Research & Innovation
Advanced Materials
Advanced materials play a crucial role in supporting and advancing research and development in hydrogen production and battery technology, particularly in reducing costs and minimizing the use of critical raw materials.
Advanced materials play a crucial role in supporting and advancing research and development in hydrogen production and battery technology, particularly in reducing costs and minimizing the use of critical raw materials.
By developing innovative materials that are both efficient and sustainable, researchers can create catalysts and electrodes that enhance performance while relying less on scarce resources. This not only lowers production costs but also mitigates supply chain risks associated with critical raw materials, making these technologies more resilient and environmentally friendly.
The advanced materials research group at SE Center is a dynamic team of scientists and engineers with a robust background in low pressure plasma processes, plasma-assisted deposition techniques (PECVD and PVD), surface engineering and atomic layer deposition (ALD). This multidisciplinary group works on developing innovative and nanostructured materials with tailored properties for various applications, with a primary attention on energy related ones.
In addition to the expertise in material synthesis, the group possesses strong capabilities in the chemical and physical characterization of materials. This dual focus ensures that the developed materials not only meet specific performance criteria but are also thoroughly understood at a fundamental level.
The characterization competences and facilities are also available for academic and industrial partners looking for analytical support.
Topics and Expertise
Know how
Innovative, functional and nanostructured materials development
Surface engineering, coating and treatments on bulk, powder-like and liquid substrates
Low pressure plasma processes (PVD, PECVD)
Plasma enhanced and thermal ALD (ALD, PEALD)
Physical-chemical characterization of surfaces and bulk materials
Main Research Topics
Development of advanced nanostructured catalyst materials for water electrolysis in the form of thin films, nanoparticles and nanofluids
Protective and functional materials for the hydrogen and battery sector
TCOs and active layers for photovoltaics
Emerging Technologies
Focused on LOW TRL and cutting-edge progress in the field of sustainable energy:
- Plasma gas conversion
- Small Modular Reactor
Deposition facilities
Double-cathode deposition chamber for PVD (sputtering) and PECVD
Single cathode RF-magnetron deposition chamber for deposition on powders and liquids
3-cathodes Confocal Sputtering System
PECVD and surface treatment chamber
Plasma enhanced and thermal ALD (ALD, PEALD)
Characterization facilities
- XPS, AES depth profiler, XRD, SEM, UV-VIS spectroscopy
- Mechanical test platform (nanoindentation, micro-scratch test)
- Van der Paw and Hall effect electrical test platform
- TGA, electrochemical tests (CV, EIS, CP, LSV)
Publications
Chandraiahgari, C. R., Gottardi, G., Speranza, G., Muzzi, B., Dalessandro, D., Pedrielli, A., Micheli, V., Bartali, R., Laidani, N. B., & Testi, M. (2025). RF Sputtering of Gold Nanoparticles in Liquid and Direct Transfer to Nafion Membrane for PEM Water Electrolysis. Membranes, 15(4), 115. DOI: 10.3390/membranes15040115
De Maron, J., Safarova, A., Ursu, C., D’Onofrio, G.M., Tosi Brandi, E., Fasolini, A., Gottardi, G., Basile, F., Cavani, F., Tabanelli, T. (2025). Promoting zirconia with carbon: Enhanced hybrid ZrO2/C catalyst for the ketonization of diluted aqueous acetic acid, Carbon, Volume 238, 2025, 120203, ISSN 0008-6223, DOI: 10.1016/j.carbon.2025.120203
Bartali, R., De Bona, E., Bolognese, M., Vaccari, A., Testi, M., & Crema, L. (2025). Hybrid Small Modular Nuclear Reactor with Concentrated Solar Power: Towards 4+ Reactors? Solar, 5(1), 12. DOI: doi.org/10.3390/solar5010012
C. Chandraiahgari, G. Gottardi, G. Speranza, A. Pedrielli, V. Micheli, R. Bartali, N. Laidani, M. Testi, (2025) Role of oxygen plasma for improved preparation of Cu/CNT Nanohybrids by RF sputtering, Surface and Coatings Technology, Volume 513, DOI: 10.1016/j.surfcoat.2025.132469
R. Bartali, A. Vaccari, L. Prattico, M. Bolognese, N. Fronza, L. Crema (2025). 3D-printed swirler for enhanced heat transfer in evacuated tube solar collectors, Energy, Volume 328, 136422, DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2025.136422
A. Ganjovi, R. Bartali, G. Speranza, R. Dell’Anna, G. Gottardi, E. Missale, N. Laidani. (2025). Method for hydrogen production by methane cracking using vacuum plasma, Surface and Coatings Technology, Volume 512, 132393, DOI: 10.1016/j.surfcoat.2025.132393
Sandro Zorzi, et all (2025). Aspect Ratio-Engineered Ru-Integrated W 18O49 : Controlled Growth and Enhanced Electrocatalytic Activity, Small Struct. 2025, 2500205.
DOI: 10.1002/sstr.202500205
Tofik Ahmed Shifa, Karim Harrath, Alhagie Jadama, Kassa Belay Ibrahim, Alessandro Gradone, Andrea Migliori, Marshet Getaye Sendeku, Sandro Zorzi, Matteo Bordin, et all (2025). Exploring the evolution of active sites on Fe2GeO4–Ni3Ge2O5(OH)4 interfaces for water oxidation. InfoMat. 2025;e70073. DOI: 10.1002/inf2.70073
Chandrakanth Reddy Chandraiahgari, Gottardi Gloria, Dalessandro Domenico, Speranza Giorgio, Muzzi Beatrice, Pedrielli Andrea, Micheli Victor, and Testi Matteo (2025). Dry Plasma Synthesis of Nanohybrids and Nanofluids for Water Electrolysis: Toward CRMFree, Green and Efficient Catalytic Materials. International School of Electrocatalysis 2025 (ISECAT2025), July 2025. Conference Proceedings. Book of abstract at this link.
C. Chandraiahgari, G. Gottardi, D.Dalessandro, G.Speranza, V.Micheli, B.Muzzi, R.Bartali, M. Testi, (2025) GREEN NANOMATERIAL SYNTHESIS VIA RF SPUTTERING IN LIQUIDS AND ONTO POWDERS FOR SCALABLE, CRM-FREE CATALYSTS FOR WATER ELECTROLYSIS, International Workshop on Solar Applications For Environment, December 2025. Conference Proceedings. Book of abstract at this link
Bartali, R. (2024). Surface mechanical proprieties of materials: a brief review. Next Materials, Volume 3, 100120, ISSN 2949-8228, DOI: 10.1016/j.nxmate.2024.100120
Facchinelli, T., D’Amato, E., Bettotti, P. et al. (2024). Nanocellulose with hydrophobic properties by a one-step TEMPO-periodate oxidation of citrus waste. Cellulose 31, 10895–10913. DOI: 10.1007/s10570-024-06259-z
Salimi, P.; Gottardi, G.; Morais, W.G.; Bartali, R.; Laidani, N.; Macchi, E.G. (2024). Improving Lithium-Ion Battery Performance: Nano Al2O3 Coatings on High-Mass Loading LiFePO4 Cathodes via Atomic Layer Deposition. Batteries 2024, 10, 304. DOI: 10.3390/batteries10090304
Bartali, R., Bolognese, M., Fronza, N., Prattico, L., Zanetti, A., Osorio, T., Crema, L. (2023). Study on carnauba wax as phase-change material integrated in evacuated-tube collector for solar-thermal heat production, Clean Energy, Volume 7, Issue 3, June 2023, Pages 547–554. DOI: 10.1093/ce/zkac088
Hafeez Ullah, N. Laidani, R. Bartali, V. Micheli, Kashif Safeen, G. Gottardi, F. Rossi, Wei Liu, Saeed Ullah, (2022). Hybrid graphene-based materials and its catalytic activity toward hydrogen sorption, Diamond and Related Materials, Volume 121, 108766, ISSN 0925-9635, DOI: 10.1016/j.diamond.2021.108766
Prattico, L., Fronza, N., Bartali, R., Chiappini, A., Sciubba, E., González-Aguilar, J., & Crema, L. (2021). Radiation propagation in a hierarchical solar volumetric absorber: Results of single-photon avalanche diode measurements and Monte Carlo ray tracing analysis. Renewable Energy
Pratticò, L., Bartali, R., Crema, L., & Sciubba, E. (2020). Analysis of radiation propagation inside a hierarchical solar volumetric absorber. In Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute Proceedings (Vol. 58, No. 1, p. 27)
Bolognese, M., Viesi, D., Bartali, R., & Crema, L. (2020). Modeling study for low-carbon industrial processes integrating solar thermal technologies. A case study in the Italian Alps: The Felicetti Pasta Factory. Solar Energy, 208, 548-558
Bolognese, M., Crema, L., Luca, P., Viesi, D., & Bartali, R. (2020). Solar Thermal Technologies for Low-Carbon Industrial Processes: Dynamic Modelling, Techno-Economic Analysis and Environmental Impact. In Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute Proceedings (Vol. 58, No. 1, p. 14)
