Materials Science: Applied Geo-science and Innovation
Research area: Applied Earth Sciences
Coordinators: Maria Pia Riccardi, Gisella Rebay, Farncesco Zucca, Maya Musa, Giacomo Zatti, Athos Callegari
ERC sectors: PE10_10 Mineralogy, petrology, igneous petrology, metamorphic petrology; PE10_11 Geochemistry, cosmochemistry, crystal chemistry, isotope geochemistry, thermodynamics; PE4_17 Characterisation methods of materials
1. Valorization of secondary raw materials from hydrothermal treatments of biomass, waste, and industrial byproducts
The design and production of bricks, ceramics, and cement, produced through low-impact processes and recovering primary waste processing products, is moving toward the goals set out in the "2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development." The research addresses the feasibility of innovative and green solutions for the production of new materials for use in the construction sector, using products derived from chemical or thermochemical treatments of sewage sludge as additives for brick mixes, waste, and byproducts of industrial production (industrial symbiosis). Specific research topics: formulation, properties, and durability of bricks containing biosolids; cementitious materials with low environmental impact.
2. Managing raw material supply risks in the ceramic supply chain
A new "sustainable business" model must seek innovation through knowledge of raw materials. The textural, mineralogical, chemical, and geochemical parameters of geomaterials influence the firing process; improved management of these parameters can optimize the production system. The research is part of the resource supply issues in the ceramic industry. These issues currently represent a high-risk strategic issue. The study, conducted at different observation scales (from quarry to finished product), is developed in close collaboration with companies in the sector. The methodological approach model is replicable in other contexts. raw material-intensive production processes. Specific research topics: raw materials for ceramic production, study of national deposits and their use in ceramic bodies, study of the firing behavior of stoneware bodies, waste materials as components in ceramic and glaze recipes.
UNIMORE (Cristina Siligardi, Anna Maria Ferrari, Ulpiana Kocollari), UNICAL (Mauro La Russa), UNISS (Antonello Monsù Scolaro), UNIBS (Nicola Saccani), UNIBZ (Ervin Rauch) UNIBA (Michele Zema); Universidad Rey Juan Carlos – Madrid (Fernando E. Garcıa-Muina), Eduardo Torroja Inst. - IETcc-CSIC, Madrid (Ana Fernández-Jiménez, Angel Palomo), Gresmalt – Sassuolo (MO) (Davide Settembre Blundo), Smalticeram - Sassuolo (MO) (Marianna Laera), Fornace Robecco Pavese (PV) (Paolo Fagioli); Syngen – Piacenza (Fabio Cella), Gruppo CAP – Milano (Desdemona Oliva), MONDOPULITO – Slovacchia
1. MISE2: Design and testing of an advanced ceramic manufacturing system (predictive, adaptive, and intelligent) capable of improving the environmental and socioeconomic sustainability of processes and products and thus increasing competitiveness in end markets.
2. IESMAN: Internet of Enterprise Sustainable MANufactoring: Development of an Internet of Enterprise model for sustainable manufacturing for inks, glazes, and ceramic tiles.
3. LIFE FREEDOM: Solving treatment of wastewater sewage sludge with new HTL technology to produce hydrocarbons, asphalts and fertilizers.
Fernández Miguel, A., Riccardi, M. P., García-Muiña, F. E., Fernández del Hoyo, A. P., Veglio, V., & Settembre-Blundo, D. (2024). From Global to Glocal: Digital Transformation for Reshoring More Agile, Resilient, and Sustainable Supply Chains. Sustainability, 16(3), 1196.
Ali, S. M., Appolloni, A., Cavallaro, F., D’Adamo, I., Di Vaio, A., Ferella, F., ... & Zorpas, A. A. (2023). Development goals towards sustainability. Sustainability, 15(12), 9443.
Occhipinti, R., Fernández-Jiménez, A. M., Palomo, A., Tarantino, S. C., Riccardi, M. P., Clausi, M., & Zema, M. (2023). Effect of NaOH molarity on the formation of hybrid cements from sulfate-bearing clay and Pietra Serena sludge. Materials Letters, 335, 133774.
Fernández-Miguel, A., Riccardi, M. P., Veglio, V., García-Muiña, F. E., Fernández del Hoyo, A. P., & Settembre-Blundo, D. (2022). Disruption in resource-intensive supply chains: reshoring and nearshoring as strategies to enable them to become more resilient and sustainable. Sustainability, 14(17), 10909.