Innovative Materials for Energy

1. Analysis of the structural, vibrational, thermal and optoelectronic properties of functional materials for energy applications, even under extreme conditions (low temperatures, high pressures) These research areas are fundamental to fully understand the role of several physico-chemical processes in determining the performances of functional materials used in energy applications. In particular, these studies concern: dynamics of charge transport, electron-phonon interaction, anharmonicity, soft phonons and the role of disorder. These aspects deeply influence the resulting structural, vibrational, thermal and optoelectronic properties, so their accurate characterization allows to derive fundamental information on the processes that limit them. For example, in hybrid perovskites, the organic components contribute to the vibrational response of the material with low-energy phonon modes, which affect the electron-phonon interaction processes and the thermal conductivity of such materials. In addition, these studies are also carried out under extreme conditions (low temperatures, up to 1 K and high pressures, up to 20 GPa), with the aim of investigating processes otherwise masked by environmental conditions. An interesting example is the onset of superconductivity and charge density waves in some transition metal dichalcogenides at high pressures and/or low temperatures. 2. Fabrication and characterizarion of some types of solar cells, devices for solar-to-fuel energy conversion and supercapacitors The realization of devices is a key aspect to identify which materials and strategies need to be improved for the diffusion (on an industrial scale) of innovative energy technologies. Specifically, the group has experience in the production of electrodes for supercapacitors, perovskite solar cells and photo-electrodes for solar-to-fuel energy conversion (such as H2 and products of CO2 and N2 reduction). Such devices are generally produced by exploiting liquid phase deposition techniques, thus allowing the potential large-scale and low-cost realization of the obtained prototypes. Moreover, these devices are characterized by means of electrical, electrochemical and electronic experimental techniques, in order to evaluate their performances and identify possible improvement strategies. Activities and products of Lines 1 and 2: publications, conference communications, theses and dissertations, seminars, organization of the three editions of the international conference "Innovative Materials for Energy"