<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

CNR-ICMATE Marine Experimental Station, 'Mareco', Bonassola (SP) - Italy


  • EQUIPMENT:
    • Availability of natural seawater in mesocosms (200 and 60 L) for the reproduction of different and critical marine environments in dark and exposed to natural radiation environment (flowing stagnant hydrodynamics, aerated conditions, anoxic-sedimentary, solar radiation, development of photobiological processes, ...);
    • Measuring station for 'under-water' monitoring of temperature, natural radiation (visible range), dissolved oxygen;
    • Potentiostats/galvanostats.

We can perform electrical characterizations of different nature, mainly of materials having ionic conductivity and of thermoelectric materials, as well as of devices based on these materials. For the materials having ionic conduction, such as those used for fuel cells or ceramic membranes for the separation of gas, we typically use Impedance Spectroscopy and IV curves to study electrolytes or cells/half-cells mounted in a test rig that allows to control the temperature (up to 1100 °C ). A proper power supply line equipped with mass -flow controllers and humidifiers allows controlling the atmosphere (oxidizing or reducing in the case of cell testing) used for the measurements. The measurements are performed typically with a Potentiostat/galvanostat.

The functional characterization of thermoelectric materials is performed by measuring the thermal conductivity (Laser Flash Thermal Diffusivity) and their electrical properties, electrical conductivity and the thermoelectric power, or Seebeck coefficient. The electrical properties are measured with a device specially designed and built in our laboratories that allows the simultaneous determination of both quantities. The measurement, typically carried out in an inert atmosphere, can be performed up to high temperature (800 °C). The electrical conductivity measurements are performed by means of an instrumental configuration with four wires using a generator coupled to a Keithley 6221 Nanovoltmeter 2182, which is used also to measure Seebeck coefficient. The apparatus and the measurement procedure is controlled via LabView through a CompactRIO platform.

Other test stations have been developed to measure contact resistance and to test thermoelectric modules. In the first a tungsten carbide microprobe (controlled with micrometric movement and stereoscopic microscope), measures the resistance in 4-wire configuration to vary the position of the probe, allowing for example the determination of the contact resistance between the thermoelectric material and an electrode. The test station for thermoelectric modules allows measuring the electrical properties (electrical power), and thermal (heat flux through the module) of devices subjected to a temperature gradient, allowing the determination of their thermoelectric conversion efficiency. The modules, with 60 mm side maximum dimension, are placed between a heater, which allows to reach 600 °C, and a water-cooled cold side. The mechanical pressure exerted on the module is controlled with suitable load cells. An array of thermocouples on the column is used to measure the heat flow. The whole apparatus is placed in a vacuum chamber that allows carrying out tests in vacuum or inert atmosphere. A window, transparent in infrared region, allows monitoring the measures through thermography.
We can also perform a series of other electrical measurements, such as 4 probe method, with Van der Pauw technique, measurements of dielectric constant, determination of the carriers by means of Hall measurements, etc.

System to characterize ceramics ionic conductors or membranes

Test station for thermoelectric modules

Measure of contact resistance

  • EQUIPMENT:
    • System to characterize ceramics ionic conductors or membranes:
      • Galvanostats / Potentiostats / Frequency Response Analizer Autolab PGSTAT100 e Gamry Reference 600
      • Tubular furnace (ELITE, Nabertherm) for tests up to 1300°C
      • Commercial test rig ProbostatTM to characterize pellets or half-cells or cells
      • Gas supply lines (with flow meters MKS MASS-FLO® CONTROLLER)
      • Humidifying system (with a LIQUI-FLOW® flow meter and Controlled Evaporator Mixer, Bronkhorst)
      • Hydrogen generator
    • Characterization facilities for thermoelectrics:
      • Vacuum chamber
      • Pumping system (Pfeiffer, HiCube 80 Eco + Adixen, MDP 5011)
      • Vacuum gauge (Adixen, Ap 2004)
      • Custom flow meter
      • Load cells (Applied Measurements LTD, CDFM3)
      • Thermography (NEC, Termo Gear H2640)
      • NI Modules (National Instruments, cRIO-9074 e cDaq-9172)
      • Source Measurement Unit (Keithley, 2636), Nanovoltmetri (Keitlhey 2182A), Generatore AC/DC (Keithley 6221)

Analysis of powder materials for what concerns the density, the specific surface area, the open porosity in the range from 1 to 1000 nm, the determination of decomposition, phase transition and reaction temperatures by TG-DTA in controlled atmosphere, the densification by dilatometry (TMA). Acquisition and analysis of powder X-ray diffraction data. Particle size analysis by dynamic light-scattering (DLS) and Zeta potential measurement. Impedance spectroscopy in 10μHz to 32MHz frequency range and RT-200 °C temperature range.


  • EQUIPMENT:
    • Helium pycnometer for density measurements;
    • Instrument for the measurement of surface area and porosity by nitrogen adsorption (BET method);
    • Dilatometer for the evaluation of the sintering kinetics and thermal expansion coefficient, up to 1700 °C;
    • Thermogravimetry and differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA), up to 1400 °C;
    • X-ray powder diffractometer with automated samples management;
    • Particle size analyser by dynamic light-scattering (DLS) and Zeta potential measurement;
    • Frequency response analyser coupled with dielectric converter unit.


The laser flash method allows to measure the thermal diffusivity (a) of a material as solid or liquid. A laser pulse (Nd: Glass) heat the flat surface of the sample. The heat propagates along its thickness with a consequent increase of the temperature to the opposite surface. The higher the thermal diffusivity of the sample, the faster the energy reaches the backside. An infrared detector (InSb) records changes in the temperature as a function of time. On the performance of the temperature profile is obtained the value of thermal diffusivity. The specific heat (Cp) of a sample can be derived through comparatives calculation methods if the measurement is recorded simultaneously with a standard of known Cp. From the relation λ = a * Cp * ρ we can obtain thermal conductivity λ, if known the density ρ of the sample.
The system may contain solid samples of various sizes (discs of 1 or ½ inch in diameter or 10 mm in diameter or square by 10 mm side).
The temperature range is from room temperature up to 1100 ° C with the possibility to work also in an inert atmosphere or in vacuum.
For a more precise determination of the thermal diffusivity of liquids, a photoacoustic device has been designed and realized. This system allows measurements up to 75 ° C and turns out to be more sensitive compared to more traditional techniques. In fact, the measure of the thermal diffusivity is not related to the absolute measurement of the thickness of the liquid, but depends on its variation during the measurement. The detector is a photoacoustic chamber to which a high-sensitivity microphone is connected.

Laser flash

Photoacoustic device

  • EQUIPMENT:
    • Netzsch LFA 457 Microflash
    • Photoacoustic device for the determination of thermal diffusivity of liquids