, Maurino)
20. Colorimetry (Viscardi)
21. Zeta potential (Trotta, Fenoglio)
22. REDOX-activity (Nervi)
23. micro-Raman spectroscopy (Raman mapping, Raman imaging) (Cerrato)
24. X-ray Mo- and Cu-Ka single crystal (Marabello)
25. Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) Spectroscopy (Giamello, Chiesa, Paganini, Livraghi, Fenoglio)
26. tensiometer and contact angle (Quagliotto, Barbero N.)
27. Diffuse Reflectance UV-Vis (SURFIN)
28. FTIR spectroscopy (SURFIN)
29. Luminescence spectroscopy including lifetime measurements (Martra, Barolo, Bonino)
30. Inelastic neutron scattering (Groppo).
31. Microcalorimetric equipments for adsorption studies (Bordiga, Magnacca)
32. Microgravimetric apparatus for adsorption studies (Berlier, Magnacca)
33. Gas-volumetric instruments for determination of surface area and porosity of materials (N2 and Kr adsorption at 77K)
34. XAS (Groppo, Bordiga, Berlier)

This research line is related to the theoretical study of material.

1. Solid state periodic plane wave DFT calculation (Nervi)
2. Cluster and periodic gaussian based DFT calculations (TEO, Ricchiardi)

The Department of Chemistry is equipped with different facilities for the production and treatment of various class of materials.

1. Brabender mixer (Zanetti)
2. Haake miniextruder (Zanetti)
3. Microtome (Bracco)
4. melt spinner (Battezzati)
5. fournaces (arc melter, induction melter) and tubular furnaces for calcinations (Battezzati, SURFIN)
6. electrospinning (Zanetti, Bracco)
7. 3d printer (Zanetti)
8. High vacuum lines equipped with turbomolecular pumps (residual pressure lower than 10-4 mbar) (SURFIN)
9. glove-boxes (Groppo, Morandi)

Optical ellipsometry for measure of thickness and optical properties of thin films (Valter Maurino, Gabriele Ricchiardi)