Description of the research group

The group is dedicated to advancing the field of materials science and engineering with a focus on two key areas: nanoparticles and nanostructured materials, as well as polymers and composites. The primary goal is to explore the potential of these materials in energy technologies and sustainability applications. By harnessing the unique properties and structures at the nanoscale, the aim is to develop innovative solutions for improving energy efficiency, renewable energy sources, and sustainable materials.

The group has been supported over the years by several public funded projects (EU Interreg and Marie Curie Actions, PRIN, PON, National Aerospace Agency, etc.), has collaborated with over 20 different companies on research and development projects, has trained over 15 researchers (PhD students and postdocs), and has a history of national and international interdisciplinary collaborations.

Keyword 1: materials

Keyword 2: nanomaterials

Keyword 3: polymeric materials

Keyword 4: energy materials

Keyword 5: materials for sustainability

Head of the research group

Vanni Lughi

List of members in the research group

Nicola Scuor - RU - ING-IND/16
Luca Cozzarini - RTDA - ING-IND/22

Research projects

- RISE – “Resilient Integrated Structurale Element”, Italian Space Agency (PI)
- DeepSea - Energy Efficiency for the Mobility of Adriatic Marinas, European Union, Interreg Italia-Croatia (Local PI for the first year)
- MUSE - Cross-border collaboration for a Sustainabile and Engergy Efficient Mobility, European Union, Interreg Italia-Slovenija (PI)
- Hybrid Nanoparticles as Optical Markers, Region FVG, POCN (PI)
FlexSolCell - Development of Flexible single and tandem II-VI-Based High Efficiency Thin Film Solar Cells, European Union, FP7 IRSES program (Local PI)
NanoPV - Development of a new nanostructured photovoltaic material, Region FVG (PI)
(NOTE: only projects as PI or local PI are listed)

Name of the laboratories

- Materials processing and characterization - fully equipped chemical lab with fume hoods and standard equipment (hot plates and stirrers, mixers, centrifuges, ultrasound, pH meters, high sensitivity scales, etc.); vacuum chamber for evaporation; high-temperature press; ceramic processing; low- and high-temperature ovens; freeze dryer; extrusion system (located in building C2); two cobots for materials fabrication; accelerated ageing chamber; optical microscopy; scanning electron microscopy; differential scanning calorimetry; thermogravimetric analysis; high temperature microscopy; dilatometry; X-ray diffractometry; rheometry; universal testing machine for mechanical properties (including at high temperature)
- Nanotechnology lab (naME Lab - nanomaterials&energy lab) - fully equipped chemical lab with fume hoods, schlenk line, and standard equipment (hot plates and stirrers, mixers, ultrasound, centrifuges, pH meters, high sensitivity scales, etc.); glove box; fluorimetry; tunable light source; spectrophotometry; solar simulator; electronic measurements setup.