Main activities on fuel cells, electrolysers and hydrogen:
Main competences and lines of research
- Design, synthesis and fabrication of polymer and composite membranes for fuel cells and electrolyzers;
- Design, synthesis and fabrication of PGM and PGM-free electrocatalysts for fuel cells and electrolyzers;
- Characterization of membranes and electrocatalysts using state of the art microscopic and spectroscopic tools
- Integration of electrocatalysts with the membranes in the membrane-electrode assembly (MEA)
- Testing of single cell for fuel cell and electrolyzers operating in acid or alkaline media
- Design, synthesis and fabrication of organic and hybrid sensitizers and catalyst for photocatalytic and photoelectrochemical water splitting
- Design, synthesis and fabrication of metal organic framework (MOF) for hydrogen storage
- Modeling and computational design of new catalytic materials for hydrogen production and CO2 reduction
Relevant national/European projects ongoing or concluded
• “Unlocking Sustainable Technologies Through Nature-Inspired Solvents - (NATUREChem)”, PRIN 2017-2021
• Solar driven chemistry: new materials for photo- and electro-catalysis (SMARTNESS), PRIN 2017-2021
• Multielectron transfer for the conversion of small molecules: an enabling technology for the chemical use of renewable energy (MULTI-e), PRIN MUR 2019-2022
• Carbon dioxide conversion into energy-rich molecules with tailored catalysts - CO2EnRich, CARIPLO 2022-2024
• Pyrolysis processes for valorizing waste biomass and plastic through transformation into platinum-free catalysts for oxygen reduction and hydrogen evolution. Sponsor: Program for young researchers “Rita Levi Montalcini” Italian Ministry of University and Research (MIUR).
• Alkaline Membranes and (Platinum group metals)-free catalysts Enabling innovative, open electRochemical devices for Energy storage and conversion (AMPERE) Progetto MIUR-FISR