Group
CATMAT group is currently composed of a Full Professor, an Associate Professor and an adjunct Professor in Industrial Chemistry, one research grant holder, 8 PhD students and a lab technician.
Group members
Michela Signoretto
Full Professor of Industrial Chemistry
Her research focuses on nanomaterials synthesis for energy and environmental applications. More specifically, she works in the development of heterogeneous catalysts to be used in various fields of industrial chemistry for the production of fuels and fine chemicals and for environment protection. She is also involved in the formulation of new sustainable materials for pharmaceutical, cosmetic and Cultural Heritage applications. She has co-authored 12 book chapters and over 150 scientific publications on international journals in the field of heterogeneous catalysis and material sciences.
She is the Delegate of the Rectress for The Scientific Research.
She has been the Coordinator of GIC (Interdivisional group of Catalysis of the Italian Chemical Society) and the CEO of the innovative start up Ve Nice srl.
Tania Fantinel
Lab technician
She is technical assistant at the Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems Departement of Ca’ Foscari University since 1989.
Her activity is focused on the organization and support of research activities in the lab (management of lab equipment and lab logistic ensuring strictly safety procedures and safety checks) taking care of student during their degree training. Her skills mainly concerns materials' characterization using gas absorption in static and dynamic way (T.P.R., T.P.O., T.P.D., selective gas chemisorption), ionic and liquid chromatography, atomic adsorption.
Teresa Botre'
Research fellow
She achieved the Master's Degree in Chemistry and Sustainable Technologies in July 2024 with the thesis "Development of nanostructured photocatalytic coatings for stone materials". She is currently working as Research fellow at Ca' Foscari University on the development of new photocatalytic systems for environmental and energetic applications.
Federica Menegazzo
Associate Professor of Industrial Chemistry
Her principal scientific interests are in the field of heterogeneous catalysis with a focus on the development of innovative nanostructured catalysts and their use in industrial and sustainable chemistry. In particular, she is working on the synthesis of metal nanoparticles supported on oxides materials and active carbon, their characterization and application for the production of fuels and chemicals from lignocellulosic biomasses. Most recently, her work was focused on hydrogen production from renewable sources. Recently she is also investigating the formulation of multifunctional materials for applications in Cultural Heritage. She has presented her works in several national and international congresses. She has co-authored 6 book chapters and over 100 publications in peer-reviewed journals
Elena Ghedini
Adjunct Professor of Industrial Chemistry
Her research is focused in solid-state chemistry covering aspect of synthesis characterization and reactivity of metal oxides and hybrid materials. Her activity has regarded mainly the investigation of nanoporous materials with controlled structure and morphology for catalytic applications and for bio-applications. Her research has been addressed to the optimization of sustainable and innovative synthetic approaches for the formulations of smart materials for the cosmetic market and for Cultural Heritage applications.
PhD students
Giulia Forghieri
PhD in Chemistry financed by a Company
Erica Galvagno
Thesis title: Synthesis, in-depth characterization and evaluation of the performance of nanocomposites-based formulationsfor the protection and conservation of Roman frescos
PhD in Chemistry funded by the Centre for Cultural Heritage Technology (CCHT) of the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT)
Giulia Da Pian
Thesis title: Developement of catalytic materials for the energy transition
PhD in Chemistry
Giorgia Ferraro
PhD in Catalysis funded by a Company
Lilia Longo
Thesis title: Sustainable technologies for the valorization of wastes
PhD in Chemistry
Andrea Campostrini
Thesis title: New green and multifunctional materials for the protection of Cultural Heritage
PhD in Bio and Nanomaterials (funded by PON action Green in collaboration with the Company Uni.S.Ve.)
Davide Baldassin
Thesis title: SMART: Sustainable catalytic Materials and Approaches for biomass valoRizaTion
PhD in Sustainable Chemistry
Rachele Braido
Thesis title: Greenhouse gases valorization
PhD in Sustainable Chemistry
Our graduates
Giulia Paolini
Thesis title: Sviluppo di carrier porosi per la formulazione di fertilizzanti innovativi
Bachelor's degree in Chemistry and Sustainable Technologies, a.y. 2022/2023
Giovanni Longo
Thesis title: Development of catalysts for ammonia synthesis under an electric field
Bachelor's degree in Chemistry and Sustainable Technologies, a.y. 2022/2023
Samuele Stival
Bachelor's degree in Chemistry and Sustainable Technologies, a.y. 2022/2023
Davide Baldassin
Thesis title: Dalla biomassa di scarto allo sviluppo di un sistema catalitico
Bachelor's degree in Chemistry and Sustainable Technologies, a.y. 2022/2023
Nicola Calderaro
Thesis title: Sviluppo di nanocontainer di silice per coating ad azione biocida
Bachelor's degree in Chemistry and Sustainable Technologies, a.y. 2021/2022
Alessia Boscolo
Thesis title: Sviluppo di un coating multifunzionale a base di silice mesoporosa per la protezione dei beni culturali.
Bachelor's degree in Science and Technologies for Cultural Heritage , a.y. 2021/2022
Elisa Andreatta
Thesis title: Formulazioni di solari high tech sviluppati attraverso approcci sostenibili
Bachelor's degree in Chemistry and Sustainable Technologies A.Y. 2021/2022
Enrica Bonotto
Thesis title: Da scarto a risorsa: dai gusci di nocciola ai nuovi ingredienti per la nutraceutica
Bachelor's degree in Chemistry and Sustainable Technologies A.Y. 2021/2022
Giulia Da Pian
Thesis title: Catalytic materials for methane dry reforming in Solid Oxide Fuel Cells
Master's degree in Chemical and Sustainable Technologies, a.y. 2021/2022
Isabel Pizzoccaro
Thesis title: "La Visual Literacy come strumento della diagnostica artistica. Il caso dei pannelli decorativi ealkizzati da Amen per la Tavernetta dei poeti a Padova"
Bachelor's degree in Science and Technologies for Cultural Heritage, a.y. 2021/2022
Emma Camarotto
Thesis title: Sviluppo di approcci integrati per applicazioni cosmetiche
Bachelor's degree in Chemistry and Sustainable Technologies A.Y. 2021/2022
Teresa Botrè
Thesis title: Development of nanostructured photocatalytic coatings for stone materials
Master's degree in Chemistry and Sustainable Technologies, a.y. 2023/2024
Rachele Braido
Thesis title: Catalytic materials for dry reforming
Master's degree in Chemistry and Sustainable Technologies, a.y. 2022/2023
Federico Apolloni
Thesis title: Activated carbons from waste biomasses for water purification
Master's degree in Chemistry and Sustainable Technologies, a.y. 2022/2023
Mirko Magnan
Thesis title: Sintesi di olefine a partire da syngas proveniente da fonti non convenzionali
Master's degree in Chemistry and Sustainable Technologies, a.y. 2022/2023
Giorgia Ferraro
Thesis title: Strategies for improving CO2 photoreduction under solar light
Master's degree in Chemistry and Sustainable Technologies, a.y. 2022/2023
Erica Fiorini
Bachelor's degree in Chemistry and Sustainable Technologies, a.y. 2021/2022
Alice Franchin
Thesis title: Design di cosmetici sostenibili attraverso la valorizzazione di scarti agroalimentari Made in Italy
Bachelor's degree in Chemistry and Sustainable Technologies, a.y. 2021/2022
Irene Martin
Thesis title: Novel photocatalytic materials for CO2 utilization
Master's degree in Chemistry and Sustainable Technologies, a.y. 2021/2022
Margherita Riello
Thesis title: Da scarto a risorsa: dai gusci di nocciola a nuovi catalizzatori per le reazioni di idrogenazione
Master degree in Chemistry and Sustainable Technologies A.Y. 2021/2022
Erica Spagnoli
Thesis title: Development of a new formulation for smart sunscreen
Master's degree in Science and Technologies of Bio and Nanomaterials A.Y. 2021/2022
Previous academic years
Best thesis awards
- Andrea Campostrini is the winner of the ABC Division Award for the best Master Degree thesis in Science for Cultural Heritage (edition 2022).
The award ceremony will take place during the ABC congress in Turin on june, 23th (2022).
Thesis title: “Investigating coating applications for protection of Roman frescoes” - Giulia Forghieri is the winner of the Industrial Chemistry Division Award for the best Master Degree thesis in Industrial Chemistry (edition 2020).
The award ceremony took place online on march, 5th (2021).
Thesis title: Nanostructured Materials for the photo-driven conversion of CO2. An investigation on the strategies for improved Photo-catalysis by Metal Oxide Semiconductors - Cristina Pizzolitto is the winner of the Industrial Chemistry Division Award for the Best Master Degree thesis in Industrial Chemistry (edition 2017) .
The award ceremony took place during the XXVI Congress of SCI in Paestum.
Title of the thesis: “Sviluppo di catalizzatori nanostrutturati a base di Nickel per la produzione di idrogeno” - Valentina Nichele is the winner of the GIC 2010 award for the Best Master Degree thesis for “the originality of the research developed in the field of catalysis and the brilliant elaborate dissertation”.
The award ceremony took place during the X School of Catalysis GIC2010 in Palermo (15-18/09/2010).
Title of the thesis: “Incapsulamento della galattosidasi in una matrice di silice preparata via sol-gel”.
Visiting students and interns
Mohsen Padervand
University of Maragheh (Iran)
visiting researcher, a.y. 2023/2024 (2 months)
Giuseppe Bagnato
University of Lancaster (UK)
visiting researcher, a.y. 2022/2023 (3 months)
Jennifer Theissen
Université de Namur
Valorization of wastes by pyrolysis and activation in order to obtain different biochars that can be used as catalytic support
fellow, a.y. 2021/2022 (3 months)
Andrea Campostrini
University of Bologna and CCHT-IIT
Investigating coating applications for protection of Roman frescoes
fellow, a.y. 2020/2021 (9 months)
Lea Caseaux
University of Lyon 1, France
Formulation of dermocosmetic products
fellow but online due to pandemia, a.y. 2019/2020 (2 months)
Veronika Adler
Molecular and medical biotechnology, University of Verona
Sviluppo di un idrogel idratante
fellow, a.y. 2022/2023 (6 months)
Anna Grazia Gallone
University of Ferrara
Cosmesi zerowaste per l'hair care
fellow, a.y. 2020/2021 (9 months)
Daniela Pricop
Chemistry of materials, Sorbonne University, Paris, France Master's degree visiting student, a.y. 2020-2021 (3 months)
Elena D'Iseppi
University of Ferrara
Degree in Biotechnologies
Dalla biomassa al prodotto cosmetico. Valorizzazione degli scarti ortofrutticoli per la realizzazione di uno smart gel
fellow, a.y. 2019/2020 (9 months)
Previous academic years
Collaborations with universities
- Turin University, Prof. G. Cerrato
- Turin University, Dr. M. Manzoli
- Turin University, Dr. S. Tabasso
- Milan University, Prof. C. Bianchi
- Milan University, Prof. I. Rossetti
- Genova University, Prof. G. Ramis
- Ferrara University, Prof. G. Cruciani
- Perugia University, Prof. L. Barelli and Dr. A. Di Michele
- Bologna University, Prof. F. Cavani
- Bologna University, Prof. A. Vaccari
- Roma University, Prof. D. Gazzoli and Dr. Daniela Pietrogiacomi
- Heriot Watt University UK, Prof. Mercedes Maroto-Valer
- Heriot Watt University UK, Dr. Aimaro Sanna
- Institute of Catalysis and Petroleumchemistry Spain, Dr. Vicente Corberan
- Institute of Catalysis, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences Bulgaria, Prof. T. Tabakova
- Process Chemistry Center (PCC) Laboratory of Industrial Chemistry and reaction Engineering Finland, Prof. T. Salmi and Prof. D. Murzin.
- Department of Chemistry, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran, Prof. A. Tavasoli
