Luca Magagnin

The Internet of Things (IoT) market is a quickly growing field that has great economic potential and attracts interest from researchers. Progress in this field relies on the ability to integrate smart devices with everyday objects and instruments. Therefore, energy storage plays a critical role in powering these devices. In this context, inkjet printing of batteries can be framed as a potentially innovative fabrication technique that combines the benefits of thin-film technology for lightness, mechanical flexibility, and ease of integration. The main bottleneck to obtaining a full inkjet-printed battery is printing the current collector (CC), whose role is to electrically bridge the electrodes to an external circuit and mechanically support the electrodes. A simple ink formulation based on hydrophilic and electronically conductive Ti3C2Tx MXene has been proposed for printing current collectors in this work. We have analyzed substrate …

The rechargeable flow battery comprises a first half cell and a second half cell, each comprising a work tank wherein an electrode and a current collector are placed, and wherein an electrolyte is made to flow from an external tank, connected to the work tank in a closed loop configuration. The first and second half cells are separated by a separator.

The present work investigates the applicability of laser assisted electrodeposition (LAE) to the plating of binary metallic alloys from aqueous solutions and in absence of any external polarization. PdPt was chosen as prototypical system and the deposition was carried out from phosphate-based electrolytes. The effect of electrolyte formulation and laser parameters on the composition, thickness and physical properties of the alloys was studied. In order to provide more insight on the LAE deposition process of alloys, the electrochemical properties of the electrolytes employed were correlated with the properties of the materials obtained. In analogy with standard alloy plating processes, a clear link between the currents observed for the reduction of the two single metals and the composition/thickness of the coated PdPt layers could be established. Compositionally tunable and continuous PdPt coatings were obtained …

Zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) are currently being studied as an alternative to lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). The nucleation and growth of the zinc deposition mechanism is a critical field of research in ZIBs, as it directly affects the battery efficiency and lifespan. It is of paramount importance in mitigating the formation of porous, dendritic Zn structures that may cause cell inefficiency and, eventually, short-circuiting failures. Interfacial engineering plays a key role in providing reversible plating and stripping of metallic Zn in ZIBs through the proper regulation of the electrode–electrolyte interface. In this work, we investigated the behavior and characteristics of Zn plating on inkjet-printed Ti3C2Tx MXene-coated substrates according to the different electrolyte compositions. Specifically, ZnCl2 and ZnSO4 solutions were employed, evaluating the effect of a relatively low-molecular-weight polyethylene glycol (PEG400) addition to the electrolyte as additive. Electrochemical analyses demonstrated higher deposition kinetics in chloride-based electrolytes rather than sulfate ones, resulting in lower nucleation overpotentials. However, the morphology and microstructure of the plated Zn, investigated via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), revealed that the electrolytic solution played a predominant role in the Zn crystallite formation rather than the Ti3C2Tx MXene coating. Specifically, the preferential Zn [002] orientation could be favored when using additive-free ZnSO4 solution, and a PEG addition was found to be an efficient texturing agent only in ZnCl2 solution.

This invention refers to an innovative treatment capable of forming a coating on metallic lithium. This coating is able to solve the problem of dendritic growth, which represents a safety risk for batteries in terms of overheating or even catching fire. It is a process for the surface fluorination of metallic lithium using elemental fluorine. In this way, a uniform and impurity-free surface layer of lithium fluoride is formed on the whole surface of metallic lithium. This highly reproducible treatment can also be carried out on a large scale; it allows the creation of a material that can be advantageously used as anode in lithium batteries, since it guarantees significantly higher performances than those obtained by using bare metallic lithium anodes, and also those with lithium metal anodes equipped with a lithium fluoride layer, in which the creation of a lithium fluoride layer is achieved in situ by organic or other inorganic fluorinating …

In modern biomedical technology, the fabrication of high-performance sensors for dopamine detection is an important issue because dopamine is a major neurotransmitter and abnormal level of its concentration in the human body is accountable for several neurological diseases. Here, we report a highly sensitive and selective surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor modified with small copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) for experimentally detecting dopamine. Fiber optic sensing probes were fabricated by depositing a 50 nm thick gold film over the unclad portion of a multimode optical fiber using magnetron sputtering, and then further modified with synthesized CuO NPs (~7 nm). Detection of dopamine with the designed SPR sensor was achieved for a wide range of concentrations from very low concentrations with a limit of detection at 1.11 nM and up to 50 nM. The maximum sensitivity was achieved as 0 …

Polymer electrolytes represent a safer alternative over traditional liquid electrolytes, enabling the use of higher energy density active materials as electrodes for batteries. Among the wide variety of different polymeric matrix that are currently been proposed, polyethylene oxide (PEO) is considered one of the most promising. In this work, a PEO-based quasi-solid polymer electrolyte (QSPE) was produced by easily scalable solution casting technique, optimized with addition of plasticizers and blended with polypropylene carbonate (PPC). The resulting polymer electrolyte was ultimately supported to glass fiber separator. Improvement of ionic conductivity, transfer number and electrochemical stability window of the different formulations was confirmed through electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and linear sweep voltammetry. Plating and stripping tests in symmetric Lisingle bondLi cells and charge–discharge …

The new concept of anode-free Li batteries (AFLBs) with no excess lithium, while retaining numerous strengths, does come with certain challenges, such as high capacity loss and low coulombic efficiency. These challenges can be addressed through the utilization of modified lithiophilic current collectors to enhance the electrochemical performances. Herein, we investigated the surface modification of the Cu current collector by zinc electrodeposition to provide a lithiophilic thin layer. This process aims to facilitate a smoother plating/stripping process, leading to a uniform and dendrite-free lithium deposition on the LixZny phase formed at the first stages of plating. The zinc-modified current collectors improved cell's performances, including smooth and dense lithium deposition, reduced overpotential at various applied current densities (44.5 mV to 16.8 mV @0.25 mA cm−2), prolonged cycling stability for about 300 …

Energy storage technologies are crucial in the next green-energy transition. In particular, Li-ion batteries (LIBs) are nowadays the reference technology for many applications including, in particular, the forthcoming electrical mobility. In the last years, the deep investigation of the plethora of complex phenomena controlling the charge storage mechanism in LIBs allowed a considerable improvement in LIBs performance. In this regard, in situ analysis played a fundamental role in the comprehension of the degradation processes occurring at the electrode/electrolyte interface. In particular, in situ electro chemical atomic force microscopy (EC-AFM), consisting in high-resolution microscopy under electrochemical control, uniquely allowed to monitor the evolution in morphology and mechanical properties of the solid-electrolyte interface (SEI) forming at low potential on the graphitic anodic electrodes of LIBs. In this work, we employed in situ EC-AFM measurements and ex situ ToF-SIMS analysis as representative techniques to provide a comprehensive morphological and compositional overview of the SEI film formed under cyclic voltammetry experiments. The work aims to provide guidelines in the SEI evolution when highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG), which can be considered a model electrode, is employed. The reported in situ data are in agreement with current interpretative models. The ex situ ToF-SIMS analysis discloses a film composition where different Li compounds are uniformly distributed on the electrode surface

The influence of the current density utilized during electrolytic zinc phosphate deposition on the properties of the final coatings has been investigated. The adoption of a concentrated electrolyte allows satisfactory coating properties with current densities as high as 100 mA cm−2, resulting in exceptional deposition rates. The size of the Zn3PO4 crystals was shown to decrease with the current density, which in turn affected the coatings final properties. An explanation to this finding was provided following classical nucleation theory. Samples obtained at 25 and 50 mA cm−2 featured more compact layers while samples obtained at 100 mA cm−2 were thicker but porous. Scratch test was used to assess wear resistance, which was observed to be increasing with the applied current density. The more compact layers obtained at 25 and 50 mA cm−2 provided an enhanced corrosion resistance as highlighted by …

In this work, a novel adsorbent was evaluated for eliminating heavy metal ions from water. The cyano-functionalized silica aerogels (ANSA-X) were fabricated by functionalizing silica aerogel with 2-cyanoethyltriethoxysilane, and then further by the reaction with hydroxylamine hydrochloride to obtain amidoxime-functionalized silica aerogels (AOSA-X) with a large specific surface area. The FTIR and NMR analysis indicated that cyano was successfully transformed into amidoxime groups. Adsorption experiments showed the adsorption performed well with the Langmuir isotherm, and AOSA3 exhibited the optimum adsorption property with 598.05 mg/g for Pb (II) and 534.10 mg/g for Cu (II). The thermodynamic results indicated that spontaneous endothermic process was the nature of the adsorption. The adsorption rate of AOSA3 was above 86% after five successive adsorption–desorption cycles. XPS analysis and …

The present invention relates to an electric power generator and a power generator module containing an active organic material.

It is described a Zn—Fe quasi-solid redox battery (QSRB) making use of low cost and earth abundant materials as reactive species, comprising:—a first half-cell comprising a first quasi-solid electrolyte in which are dissolved Zn 2+ ions or a first quasi-solid electrolyte in which are dispersed organic and/or inorganic electroactive particles containing zinc ions in different oxidation states, and a current collector and an electrode disposed within the first half-cell;—a second half-cell comprising a second quasi-solid electrolyte in which are dissolved Fe 2+ and Fe 3+ ions or a second quasi-solid electrolyte in which are dispersed organic and/or inorganic electroactive particles containing Fe 2+ and Fe 3+ ions, and a current collector and an electrode disposed within the second half-cell; and—a separator between the two half-cells.

The archeological iron objects found in sea water are coated by large amounts of mineralized iron and CaCO3 deposits with the presence of micro- and macrobiological components. The aim of the present work is to propose the techniques which can avoid the detachment or the damage of the mineralized iron featuring the surface layers and the deposits generated by the long permanence in the sea environment. Actually, these elements can be the source of important historical information but can be rapidly degraded by the successive exposition in the atmosphere. The importance to control the pH, redox potentials, and osmotic pressure of the solution before the first period of conservation has been pointed out. Moreover, the decreasing surface tension of the liquid phase during the drying has been recognized as a critical aspect to avoid the crack-splitting phenomena of the surface layers. Correct extraction of the …

Integrated sensors for real-time monitoring og biological barriers in engineered cell culture dynamic in vitro models IRIS IRIS Home Sfoglia Macrotipologie & tipologie Autore Titolo Riviste Tipologia Data di pubblicazione IT Italiano Italiano English English LOGIN 1.IRIS 2.Catalogo Pubblicazioni POLIMI 3.04 CONTRIBUTO IN ATTI DI CONVEGNO 4.04.1 Contributo in Atti di convegno Integrated sensors for real-time monitoring og biological barriers in engineered cell culture dynamic in vitro models Perottoni S; Donnaloja F;Boeri L;Magagnin L; Giordano C 2023-01-01 Scheda breve Scheda completa Scheda completa (DC) Anno di pubblicazione 2023 Titolo del libro Eight National Congress of Bioengineering Proceedings ISBN (International Standard Book Number) 9788855580113 Appare nelle tipologie: 04.1 Contributo in Atti di convegno File in questo prodotto: File Dimensione Formato proceedings_gnb2023 …

In the last few years, the manufacturing of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) by means of innovative tridimensional and bidimensional printing technologies has significantly catalyzed the attention of researchers. Inkjet material deposition, in particular, can become a key enabling technology for the production of polymer-based inertial sensors characterized by low cost, high manufacturing scalability and superior sensitivity. In this paper, a fully inkjet-printed polymeric accelerometer is proposed, and its manufacturing steps are described. The manufacturing challenges connected with the inkjet deposition of SU-8 as a structural material are identified and addressed, resulting in the production of a functional spring-mass sensor. A step-crosslinking process allows optimization of the final shape of the device and limits defects typical of inkjet printing. The resulting device is characterized from a morphological point of view, and its functionality is assessed in performing optical readout. The acceleration range of the optimized device is 0–0.7 g, its resolution is 2 × 10−3 g and its sensitivity is 6745 nm/g. In general, the work demonstrates the feasibility of polymeric accelerometer production via inkjet printing, and these characteristic parameters demonstrate their potential applicability in a broad range of uses requiring highly accurate acceleration measurements over small displacements.

The emerging wearable electronics integrated into textiles are posing new challenges both in materials and micro-fabrication strategies to produce textile-based energy storage and power source micro-devices. In this regard, inkjet printing (IJP) offers unique features for rapid prototyping for various thin-film (2D) devices. However, all-inkjet-printed capacitors were very rarely reported in the literature. In this work, we formulated a stable Ti3C2 MXene aqueous ink for inkjet printing current-collector-free electrodes on TPU-coated cotton fabric, together with an innovative inkjet-printable and UV-curable solvent-based electrolyte precursor. The electrolyte was inkjet-printed on the electrode’s surface, and after UV polymerization, a thin and soft gel polymer electrolyte (GPE) was obtained, resulting in an all-inkjet-printed symmetrical capacitor (a-IJPSC). The highest ionic conductivity (0.60 mS/cm) was achieved with 10 wt.% of acrylamide content, and the capacitance retention was investigated both at rest (flat) and under bending conditions. The flat a-IJPSC textile-based device showed the areal capacitance of 0.89 mF/cm2 averaged on 2k cycles. Finally, an array of a-IJPSCs were demonstrated to be feasible as both a textile-based energy storage and micro-power source unit able to power a blue LED for several seconds.

The integration of cobalt borate OER catalysts with electrodeposited BiVO4-based photoanodes through a simple drop casting technique was shown to provide an improvement of the photoelectrochemical performance of electrodes under simulated solar light. Catalysts were obtained by chemical precipitation mediated by NaBH4 at room temperature. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) investigation of precipitates showed a hierarchical structure with globular features covered in nanometric thin sheets providing a large active area, whereas X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy highlighted their amorphous structure. The photoelectrochemical behavior of samples was investigated by linear scan voltammetry (LSV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) techniques. The amount of particles loaded onto BiVO4 absorbers was optimized by variation of the drop cast volume. The enhancement …

Development of a clean energy system not emitting carbon dioxide is today an urgent task for the creation of a sustainable energy society. Hydrogen (H2) is a promising energy storage medium, whose market is expected to increase in the near future in a 5–10% per year due to its use as energy vector in the transportation sector [1]. Unfortunately, ca. 96% its production is based on non-renewable sources and 4% comes from water splitting [2]. In this frame, the electrochemical treatment of wastewater could be considered a valuable solution for green H2 production: it has been demonstrated that organic pollutants in wastewaters containing high level of chemical energy are excellent electrons donors and suitable candidates for producing H2 [3]. In parallel, heterogeneous photocatalysis has emerged as an interesting strategy to treat wastewaters, since it operates under mild conditions, and degrades many pollutants without chemical oxidant addition. Unfortunately, it is recognized as a slow process, assuring high efficiency only when it works in low polluted waters. According to these premises, coupling electroxidation and photocatalysis in cascade could be considered a suitable solution in solving the issues related to the environmental pollution, producing green energy at the same time. Herein, we present our preliminary results aimed at coupling electrolysis and photocatalysis, reducing the environmental pollution and alternatively producing green hydrogen. Simulated drugs-containing wastewaters can be partially depolluted by electrolysis. In this way, at the cathode H2 is produced, whereas at the anode the organic compounds are partially …

Ruthenium as a metal is characterized by interesting technological and aesthetic properties, which make it an ideal choice for many applications. Ruthenium is dark grey in appearance, it presents a reduced tendency to corrode, low contact resistance and high hardness. When applied in the form of thin films, it can be used in jewels production, protection of electrical contacts, deposition of barrier layers in microelectronics and manufacturing of interconnects in integrated circuits [1].Ruthenium layers can be advantageously deposited exploiting electrodeposition, typically from aqueous sulfamate based electrolytes containing the metal in the form of a complex known as μ-nitridobisaquatetrachlororuthenate [Ru2(μ-N)(H2O)2Cl8]3-. These baths are routinely used at the industrial level and provide good coatings at acceptable cathodic efficiencies. However, ruthenium tends to oxidize in aqueous environment and the …