<em>PADUA</em>

The seat carries out research and technology transfer in different areas of chemistry, materials and energetics

VISIT

PADUA PADUA
Headquarter

<em>MILAN</em>

Research activity in Milan concerns the properties and technology of structural and functional materials, fluid dynamics, and diagnostics or reactive systems.

VISIT

MILAN MILAN
Organizative Unit

<em>GENOA</em>

ICMATE-Genoa has expertise in the fields of physical chemistry of interfaces and in the preparation of powders, ceramics and composites of functional oxides.

VISIT

GENOA GENOA
Organizative Unit

<em>LECCO</em>

ICMATE-Lecco is one of the few centers in Italy able to operate in the secondary metallurgy of advanced metallic materials

VISIT

LECCO LECCO
Organizative Unit

Ecoshopping
  • Project name:
    EcoShopping   -   Energy efficient & Cost competitive retrofitting solutions for Shopping buildings
  • ICMATE involved researchers:
    Alessandro Galenda
  • Starting date, ending date and duration:
    September 1, 2013 - August 31, 2017   (48 months)
  • Project funding:
    Research programme supported by EU within the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7), grant agreement n° 609180, call FP7-2013-NMP-ENV-EeB.
  • Links:
    Twitter:   @EcoShopping_FP7

Ecoshopping project aims to build a holistic retrofitting solution for commercial buildings to reduce primary energy consumption to less than 80kWh/m2/year and increase the share of RES (Renewable Energy Sources) more than 50% compared to the state of the art. The project will use and integrate available products and technologies to accurately monitor the environmental and occupancy parameters for a better control of the BAM (Building Automation Management).
The approach will be systemic by developing:

  1. Novel thermal insulation solutions using cost effective materials to further reduce the thermal losses.
  2. Easy to install and cascadable daylighting technologies based on the NLIS (Natural Light Illumination Systems) system to improve comfort.
  3. HVAC (Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning) retrofitting systemic approach based on RES direct powered DC variable speed heat pump and harnessing the Building Thermal Mass which will be used as a “Thermal Battery” for storing the RES without using conventional battery.
  4. Integrated solution way based on the IAU (Intelligent Automation Unit) concept and Mobile Robot.

The role of the ICMATE-CNR can be resumed in the following points:

  1. development of improved titanium dioxide-based photocatalysts for indoor applications, their synthesis, characterization and photoactivity evaluation.
  2. comparison of the prepared samples with commercial photocatalytic paints for indoor application as well as literature reference compounds.
  3. application of the most promising compound on the refurbished demo building as indoor paint and effectiveness evaluation for a one year period for the volatile organic compounds (which cause illness and bad-feelings) reduction.

The main objective of Polycom is to improve the dielectric properties and the energy density of polymeric composites containing inorganic inclusions (Ag, BaTiO3) with high dielectric constant (k≈1000). A homogeneous dispersion of the inorganic inclusions and a more effective distribution of the electric field inside the composite will be achieved by engineering the polymer/inorganic interfaces. Interface engineering will consist in (i) the surface functionalization of inorganic particles with suitable organic molecules (coupling agents) and (ii) the coating of the particles with a thin shell of a binary oxide. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) has properties suitable for this purpose. The composite matrix will be a ferroelectric polymer with high dielectric constant (≈10).

The project comprises six workpackages:

  1. Synthesis of inorganic particles (Ag and BaTiO3) and coating with a binary oxide shell.
  2. Surface functionalization of particles with organic coupling agents.
  3. Preparation and characterization of composites.
  4. Measurement of dielectric properties and energy density on prototype capacitors.
  5. Finite element modeling of microstructure and dielectric properties of composites.
  6. Coordination, dissemination of results, and improvement of visibility of Compagnia di San Paolo.
I-ZEB

The study of technological solutions to improve buildings performances is of great interest both for Energy efficiency and for Smart Grids. More stringent regulations, concerning the building performance requirements, have been introduced by the European Community (Directive 2010/31/UE). In particular it is strictly required the constructions of buildings according to the n-ZEB - near Zero Energy Buildings concept. In this context, this project, called I-ZEB, try to focus and develop technological solutions able to give an answer to all these needs as well as to ensure building and users safety.
In this framework, the research activities which will be performer at ICMATE in Milano and Lecco are briefly described in the following.

  1. Study, development and mechanical / seismic characterization of innovative systems for structural safety components.
  2. Concerning the development of materials and devices for Energy, a thermoelectric device is proposed for micro-generation in the sensotistics.
  3. Nanoparticle synthesis (oxides) and in particular film production of these particles on proper substrates is of interest for photocatalytic applications. These particles will be synthesized via Flame Spray Pyrolysis technology and characterized in collaboration with ITC and ISTM.
Black CaT

  • Project name:
    Black CaT   -   Black Carbon Tool
  • ICMATE involved researchers:
    Francesca Migliorini
    Silvana De Iuliis
  • Starting date, ending date and duration:
    October 1, 2015 - March 31, 2017   (18 months)
  • Project funding:
    Fondazione Cariplo, bando: "Progetti territoriali per la città di Milano e provincia".

Fine particulate matter (PM) is a thread for human health. PM is composed by solid and liquid particles suspended in the atmosphere with size ranging between a few nanometers to some micrometers. Each particle is composed by different chemical species, and has different chemical and microphysical properties. During the last years several studies investigated the toxicological and epidemiological effects of the different PM components, in order to better target emission control policies to improve air quality. According to the World Health Organization, and based on scientific available evidence, black carbon (BC) is the proxy that better describes the risk of PM exposure for human health. In addition, BC is a short-lived climate forcer, and thus affects the Earth radiation budget, absorbing incoming solar radiation and altering cloud lifetime and glacier albedo.
For these reasons, it is very important BC monitoring in different environments, by using and coupling several and different instruments. The goal of the present project is to develop and optimize a methodology and an algorithm for an accurate quantification of BC in urban and rural environment in the surrounding of Milan metropolitan area, coupling continuous monitoring network observations with intensive observations performed with the best available technology.
The main research activities performed in Milano are here reported:

  1. BC measurements by using the home-made instrument based on Laser Induced Incandescence technique
  2. Optical properties evaluation of fine and ultrafine particulate matter.

Project partners are: ISAC-CNR and Politecnico di Milano – Dipartimento di Ingegneria Civile ed Ambientale. The collaboration of ARPA Lombardia is effective, together with Prof Claudio Mazzoleni (Michigan Technology University) and Aerodyne Research (on founding by CNR "short term mobility").

FHfFC

The objective of the Future Home for Future Communities project is to identify a new living model, able to enhance the social inclusion, to improve the quality of life and, above all, to implement a welfare paradigm for the continuity of care, especially referred to the neuro-rehabilitative treatment of neurological patients.
The project results will be integrated in one infrastructure/demonstrator hosted in the new CNR building at Lecco.
The ICMATE Lecco unit, in the frameworks of “Smart Care” and “Smart Living” will contribute to the analysis, characterization and creation of prototypal devices produced with innovative metallic components. These devices will focus on the health and well-being of people, as well as smart home appliances and the safety of the household space.
The ICMATE activities:

Smart Care

  • Dynamic orthotics for spastic syndromes: development of a portable device for passive/assisted ankle mobilisation, equipped with sensors for rehabilitation monitoring
  • Production of parts by SLM technology.

Smart Living

  • Shape memory alloys (SMA) to increase the users’ comfort, and soft-close drawers: Design, fabrication and functional characterization of small-scale soft-open/close devices for furniture drawers produced with advanced manufacturing processes (ultrashort pulse laser cutting) on SMA materials
  • Study and analysis of metallic material and pseudoelastic closed-loop solution: analysis of pseudoelastic material and a device to be integrated into solutions for assisted living
  • Development of trabecular/cellular materials through SLBM SHS for light components for comfort and well-being.