7.

Sustainable Innovative and Revolutionary Production of Turquoise Hydrogen. Acronym: SPIRIT. 

Regione Lombardia “Collabora & Innova” Grant Scheme. ERDF REGIONAL PROGRAM 2021-2027. 

Axis 1: "A more competitive and smarter Europe”. 

Specific Objective 1.1 "Develop and strengthen research and innovation capacities and the introduction of advanced technologies". Action 1.1.3. "Support for the implementation of complex research, development, and innovation projects". 

Total Amount Project: 4,207,673 €

UNIT BICOCCA: 1,144,222.66 € (Requested UNIMIB: 343.272,65 €) 

ROLE: PI UNIT LEADER for UNIMIB UNIT 

6.

Development and Testing of a Scalable Anionic Membrane Electrolyzer Using Platinum-Free, Non-Critical, and Non-Toxic Materials for the Production of Clean and Green Hydrogen. Acronym: AMBITION. 

National recovery and resilience Plan (PNRR), Mission 2 “Green Revolution and Ecological Transition”, Component 2 “Renewable Energy, Hydrogen, Network and Sustainable Mobility”, Investment 3.5 “Hydrogen Research and Development”.

Sponsor: European Union – Next Generation EU – Italian Ministry of Environment and Energy Security. 

2025-2026. 

Total Amount: 3,318,660 €

UNIT Bicocca 750,010 €

ROLE: PI UNIT LEADER for UNIMIB UNIT

5.

Procedure 1.1.3. Agreement ENEA – University of Milano-Bicocca. Electrocatalysts Testing and optimization of deposition methods for the preparation of the electrodes. 

Sponsor: ENEA 

Amount: 75,000 €. 

Duration: 3 years (2023-2026). 

ROLE: Principal Investigator

This grant is competitive and peer reviewed. The work is based on electrocatalysts development for hydrogen evolution reaction and oxygen evolution reaction. The catalysts obtained are fully studied in terms of surface chemistry/morphology through microscopic and spectroscopic tools. The catalysts are also integrated into electrodes and tested electrochemically.

4.

Transformation of plastic waste in Electrocatalysts, Supported by exhausted gases recovery Layout (TESLA)

Joint Project with University of Brescia and CNR-ICCOM (Florence)

Sponsor: Cariplo Foundation, Call for Circular Economy. 

Amount: 300,000 €. 

Duration: 3 years (2023-2026). 

ROLE: Principal Investigator

This grant is competitive and peer reviewed. The work is based on valorization of waste plastic into electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction and hydrogen evolution reaction. Waste plastics will be characterized and the synthesis process will be selected to optimize the carbon characteristics. The catalysts obtained are fully studied in terms of surface chemistry and morphology through various microscopic and spectroscopic tools. 

FOLLOW THE WEBSITE: https://tesla.mater.unimib.it/

3.

Development of Ultra-active platinum-free electrocatalysts for water electrolysis: Breaking the glass ceiling and fulfilling the potential of alkaline water electrolysis and AEMFCs (WE-CAT). 

Bilateral Project Italy-Israel jointly with Bar-Ilan University (Prof. Lior Elbaz)

Sponsor: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI)

Amount: 100,000 €. 

Duration: 2 years (2023-2024). 

ROLE: Principal Investigator

This grant is competitive and peer reviewed. The work is based on synthesis of electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction and hydrogen evolution reaction. The catalysts obtained are fully studied in terms of surface chemistry and morphology through various microscopic and spectroscopic tools. The catalysts are also tested electrochemically and exploited into an anion exchange membrane water electrolyzer and into an alkaline water electrolyzer.

FOLLOW THE WEBSITE: https://wecat.mater.unimib.it/

2.

Pyrolysis processes for valorizing waste biomass and plastic through transformation into platinum-free catalysts for oxygen reduction and hydrogen evolution. 

Program for young researchers “Rita Levi Montalcini”

Sponsor: Italian Ministry of University and Research (MIUR). 

Amount: 315,081 €. 

Duration: 3 years (2021-2023). 

ROLE: Principal Investigator

This grant is competitive and peer reviewed. The work is based on pyrolysis of waste biomass and plastic for synthesizing electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction and hydrogen evolution reaction. The catalysts obtained are fully studied in terms of surface chemistry and morphology through various microscopic and spectroscopic tools and electrochemically tested.

1.   

The development of air-breathing cathodes for BioElectrochemical Sanitation Technology (BEST) systems. 

Sponsor: J. Craig Venter Institute. 

Total amount: 20,000 US$. 

Duration: 1 year. July 2015 – July 2016.

ROLE: Principal Investigator

This grant is competitive and peer reviewed. The work is based on developing air-breathing cathodes containing platinum-free catalysts for the reduction of oxygen in bioelectrochemical systems. 

8.

Bilateral project Italy- Germany. Project “DURALYS" 

"DURAble, Scalable, and Recyclable Components and Cell Designs for Next Generation Alkaline Exchange Membrane Water Electrolysis” 

This project is funded under the German-Italian Joint call for proposals on “Green Hydrogen Research: A Collaboration to Empower Tomorrow's Energy” within the framework of the collaboration between the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) and the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR). 

Amount: 1.5M €. 

Duration: 3 years. 2025 –2027. (co-PI) 

Principal Investigator UNIMIB: Piercarlo Mustarelli (@Materials Science, UNIMIB)

This contract was obtained through a scientific proposal submitted to MUR and MAECI that underwent external peer review. The project is based on the development of novel materials and their integration for anion exchange membrane water electrolyzers (AEM-WE).

7.

TRAMPOLINe-: A training programme to promote the industrial adoption of microbial electrochemical

technologies. Sponsor: MARIE Skłodowska-CURIE ACTIONS, Doctoral Networks (DN). 

Amount: 2,644,560 €. 

Duration: 4 years. 2025-2028 (Associate Partner)

Principal Investigator: Prof. Albert Guisasola (Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona).

Call: HORIZON-MSCA-2023-DN-01-01. 

University of Milano Bicocca and particularly EBLab as: 1) Secondment hosting for research and training; 2) Co-Supervisor of a PhD student; 3) Provide specialized Training courses. 

ROLE: co-Principal Investigator

6. 

Biochar production for environmental remediation. 

University of Milano-Bicocca and Ente Nazionale Idrocarburi (ENI) agreement. Sponsor: ENI. 

Amount: 300,000 €. 

Duration: 3 year. 2022 –2025. 

ROLE: co-Principal Investigator

This grant was obtained through a scientific proposal submitted to ENI. The project is based on the production of biochar from waste biomass and its utilization for environmental characterization.

5.  

Project NOENDCAT

Sponsor: Internal Italian CNR Funding. 

Amount: 120,576 €. 

Duration: 2 years. 2022-2023. 

Principal Investigator: Alessandro Lavacchi (@CNR-ICCOM)

Role in the project: External Collaborator

This grant is competitive and peer reviewed. This grant aims studying the fabrication of integrated electrocatalysts for electrochemical reactions.

4.

Bando Fondo di Ateneo – Quota Competitiva (FAQC). 

Call for proposals: Building a low-carbon, climate resilient future: Research and innovation in support of the European Green Deal (H2020-LC-GD-2020). TOPIC ID: LC-GD-8-1-2020: Innovative, systemic zero-pollution solutions to protect health, environment and natural resources from persistent and mobile chemicals. 

Sponsor: University of Milano-Bicocca. 

Amount: 25,000 €. 

Duration: 1 year. 2021 –2022. 

ROLE: co-Principal Investigator

3.     

Biofilm evolution in microbial fuel cells fed Yeo Valley wastewater. 

Sponsor: National Biofilms Innovation Center (NBIC). 

Amount: 47,500 £. 

Duration : 6 months. June 2019 – December 2019. 

ROLE: Co-Principal Investigator

This grant is competitive and peer reviewed. The work is based on analyzing the biofilm development over the anode electrodes of microbial fuel cells fuelled with dairy wastewater collected at different stage.

2.

BioElectrochemical Treatment System (BETS) to Remove Contaminants of Emerging Concern. 

Sponsor: US Army Medical Research and Materiel Command. 

Total UNM amount: 300,000 US$. 

Duration: 2 years. October 2015 – October 2017. 

ROLE: Co-Principal Investigator

This grant is competitive and peer reviewed. The work is based on fabricating a large scale bioelectrochemical system capable of degrading organic molecules and producing useful electricity. Major attention is devoted on the analysis of influents and effluents for the determination of emerging contaminants through high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).

1.     

Efficient Microbial Bio-electrochemical Systems. 

Sponsor: Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. 

Total UNM amount: 350,000 US$. November 2015 – November 2017. 

Duration: 2 years. 

Investment ID OPP1139954. 

ROLE: Co-Principal Investigator

This grant is competitive and peer reviewed. The work is based on synthesizing a new class of catalyst platinum-free for the reduction of oxygen in bioelectrochemical systems. The synthesis is based on high temperature and controlled atmosphere processes involving transition metals. The catalysts obtained are fully studied in terms of surface chemistry and morphology through various microscopic and spectroscopic tools.