Materials Science

We assemble molecules into macromolecular, hybrid and composite materials, whose nanoscale structure gives improved mechanical and electrical properties, new functionalities.

The goal of this research line is to assemble small molecules, polymers and other nanoscopic objects into innovative materials, to enable new applications in Energy production and storage, Optoelectronics, Environmental care, Mechanics and Biology.

In our work nanotechnology and supramolecular chemistry are used to create new materials for mechanical, electronics and energy applications. In particular, we work on the production of carbon-based composite materials and on the characterization of their structure and charge transport at the nanoscale.

To achieve our goal, we exploit the tiny chemical and physical interactions acting between molecules at the atomic scale to assemble them into complex structures, obtaining in this way new properties for such materials and improved performance at the macroscopic scale.

We use both top-down and bottom-up approaches, synthetic chemistry, supramolecular chemistry and nanotechnology to synthesize, process and use our materials, into working devices, taking advantage of the expertise of a skilled team of chemists, physicists and engineers.

We develop innovative bioactive and biobased 2D and 3D scaffolds, such as films, electrospun micro and nanofibers, nanoparticles and sponges, of potential interest in optoelectronic and medical devices. In particular we use natural polymers as keratin and fibroin extracted from waste wool and silk. We combine these proteins with bioactive compounds having antioxidant and antimicrobial properties extracted in water from various renewable biomass, relying on the main principles of circular economy. 

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