Ceramic materials, glasses and ceramic matrix composites
The research line on ceramic materials aims to study, design and develop - up to a pre-industrial scale, innovative ceramic materials and components, glasses, glass ceramics, and ceramic matrix composites, for both structural and functional engineering applications. Furthermore, it is proposed to investigate ceramic materials for the building sector, with specific attention to the issues of the environmental sustainability, the circularity of resources, the capture of CO2. Both in the field of engineering and traditional ceramics, not only dense materials are studied, but also porous ones as well as ceramics characterized by gradients of porosity and functionality, for energy, telecommunication, biomedical, environmental, heat shielding applications, etc. Alongside the well-known traditional forming technologies (gel casting, tape casting, pressing…), all research lines make use of 3D printing techniques, in particular stereolithography and robocasting. In addition, within this research line, new materials and technologies for joining and coating and related testing (destructive and nondestructive) are developed.
Composite materials
Research activities involve the development of thermoplastic or thermoset polymer matrix composites and nanocomposites, thermally or photo-crosslinked in the presence of particulate or fibrous fillers. Composites from renewable and recyclable sources, including wood, a type of natural composite material, are of interest. Specific objects of investigation are structure-property-processing relationships with characterization of rheological, chemical-physical, thermal-mechanical, surface and gas barrier properties. Research is oriented toward applications in the field of packaging. In the case of wood, research is focused on the optimization of structure and composition in order to obtain material multifunctionality mainly for the building sector.
Materials for additive manufacturing processes
The research activities are focused on the study of metallic, ceramic and polymeric materials processed through additive manufacturing technologies. These allow to fabricate components with complex geometry starting from a 3d model and using a layer-by-layer strategy. The research activities comprehend the optimization of the main process parameters and of the post processing treatments to obtain tailored microstructures and properties, and the development of new materials. Therefore, the PhD candidates work on different additive manufacturing systems, from the production of powders to the fabrication of bulk samples, to be then fully characterized in terms of microstructure and related properties.
Materials for electrochemical energy storage and their electrochemical characterization
Materials and methods involving sustainable resources are becoming urgent to protect humanity from the most severe consequences of climate changes. Electrochemical energy storage systems will play a key role in this regard, and there is a need to develop systems based on abundant, inexpensive, high-performance materials, which can then be integrated into a sustainable energy utilization strategy. In this regard, this research line aims to study, design and develop - up to a pre-industrial scale - innovative electrode materials and advanced solid-state electrolytes (polymeric, hybrid and composites) for the future generation of safe and high-performance batteries, enabling cost-competitive mass-market electric vehicles with superior energy density, cycle life and rapid charging capability, using sustainable and recyclable components. This is complemented by assembly into cells of various sizes and related electrochemical characterization.
Metallic materials
Research activities cover the entire chain related to the production, processing and utilisation of metals and metals alloys, in a context aimed at the ecological and digital transition, also taking into account non-conventional forming processes. Particular attention is given to the study of the chemical, physical, mechanical and technological properties of metals and alloys, conducted by means of macro-, micro- and nano-structural and fractography characterisation and analysis and with the support of computational techniques.
Nano-structured materials
This research field aims at the design and development of nanostructured materials, based on metals, carbon, oxides, and organic-inorganic hybrids, through a wide range of synthesis, process and surface modification techniques. Research activities include the study of a wide range of advanced systems, in the form of nanoparticles, nanorods, nanotubes, nanofibers and materials with controlled nanoporosity, for applications in the fields of heterogeneous catalysis, pollutant removal, optics, sensors for environmental monitoring, materials for energy applications and for the biomedical sector as devices for the diagnosis and treatment of pathologies.
Polymeric materials
Research lines are focused on the preparation and/or modification of thermoplastics, elastomers and thermosets thermally or UV-cured, as well as dynamically cross-linked polymeric materials and polyelectrolytes. Structure-property-processing relationships of conventional, recycled and biopolymers are investigated through characterization of rheology, chemical-physical, thermal, mechanical properties, combustion behavior, surface and gas barrier.
Synthesis and processing methods, characterization, analysis, modelling and simulation
The macro-area focuses on the development and application of innovative methodologies in the field of materials science and supramolecular systems. This includes the design and implementation of advanced and/or sustainable synthesis techniques. Advanced characterization methodologies are directed toward the analysis of structural, surface, chemical and physical properties of materials. The research area extends to the analysis of complex systems, also integrating innovative approaches based on machine learning and artificial intelligence. Finally, this macro-area deals with methods of multiscale molecular modeling and advanced computational simulation of complex supramolecular systems and materials.