Personal Information

Fields of Interest and Expertise

Self-assembly of bio-inspired surfactants (nucleolipids and ascorbic acid derivatives) and of biomolecules (cyclodextrins).

Core-shell nanostructures with tunable magnetic properties.

Inorganic nanophases applied to Cultural Heritage conservation and to nanocoating of materials (building materials, textiles, etc..).

Interaction potentials in protein solutions.

Nanostructured surfaces for biosensors application.

Additive effects on microstructure and hydration in cement pastes.

Confined water in inorganic and biological matrices.

Stabilization of soot in oil formulations.

Teaching

Chimica Fisica II (LT Chimica, Univ. Firenze)

Chimica Fisica dei Sistemi Dispersi e delle Interfasi (LM Scienze Chimiche, Univ. Firenze)

Chimica per la Conservazione dei Beni Culturali (LM Scienze Chimiche, Univ. Firenze)

Curriculum Vitae

Download the short CV

1977: Degree in Chemistry at the University of Florence (110 cum laude /110). Thesis title: "Synthesis and characterization of semipermeable membranes for gas separation".

1978-1981: Fellowship from National Council of Research (CNR).

1981-1986: Researcher at the Department of Chemistry, University of Florence.

1986: Post-doc at the Department of Chemistry, University of Houston, USA, Prof. Larry Kevan.

1987-1989: Visiting scientist/professor at the Department of Chemistry, University of Houston, USA, Prof. Larry Kevan.

1987-1994: Associate Professor of Physical-Chemistry at the University of Udine and Florence (1993-1994), Italy.

1990: Visiting Professor, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Department of Chemical-Physics, Rehovot, Israel, Prof. D. Goldfarb.

1994: Visiting professor, College de France, Paris, Laboratoire de la Matiere Condensee, Profs. P.G. de Gennes and J. M. di Meglio.

1994 - present: Full Professor of Physical Chemistry, University of Florence.

2001-2002: Visiting Professor/Research Fellow, Department of Nuclear Engineering, MIT, Cambridge, Prof. Sow-Hsin Chen.

2004 – present: MIT affiliate, Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering, MIT, Cambridge.

Awards

2002: Rhodia Prize - European Colloids and Interface Society (ECIS).

2004: Grand Prix for Innovation Award.

2010: Caballero Aguila (The most prestigious recognition from CONACULTA-INAH for the Mexican Cultural Heritage conservation).

2011: Lifetime achievements for the contribution to Colloids and Interface Science (JCIS).

2012: Catedra de Fisica, University of San Luis Potosi, Mexico.

2016: Chen Distinguished Lectureship on Neutron Science and Technology, Taiwan Ministry of Science and Technology, National Tsing Hua University.

2016: Bonino Medal, Italian Chemical Society.

2016: Overbeek Medal, European Colloids and Interface Society.

2017: Lectureship award of the division of Colloid and Surface Chemistry, The Chemical Society of Japan.

• Florence

• Multi-scale investigation of gelatin/poly(vinyl alcohol) interactions in water. COLLOIDS AND SURFACES A-PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND ENGINEERING ASPECTS (2017)
• Innovative chemical gels meet enzymes: A smart combination for cleaning paper artworks. JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE (2017)
• Dewetting acrylic polymer films with water/propylene carbonate/surfactant mixtures - implications for cultural heritage conservation. PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY CHEMICAL PHYSICS (2017)
• Surface cleaning of artworks: structure and dynamics of nanostructured fluids confined in polymeric hydrogel networks. PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY CHEMICAL PHYSICS (2017)
• Two-phase water model in the cellulose network of paper. CELLULOSE (2017)