Attività scientifica
Progettazione e manifattura di rivestimenti superficiali protettivi, decorativi dotati di funzionalità specifiche basati su materiali organici, colloidali e/o inorganici. Il filone di ricerca prevede la realizzazione di rivestimenti dotati di particolari attività quali, potere fotocatalitico, attività di fotoluminescenza, capacità di isolamento termico, capacità protettive antigraffio, proprietà di anti-soiling, comportamento super-idrofobico, potere anticorrosivo, attraverso studi di processo e di formulazione dei rivestimenti stessi.
Testing su materiali organici, ibridi ed inorganici, e identificazione delle relazioni materiale-processo-prodotto
Progettazione, manifattura e caratterizzazione di materiali polimerici compostabili non derivanti dal petrolio aventi proprietà meccaniche migliorate mediante l’impiego di fillers.
Le attività di ricerca sono state svolte nell'ambito di progetti industriali in collaborazione con diverse aziende tra cui: Candy, CapArreghini, Concerie Mastrotto, Plastik, Ilcam,Comital,Zeiss, oltre che nell'ambito di progetti Nazionali ed Europei.
February 2016: Beginning of research activity as researcherin a three-year position (fascia A) in the scientific field ING/IND-16 at the Department of Enterprise Engineering of University of Rome “Tor Vergata”.
July 2015 to date: Scientific consultant in the context of European Project “PLA4COFFEE, LIFE14 ENV/IT/000744” founded by European grant LIFE+.
March 2015: PhD in Industrial Engineering, Material Science Division.
December 2014-November 2015: Second level annual research grant. Research topic “Use of polymeric materials from renewable sources in Manufacturing Industry”.
March 2010: Ph.D. in Chemical Science, Analytical Chemistry Division, at the University of Rome “Tor Vergata”
Brief description of the research activities
Design and development of surface coatings endowed with protective, decorative or specific activities, based on organic, hybrid or colloidal materials.Studies were mostly aimed to design, manufacture and characterization of colloidal, organic or hybrid organo-siloxane films endowed with specific functionalities including photocatalytic activity, photoluminescence activity, thermal insulation, anti-scratch protective capabilities, anti-soiling properties, super-hydrophobic behavior, anti-corrosive properties. At the same time strategies were elaborated in order to improve film adhesion on different kind of substrates by the use of silanes.
Design, manufacturing and characterization of compostable polymeric materials derived from renewable sources featuring improved mechanical properties by the use of fillersThis research line was focused on the design, realization and characterization of products made of compostable polymeric materials from green resources such as PHB and PLA. In this context composite materials were formulated including nanotechnology elements or lamellar microtalc tailoring the formulation properties by the addition of suitable process or products additives. The engineered materials have been employed for the production of manufactured and semi-finished products for lamination, injection molding and compression molding.
Testing of developed coatings and identification of material-process-product relationships The research line was focused on the usage of advanced instrumental techniques for the characterization of the developed materials with great attention to the process-properties relationship. Techniques of thermo-reological, spectrophotometric, colorimetric, diffractometric analysis were used, together with optical and electronical microscopy techniques and micromechanical test (scratch and indentation).
In the first part Academic activity issues were related to Analytical Chemistry and included the design and development of amperometric sensors integrated with nanotechnologic meterials and the design and development of ELISA Immunoenzimatic Analysis Systems endowed with spectrophotometric, amperometric or plasmon-resonance detection. Studied methods were validated by statistic criteria.
Scientific activities were also integrated with training courses on the choice and introduction of additives in thermoplastic and thermosetting formulations organized with periodic basis by international chemical producer such as Evonik (Essen, Germany), and BYK (Wesel, Germany).