Experimental Physical Chemistry

The Physical Chemistry Group - INnovative MATErials for Energy and Environment Lab  (INMATE² LAB) at the University of Sassari focuses on the exploration, synthesis, and advanced characterization of innovative materials for applications in energy storage and conversion, heterogeneous catalysis, aerospace technologies, and piezoelectric devices. Our multidisciplinary approach combines experimental research with computational techniques to address challenges in sustainability and technological innovation.

Our main research activities include:

• Development of innovative materials for solid-state hydrogen storage
• Design and optimization of lead-free piezoceramics
• Exploration of novel catalysts for hydrogen production via water splitting
• Sustainable technologies for the conversion of carbon dioxide into chemical fuels
• Investigation of anode, cathode, and solid electrolyte materials for next-generation ion batteries
• Study of nanostructured and metastable alloys with tailored properties
• Application of advanced materials science to cultural heritage preservation

Gabriele Mulas, mulas@uniss.it,  Professore Associato, CHIM/02, 0000-0003-2285-3955, 20735241700

Sebastiano Garroni, sgarroni@uniss.it ,  Professore Associato, CHIM/02, 0000-0001-7686-6589, 19933372700

Fabrizio Murgia, fmurgia@uniss.it ,  Ricercatore RTDa - MSCA , CHIM/02, 0000-0002-8270-5009, 56763823500

Laura Caggiu, Assegnista di Ricerca (fondi PRIN 2022), CHIM/02, 0000-0003-0939-7086

Costantino Cau, Studente di Dottorato, CHIM/02, 0000-0003-0496-5507

Gabriele Masia, Borsista (fondi CIRCC), CHIM02,

• Iacomini, A.; Tamayo-Ramos, J.; Rumbo, C.; Urgen, I.; b, cSend mail to Urgen I.,Mureddu M.aSend mail to Mureddu M.,Mulas G.aSend mail to Mulas G.,Enzo S.aSend mail to Enzo S.,Garroni S. Processing optimization and toxicological evaluation of “lead-free” piezoceramics: A knn-based case study, Materials 14 (2021) 4337.

• Torre, F.; Farina, V.; Taras, A.; Pistidda, C.; Santoru, A.; Bednarcik, J.; Mulas, G.;Enzo, S.; Garroni, S.; Room temperature hydrocarbon generation in olivine powders: Effect of mechanical processing under CO2 atmosphere, Powder Technology, 364 (2020) 915–923.

• Humphry-Baker, S.; Garroni, S.; Delogu, F.;, Schuh C.; Melt-driven mechanochemical phase transformations in moderately exothermic powder mixtures. Nature Materials, 2016, 15 1280-1287.

• Murgia, F.; Stievano, L.; Monconduit, L.; Berthelot, L.; Insight into the electrochemical behavior of micrometric Bi and Mg3Bi2 as high performance negative electrodes for Mg batteries, J. Mater. Chem. A,2015,3, 16478.

• Shang, Y.; Leib, Z.; Alvares, E.; Garroni, S.; et al.;  Ultra-lightweight compositionally complex alloys with large ambient-temperature hydrogen storage capacity, Materials Today, Volume67, July/August2023.

WORLD, Sebastiano Garroni, H2020-MSCA-RISE-2019, 460.000 € (59.800 € unità UNISS)

IUPITER, Sebastiano Garroni, PRINPNRR 2022, 231.802 € (122.772 €, unità UNISS)

I-CREATE, Sebastiano Garroni, PRIN 2022, 197.435 € (51.391 €, unità UNISS)

STREAM (Solid Through Rigid Electrolyte: Advanced Measurements), Fabrizio Murgia, Gabriele Mulas, HORIZON-MSCA-2021-PF-01, (172.750.08 €, unità singola UNISS)

Sintesi e caratterizzazione di sistemi chimici innovativi quali componenti in batterie secondarie “post-Litio”, Gabriele Mulas, PROGETTI DI RICERCA INTERDISCIPLINARE, DM737, (72684,57 €)

1. Development of Lead-Free Piezoceramics for Marine, Biomedical, and Automotive Applications.
2. Mechanically induced and photochemically induced Carbon Dioxide Sequestration and Valorization into Chemical Fuels
3. Development and Optimization of a Multifunctional Device for In-Situ Characterization of Piezoelectric Materials Under Controlled Temperature and Electric Field Conditions
4. Desing, synthesis and characterization of high entropy alloys for slid state hydrogen storage.
5. Mechanosynthesis of Pharmaceutical co-crystal
6. New materials from minerals: Characterisation, chemical reactivity and potential energy-related properties of natural silicate- and oxide-based systems
7. Innovative chemical systems for electrode and electrolytic Lithium and post-Lithium ion batteries
8. Materials recovery and recycling from spent secondary batteries.
9. Raw minerals for waste oil recovery treatment.