
Associate Professor
Department of Applied Science and Technology (DISAT)
Profile
Research interests
Biography
Simelys Hernández got the degree in Chemical Engineering, with highest honors (Lode) at both Politecnico di Torino (Polito, Turin, Italy) and at Universidad Central de Venezuela (Caracas, Venezuela) in 2004 and completed her PhD in Chemical Engineering at Polito in November 2009. She has been Assistant Professor (RTD-B) of the courses of Catalysis for the Energy and the Environment, Industrial Chemistry, Green Chemistry Products and Processes, and Photo-Electro-Catalytic Technologies for a Sustainable Chemical Industry at the DISAT department (Polito) and, from February 2021, she will Associated Professor leading a course on Oil & Gas Processing. She is responsible of the research team: CO2 reduction for a low-carbon economy (CREST group). She is collaborator at the CSFT of the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT@Polito), member of the RSC, MRS, ISE and SCI (Electrochemical Division). She is technical coordinator of the EU H2020 project SunCoChem (https://suncochem.eu/), principal investigator of the H2020 project OCEAN (https://www.spire2030.eu/ocean), vice-coordinator of the EU H2020 project RECODE (https://www.recodeh2020.eu/) and has worked in the coordination and scientific teams of other EU Projects (CELBICON, SOLHYDROMICS, MCWAP, ArtipHyction, ECO2CO2 and TERRA) related to the development of Novel Sustainable Photo-Electro-Chemical Processes for the capture and conversion of the CO2 from lab-scale (TRL2/3) to Pilot scale (TRL5/6). She is Associate Editor of the Journals Frontier in Chemistry (section Catalysis and Photocatalysis) and Nanomaterials (mdpi). She is currently co-author of > 87 papers (> 2100 citations) in international peer-reviewed journals, 14 book chapters and her H-index is 31. She is reviewer of high-level international scientific journals such as Nature Catalysis, Appl. Cat. B: Environm., Adv. Energy Mat., ChemSusChem and Green Chemistry, among others.
Scientific branch
(Area 0009 - Industrial and information engineering)
Skills
ERC sectors
SDG
Editorial boards
- NANOMATERIALS (2020-2021), Guest Editor of magazine or editorial series
- CRYSTALS (2020-2021), Guest Editor of magazine or editorial series
- MATERIALS SCIENCE IN SEMICONDUCTOR PROCESSING (2017-2018), Guest Editor of magazine or editorial series
- FRONTIERS IN CHEMISTRY (2017-), Director
- FRONTIERS IN CHEMISTRY (2017-), Associate Editor of magazine or editorial series
Teaching
PhD Boards
- INGEGNERIA CHIMICA, 2021/2022 (38. ciclo)
Politecnico di TORINO - INGEGNERIA CHIMICA, 2020/2021 (37. ciclo)
Politecnico di TORINO - INGEGNERIA CHIMICA, 2019/2020 (36. ciclo)
Politecnico di TORINO - INGEGNERIA CHIMICA, 2018/2019 (35. ciclo)
Politecnico di TORINO
Courses of Study Boards
Teachings
PhD
- Photo-Electro-Catalytic Technologies for a Sustainable Chemical Industry: Fundamentals and Applications. A.A. 2021/22, INGEGNERIA CHIMICA. Main teacher
- Photocatalysis: Fundamentals and Applications. A.A. 2017/18, INGEGNERIA CHIMICA. Teaching assistant
- Photocatalysis: Fundamentals and Applications. A.A. 2018/19, INGEGNERIA CHIMICA. Teaching assistant
- Photocatalysis: Fundamentals and Applications. A.A. 2019/20, INGEGNERIA CHIMICA. Teaching assistant
- Photo-Electro-Catalytic Technologies for a Sustainable Chemical Industry & in-situ microscopy/spectroscopic to study new photo-electrocatalyst materials (didattica di eccellenza). A.A. 2019/20, INGEGNERIA CHIMICA. Main teacher
Master of Science
- Operazioni Unitarie nei processi chimici industriali. A.A. 2023/24, INGEGNERIA ENERGETICA E NUCLEARE. Collaboratore del corso
- Oil&Gas processing and surface facilities. A.A. 2022/23, GEORESOURCES AND GEOENERGY ENGINEERING. Titolare del corso
- Oil&Gas processing and surface facilities. A.A. 2023/24, GEORESOURCES AND GEOENERGY ENGINEERING. Titolare del corso
- Petroleum technology. A.A. 2020/21, PETROLEUM AND MINING ENGINEERING (INGEGNERIA DEL PETROLIO E MINERARIA). Titolare del corso
- Petroleum technology. A.A. 2021/22, PETROLEUM AND MINING ENGINEERING (INGEGNERIA DEL PETROLIO E MINERARIA). Titolare del corso
- Fondamenti di impianti biochimici. A.A. 2018/19, INGEGNERIA CHIMICA E DEI PROCESSI SOSTENIBILI. Collaboratore del corso
- Fondamenti di impianti biochimici. A.A. 2019/20, INGEGNERIA CHIMICA E DEI PROCESSI SOSTENIBILI. Collaboratore del corso
- Fondamenti di impianti biochimici. A.A. 2020/21, INGEGNERIA CHIMICA E DEI PROCESSI SOSTENIBILI. Collaboratore del corso
- Fixation and recycle of CO2 for greenhouse effect mitigation. A.A. 2021/22, INGEGNERIA CHIMICA E DEI PROCESSI SOSTENIBILI. Collaboratore del corso
- Fixation and recycle of CO2 for greenhouse effect mitigation. A.A. 2023/24, INGEGNERIA CHIMICA E DEI PROCESSI SOSTENIBILI. Collaboratore del corso
- Catalisi per l'ambiente e l'energia. A.A. 2017/18, INGEGNERIA CHIMICA E DEI PROCESSI SOSTENIBILI. Collaboratore del corso
- Catalisi per l'ambiente e l'energia. A.A. 2018/19, INGEGNERIA CHIMICA E DEI PROCESSI SOSTENIBILI. Collaboratore del corso
- Catalisi per l'ambiente e l'energia. A.A. 2019/20, INGEGNERIA CHIMICA E DEI PROCESSI SOSTENIBILI. Collaboratore del corso
- Catalisi per l'ambiente e l'energia. A.A. 2020/21, INGEGNERIA CHIMICA E DEI PROCESSI SOSTENIBILI. Collaboratore del corso
- Catalisi per l'ambiente e l'energia. A.A. 2021/22, INGEGNERIA CHIMICA E DEI PROCESSI SOSTENIBILI. Collaboratore del corso
- Prodotti e processi biotecnologici. A.A. 2017/18, INGEGNERIA CHIMICA E DEI PROCESSI SOSTENIBILI. Collaboratore del corso
Bachelor of Science
- Laboratorio di processi dell'industria alimentare I. A.A. 2021/22, TECNOLOGIE PER L'INDUSTRIA MANIFATTURIERA (CORSO PROFESSIONALIZZANTE). Titolare del corso
- Impianti per l'industria chimica e alimentare. A.A. 2019/20, INGEGNERIA CHIMICA E ALIMENTARE. Collaboratore del corso
- Impianti per l'industria chimica e alimentare. A.A. 2020/21, INGEGNERIA CHIMICA E ALIMENTARE. Collaboratore del corso
- Impianti per l'industria chimica e alimentare. A.A. 2021/22, INGEGNERIA CHIMICA E ALIMENTARE. Collaboratore del corso
- Impianti per l'industria chimica e alimentare. A.A. 2023/24, INGEGNERIA CHIMICA E ALIMENTARE. Collaboratore del corso
- Chimica industriale. A.A. 2017/18, INGEGNERIA CHIMICA E ALIMENTARE. Collaboratore del corso
- Chimica industriale. A.A. 2018/19, INGEGNERIA CHIMICA E ALIMENTARE. Collaboratore del corso
- Chimica industriale. A.A. 2019/20, INGEGNERIA CHIMICA E ALIMENTARE. Collaboratore del corso
Research
Institute
Research groups/teams
Laboratories
Research projects
Projects funded by competitive calls
- SuPERCO2 - Surface Polarization, Evolution, and Reconstruction for CO2 Reduction , (2024-2026) - Responsabile Scientifico
UE-funded research - HE - Excellent Science - MSCA - CO2Synthesis - CO2-based electro-synthesis of high added-value products by smart designed electrocatalysts , (2022-2024) - Responsabile Scientifico
Corporate-funded and donor-funded research - SunCoChem - Photoelectrocatalytic device for SUN-driven CO2 conversion into green CHEMicals , (2020-2024) - Responsabile Scientifico
UE-funded research - H2020 - Industrial Leadership – LEIT - NANOTECHNOLOGIES - OCEAN - Oxaclic acid from CO2 using Elcetrochemistry At demonstratioN scale , (2017-2021) - Responsabile Scientifico
UE-funded research - H2020 - Cross-cutting activities - IND
Projects funded by commercial contracts
- Feasibility studies on CO2 capture solvents as electrolytes for CO2 reduction , (2023-2024) - Responsabile Scientifico
Commercial Research - Stable Noble-Metal-Free Oxygen Evolution Electrodes for PEM Electrolysis , (2022-2023) - Responsabile Scientifico
Commercial Research - Validazione di un assemblaggio membrana-elettrodo con una membrana anionica per la produzione di H2 , (2022-2022) - Responsabile Scientifico
Commercial Research - Riduzione della CO2 a metanolo - ODL 4310464957 , (2021-2022) - Responsabile Scientifico
Commercial Research - Studio relativo al sistema foto-elettro-catalitico per la conversione dell’acqua e la CO2 a H2 e altri prodotti sostenibili , (2020-2020) - Responsabile Scientifico
Consulting - Riduzione della CO2 e Metanolo per vie Elettrocatalitica e Termocatalitica: Ottimizzazione di Catalizzatori e Confronto Energetico e di Performance fra i due Processi , (2019-2020) - Responsabile Scientifico
Commercial Research - CO2 Meta , (2019-2019) - Responsabile Scientifico
Commercial Research
Supervised PhD students
- Giulia Cuatto. Programme in Ingegneria Chimica (cycle 38, 2022-in progress)
- Mario Gallone. Programme in Ingegneria Chimica (cycle 37, 2021-in progress)
- Noemi Pirrone. Programme in Scienza E Tecnologia Dei Materiali (cycle 37, 2021-in progress)
- Francesco Vanzetti. Programme in Ingegneria Chimica (cycle 37, 2022-in progress)
- Federica Zammillo. Programme in Ingegneria Chimica (cycle 37, 2021-in progress)
- Alessia Fortunati. Programme in Ingegneria Chimica (cycle 35, 2019-2023)
Thesis: Electrochemical CO2 reduction in ionic and poly-ionic liquids-based systems - Maddalena Zoli. Programme in Ingegneria Chimica (cycle 35, 2019-2023)
Thesis: Development and advanced characterization of Cu-based catalysts for the electro and photo-electrocatalytic CO2 reduction
Publications
Publications by type
PoliTO co-authors
Last years publications
Latest publications View all publications in Porto@Iris
- Miro, R.; Guzman Medina, H.; Godard, C.; Gual, A.; Zammillo, F.; Schubert, T. J. S.; ... (In stampa)
Solar-driven CO2 reduction catalysed by hybrid supramolecular photocathodes and enhanced by ionic liquids. In: JOURNAL OF ADVANCED CATALYSIS SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, vol. 13, pp. 1708-1717. ISSN 2408-9834
Contributo su Rivista - Zoli, Maddalena; Guzmán, Hilmar; Sacco, Adriano; Russo, Nunzio; Simelys, Hernández (2023)
Cu2O/SnO2 Heterostructures: Role of the Synthesis Procedure on PEC CO2 Conversion. In: MATERIALS, vol. 16, pp. 1-19. ISSN 1996-1944
Contributo su Rivista - Fortunati, Alessia; Risplendi, Francesca; RE FIORENTIN, Michele; Cicero, Giancarlo; ... (2023)
Understanding the role of imidazolium-based ionic liquids in the electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction. In: COMMUNICATIONS CHEMISTRY, vol. 6. ISSN 2399-3669
Contributo su Rivista - Dattila, Federico; Fortunati, Alessia; Zammillo, Federica; GUZMAN MEDINA, HILMAR DEL ... (2023)
Identifying Promising Ionic Liquids for Electrochemical CO2 Reduction.
Altro - Zammillo, Federica; Guzman, Hilmar; Polino, Daniela; Miro, Roger; Lopera, Alberto; ... (2023)
Addressing the stability challenges of Gas Diffusion Electrodes in the presence of ILs-based solutions for the continuous Electrochemical Conversion of CO2.
Altro - Zammillo, Federica; Guzman, Hilmar; Iliev, Boyan; Narbey, Stephanie; Parisi, Emmanuele; ... (2023)
Addressing the stability challenges of Gas Diffusion Electrodes in the presence of ILs-based solutions for the continuous Electrochemical Reduction of CO2. In: 2023 MRS Spring Meeting&Exhibit, Virtual, 25-27 Aprile, 2023
Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding) - Dattila, Federico; Garci´a-Muelas, Rodrigo; Hernández, Simelys; López, Núria (2022)
Modeling Surface Reconstruction of Cu-based catalysts under Electrochemical CO2 Reduction Conditions.
Altro - Pietricola, G.; Chamorro, L.; Castellino, M.; Maureira, D.; Tommasi, T.; Hernandez, S.; ... (2022)
Covalent Immobilization of Dehydrogenases on Carbon Felt for Reusable Anodes with Effective Electrochemical Cofactor Regeneration. In: CHEMISTRYOPEN, vol. 11. ISSN 2191-1363
Contributo su Rivista - Pirrone, N.; Garcia Ballesteros, S.; Hernandez, S.; Bella, F. (2022)
Preliminary tests of electrochemical nitrogen conversion into ammonia in aqueous electrolyte. In: Merck Young Chemists’ Symposium 2022 (MYCS 2022), Rimini (Italy), 21st - 23rd November 2022, pp. 112-112. ISBN: 978-88-94952-32-2
Contributo in Atti di Convegno (Proceeding) - Zammillo, Federica; Guzman, Hilmar; Hernandez, Simelys (2022)
Insight into the practical challenges of membrane-electrode assembly for the CO2 electrochemical reduction and its advantages.
Altro