Multi-Functional Nanomaterial Group
Overview
Among the various research groups at Department of Chemical Sciences (DiSC), the Multi-Functional Nanomaterial (MFN) Group has a unique know-how in the design, vapor phase fabrication and modification of inorganic and hybrid nanoarchitectures with variable dimensionality. The target systems, developed by original synthetic approaches provided with many degrees of freedom for a fine tuning of their properties, are subjected to an advanced thorough characterization and investigated as unique platforms for various technological end-uses:
- photo-activated applications (sustainable H2 production from solar light and natural resources, pollutant degradation for environmental remediation, light-triggered self-cleaning and anti-fogging systems,…);
- molecular detection of flammable/toxic gases, aimed at the development of chemical sensors for a variety of practical applications;
- other applications, encompassing green catalysts/electrocatalysts, anodes for Li-ion batteries, magnetic materials.
The group joins together researchers from both the Institute for Chemistry of Condensed Matter and Energy Technologies - National Research Council (ICMATE-CNR) and Department of Chemical Sciences (DiSC) – Padova University, that operate in direct synergy with the National Interuniversity Consortium of Materials Science and Technology (INSTM). The group has a first-class track record, corresponding to 28 publications and 34 conference communications (of which various invited lectures/seminars), only in the period 2021-2023.
The research activities are carried out in a dynamic and stimulating environment, with the presence of foreigner students and in the framework of international (EU – FP7) cooperations. This scenario, along with a direct and continuous interaction between supervisors and fellows, offers interesting development possibilities for training youg students in view of their future career. In this regard, both national and foreigner students have been, and are, welcome not only for PhD courses, but also for short term stays.
- photo-activated applications (sustainable H2 production from solar light and natural resources, pollutant degradation for environmental remediation, light-triggered self-cleaning and anti-fogging systems,…);
- molecular detection of flammable/toxic gases, aimed at the development of chemical sensors for a variety of practical applications;
- other applications, encompassing green catalysts/electrocatalysts, anodes for Li-ion batteries, magnetic materials.
The group joins together researchers from both the Institute for Chemistry of Condensed Matter and Energy Technologies - National Research Council (ICMATE-CNR) and Department of Chemical Sciences (DiSC) – Padova University, that operate in direct synergy with the National Interuniversity Consortium of Materials Science and Technology (INSTM). The group has a first-class track record, corresponding to 28 publications and 34 conference communications (of which various invited lectures/seminars), only in the period 2021-2023.
The research activities are carried out in a dynamic and stimulating environment, with the presence of foreigner students and in the framework of international (EU – FP7) cooperations. This scenario, along with a direct and continuous interaction between supervisors and fellows, offers interesting development possibilities for training youg students in view of their future career. In this regard, both national and foreigner students have been, and are, welcome not only for PhD courses, but also for short term stays.
Funding
The group is, or has been, directly involved in various national and international projects in the field of inorganic nanomaterial design, characterization and functional investigation, among which:
• PRIN Research project “Supersonic Cluster Beam Synthesis of TRansition metal Oxides Photoelectrodes for HYdrogen production” (SCI-TROPHY) (2023-2025)
• Padova University Research project - P-DiSC “Innovative catalytic platforms for the (photo)electrochemical generation of H2 through the valorization of aqueous biomass-derived alcohol solutions” (RIGENERA) (2024-2025);
• Research project @CNR (2020 Call) “Converging technologies in the development of multi-functional nanosystems for wastewater purification and simultaneous clean energy production” (ASSIST) (2021-2023);
• INSTM Consortium project “Metal oxide-based functional nanoarchitectures for sensing, environment and energetics” (NANOMAT) (2021-2023);
• INSTM Consortium project “Multi-functional nanostructured catalysts for water purification and clean energy production” (ATENA) (2021-2023);
• PROJECT 4.0 – AMGA Foundation (Genova) – “Multi-functional nanostructures as catalysts for clean energy production and simultaneous water purification” (NYMPHEA) (2021-2022);
• Padova University Research project - P-DiSC “Advances in multi-component nanostructures as functional toolkits for clean water and energy production” (EUREKA) (2021-2022);
• PROJECT 4.0 – AMGA Foundation (Genova) – “Nanocatalysts based on manganese oxides for sustainable energy production” (Mn4Energy) (2019-2020).
• Padova University Research project - P-DiSC “Tailoring the oxygen evolution reaction by engineering nanoarchitectures based on advanced manganese oxide catalysts” (OXYGENA) (2019-2020);
• INSTM Consortium project “Nanosystems based on oxides and metals as sensors for toxic and flammable gases” (ISIDE) (2018-2020);
• INSTM Consortium project “Multifunctional nanosystems based on metal oxides for photoactivated applications” (NETTUNO) (2018-2020);
• Padova University Research project - P-DiSC “Multi-component oxide nanosystems as chemical sensors for potential security warning and environmental threats” (SENSATIONAL) (2017-2018);
• Funding for fundamental research (FFARB-ANVUR) promoting the fundamental research activities of associate professors and researchers (2017);
• Padova University – Senior Research Grant “Engineering nanoscale metal oxides as multifunctional coatings for green windows” (ACTION) (2016-2018);
• Padova University – Junior Research Grant “Solar Hydrogen Production by illumination of metal oxide nanocomposites” (SOLLEONE) (2014-2016);
• NMP4-SL-2012-310333: “Water Oxidation Nanocatalysts for Sustainable Solar Hydrogen Production through Visible-Light Activity” (SOLAROGENIX) (http://www.solarogenix.eu/; 2013-2016);
• Regione Lombardia-National Interuniversity Consortium on Materials Science and Technology (INSTM) Project “Solar activation of nanocomposites based on oxides and metals for the sustainable hydrogen production and the purification of wastewaters (ATLANTE)” (2013-2015);
• Padova University Research project (PRAT) “Innovative multi-functional nanosystems for hydrogen production and detection” (2011-2013);
• FP7-PEOPLE-ITN-2008-238409 “European Research Training Network of New Materials: Innovative Concepts for their Fabrication, Integration and Characterisation” (ENHANCE) (http://www.enhance-itn.eu/; 2009-2013);
• Regione Lombardia-National Interuniversity Consortium on Materials Science and Technology (INSTM) Project “Production and use of hydrogen as energy vector: development of innovative metal oxide nanoarchitectures (PICASSO)” (2010-2012);
• Padova University Research project (PRAT) “Nano-organization of functional molecular architectures on inorganic surfaces for eco-sustainable applications” (2009-2011);
• Innovative Research Project in Materials Science (PRISMA) – INSTM “Molecular systems anchored on silicon for integrated sensor devices” (2008-2010).
The group is, or has been, directly involved in various national and international projects in the field of inorganic nanomaterial design, characterization and functional investigation, among which:
• PRIN Research project “Supersonic Cluster Beam Synthesis of TRansition metal Oxides Photoelectrodes for HYdrogen production” (SCI-TROPHY) (2023-2025)
• Padova University Research project - P-DiSC “Innovative catalytic platforms for the (photo)electrochemical generation of H2 through the valorization of aqueous biomass-derived alcohol solutions” (RIGENERA) (2024-2025);
• Research project @CNR (2020 Call) “Converging technologies in the development of multi-functional nanosystems for wastewater purification and simultaneous clean energy production” (ASSIST) (2021-2023);
• INSTM Consortium project “Metal oxide-based functional nanoarchitectures for sensing, environment and energetics” (NANOMAT) (2021-2023);
• INSTM Consortium project “Multi-functional nanostructured catalysts for water purification and clean energy production” (ATENA) (2021-2023);
• PROJECT 4.0 – AMGA Foundation (Genova) – “Multi-functional nanostructures as catalysts for clean energy production and simultaneous water purification” (NYMPHEA) (2021-2022);
• Padova University Research project - P-DiSC “Advances in multi-component nanostructures as functional toolkits for clean water and energy production” (EUREKA) (2021-2022);
• PROJECT 4.0 – AMGA Foundation (Genova) – “Nanocatalysts based on manganese oxides for sustainable energy production” (Mn4Energy) (2019-2020).
• Padova University Research project - P-DiSC “Tailoring the oxygen evolution reaction by engineering nanoarchitectures based on advanced manganese oxide catalysts” (OXYGENA) (2019-2020);
• INSTM Consortium project “Nanosystems based on oxides and metals as sensors for toxic and flammable gases” (ISIDE) (2018-2020);
• INSTM Consortium project “Multifunctional nanosystems based on metal oxides for photoactivated applications” (NETTUNO) (2018-2020);
• Padova University Research project - P-DiSC “Multi-component oxide nanosystems as chemical sensors for potential security warning and environmental threats” (SENSATIONAL) (2017-2018);
• Funding for fundamental research (FFARB-ANVUR) promoting the fundamental research activities of associate professors and researchers (2017);
• Padova University – Senior Research Grant “Engineering nanoscale metal oxides as multifunctional coatings for green windows” (ACTION) (2016-2018);
• Padova University – Junior Research Grant “Solar Hydrogen Production by illumination of metal oxide nanocomposites” (SOLLEONE) (2014-2016);
• NMP4-SL-2012-310333: “Water Oxidation Nanocatalysts for Sustainable Solar Hydrogen Production through Visible-Light Activity” (SOLAROGENIX) (http://www.solarogenix.eu/; 2013-2016);
• Regione Lombardia-National Interuniversity Consortium on Materials Science and Technology (INSTM) Project “Solar activation of nanocomposites based on oxides and metals for the sustainable hydrogen production and the purification of wastewaters (ATLANTE)” (2013-2015);
• Padova University Research project (PRAT) “Innovative multi-functional nanosystems for hydrogen production and detection” (2011-2013);
• FP7-PEOPLE-ITN-2008-238409 “European Research Training Network of New Materials: Innovative Concepts for their Fabrication, Integration and Characterisation” (ENHANCE) (http://www.enhance-itn.eu/; 2009-2013);
• Regione Lombardia-National Interuniversity Consortium on Materials Science and Technology (INSTM) Project “Production and use of hydrogen as energy vector: development of innovative metal oxide nanoarchitectures (PICASSO)” (2010-2012);
• Padova University Research project (PRAT) “Nano-organization of functional molecular architectures on inorganic surfaces for eco-sustainable applications” (2009-2011);
• Innovative Research Project in Materials Science (PRISMA) – INSTM “Molecular systems anchored on silicon for integrated sensor devices” (2008-2010).
How to reach us
Department of Chemical Sciences - Padova University and ICMATE-CNR
Via Marzolo, 1 - 35131 Padova, Italy
By plane
Venice and Treviso airports are close to the city of Padova and bus connections are rather comfortable.
By car
from Milan or Venice: A4 Milan-Venice Motorway, Padova est exit, go on towards the city center; at Piazzale Stanga crossroad, go straight on and turn at the first on the left (Via Loredan). DiSC can be then conveniently reached (see the map).
from Bologna: 13 Bologna-Padova motorway, Padova sud exit. Follow the indications for the city center (or Hospital) and reach Via Falloppio, then Via Jappelli (see the map).
Via Marzolo, 1 - 35131 Padova, Italy
By plane
Venice and Treviso airports are close to the city of Padova and bus connections are rather comfortable.
By car
from Milan or Venice: A4 Milan-Venice Motorway, Padova est exit, go on towards the city center; at Piazzale Stanga crossroad, go straight on and turn at the first on the left (Via Loredan). DiSC can be then conveniently reached (see the map).
from Bologna: 13 Bologna-Padova motorway, Padova sud exit. Follow the indications for the city center (or Hospital) and reach Via Falloppio, then Via Jappelli (see the map).
