This doctoral thesis covers diverse research efforts aimed at understanding of chemical reactivity and developing innovations regarding electrochemical processes in the field of organic chemistry and material sciences. In summary, during my PhD studies, I explored electrochemical methods for efficient organic synthesis and, to a lesser extent, for applications in bioelectronics. Additionally, I leveraged DFT calculations as mechanistic tools to explain and support reactivity insights.
In Ch...
Electroplating allow to deposit a thin metal film coating on other metal item using special baths containing not just metal salts, but a wide range of organic and inorganic components used mainly to improve the quality of the deposition and the stability of the bath. Once the baths are used they still contain a lot of metal salt and complexes, alongside the organic and inorganic additives, which might cause serious environmental hazards, as this waste need to be stock in special landfills wit...
The effects of global warming are devastating ecosystems and driving the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy. Achieving a carbon-neutral energy system requires efficient devices for storing and converting renewable energy. Hydrogen, produced via water electrolysis, is a promising zero-emission energy carrier. However, its production is hindered by slow reaction kinetics, necessitating costly noble metal catalysts. Transition metals, abundant and cost-effective, are a viable alter...
This study explores an innovative method for hydrogen storage by reactivating spent coconut-based activated carbon (SAC), originally used in water filtration, through chemical activation with KOH. The resulting activated carbons (ACs) exhibit high specific surface areas (ABET up to 2600 m²/g) and total pore volumes (VT up to 1.50 cm³/g). Additionally, the reactivation process enhances carbon purity and results in carbon enrichment, yielding a higher quality material than the pristine SAC. The...
The commercialization of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs) for H₂ energy remains challenged by performance, durability, and cost. While platinum-based catalysts are highly active for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction (ORR), they suffer from degradation due to metal dissolution, nanoparticle growth, and carbon support corrosion. This study explores CeO2, ZrO2, and SnO2 as oxide supports for Pt catalysts, evaluating activity and durability through Rotating Disk Electrode (RDE), Gas Diffu...
Haemostasis is a finely balanced process, representing a physiological defense response to blood vessel wall injuries. It requires a precise regulation, to ensure clot formation only when necessary and clot dissolution once the vessel is healed. This delicate balance can become disrupted by different causes, leading to several pathological conditions, that can be either bleeding disorders or thrombotic disorders. A key component of haemostasis is blood coagulation, that involves a complex cas...
Vimentin is an intermediate filament protein whose overexpression is associated with epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cancer progression. This protein is primarily located in the cytoplasm, but it is also found in the nuclear matrix of metastatic cancer cells. Studies identified that the nuclear fraction of Vimentin can bind guanine-rich genomic sites. These sequences can fold into a non-canonical secondary structure of DNA called G4 and they play crucial roles in genome mainten...
This thesis illustrates how non-traditional drug discovery techniques have been successfully applied to drug targets previously considered undruggable. Additionally, a novel methodology recently developed to overcome one of the limitations of such cutting-edge approaches is described.
La presente ricerca è incentrata sullo studio di due distinti contesti residenziali ubicati presso la porzione sud-occidentale di Pompei: la domus situata al piano terra del Complesso delle Terme del Sarno (VIII 2, 21), indagata tra il 2018 e il 2022 dall’Università degli Studi di Padova, e la cosiddetta Casa di Giuseppe II (VIII 2, 38-39), collocata in prossimità del Foro Triangolare e scavata nel 1994 ad opera dell’Università di Roma La Sapienza.
Allo stato attuale delle conoscenze, tale se...
The present research project aims to develop innovative non-invasive protocols that effectively integrate the traditional spectroscopic methods used for the analysis of decorated surfaces, based on the outcomes on real-world case studies experimentation, in order to identify reliable and optimized strategies that simplify and codify the analytical work, making it applicable to related artworks. To this end, micro-Raman, fiber-optic reflectance, X-ray fluorescence, and infrared spectroscopies ...