Technologies

B-ME developed the first thermoplastic composite electrode film based on bio-derived and biodegradable polyesters and carbon nano-fibers. It is metal-free, highly electrically conductive and possess good thermo-mechanical properties, a challenging combination of three features in a single product. This is the first-of-its-kind product, as, to the best of our knowledge, no thermoplastic biobased electrode film has been effectively produced and used so far.

Silicon nanowires (SiNWs) are 1D structures with diameter ranging from few tens to hundreds of nanometers and length varying from few tens of nanometers to millimiters. SiNWs are fabricated in the labs of the IMM-CNR, Rome Unit,  by using bottom-up technologies such as plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) at low growth temperature ((≤350°C), allowing the use of plastic and glassy substrates. Their electrical properties can be tuned by controlling the p/n doping during the growth.

We propose an optical technique for the fast check of the presence, on the exposed surfaces of persons and objects, of explosives and their precursors, or drugs, or in general materials which are not allowed in restricted environments: airports, courts, places of worship, etc. The technique yields bi-dimensional pictures, with exposure time of < 1 sec, reporting the target substances, and their locations and quantities. The technique already provided laboratory preliminary results, to be completed, and fully validated for sensitivity and selectivity.

The constant demand for more powerful and energy-efficient electronic devices than existing ones is challenging scientists and companies to develop innovative solutions that can address such primary technological needs. Based on a recent scientific discovery made by our team we have developed a technology for superfast and extremely scalable logic and computing circuits with minimal energy losses, which has the potential to become the leading technology in the future world of largescale computing and telecommunication infrastructures.

Uniform coverage with porous layers over extended surfaces is beneficial for many purposes. Depending on the nature/composition, thickness and interfaces of the layer, this kind of special coverage can assure pivotal properties such as transparency, bendability, high surface reactivity, intermixing capability. In the long list of desired porous materials, transparent oxides find application in the fields of Photovoltaics, Sensing, Photocatalysis, Water Purification and Splitting, Lithium Batteries and many more.

We have identified compounds that show a neuroprotective action in vivo, in models of neurodegenerative diseases (e.g. SMA, Parkinson, Alzheimer, Huntington) in the model organism C. elegans. These compounds consist of: mixtures of 22 natural extracts, 15 natural molecules and 11 synthetic molecules.

Design and testing of neoproteins with optimized nutritional value, according to needs, avoiding their degradation - thus maintaining a high production yield - and aggregation (which could make them indigestible). Neoproteins are produced and characterized in plant systems as bioreactors. We have already created zeolin, formed by the fusion of a bean seed protein with a portion of a maize seed protein.

The systems simulate, with high reproducibility, the conditions that occur in the different compartments of the gastrointestinal tracts and are promising to accurately mimic the digestive process, with the possibility to evaluate bioaccessibility and bioavailability. Moreover, the systems permit to study the synergic and reciprocal effects between the bioactive compounds characteristic of food and intestinal microbiota.

Plants can compete favorably with traditional expression systems (mammalian cells, yeasts or bacteria) to produce recombinant proteins/peptides of pharmaceutical/industrial/agrifood interest. This technology names “Plant Molecular Farming”. The CNR-IBBA research team offers the study of new strategies for the expression and optimization of recombinant proteins/peptides in plant-based systems (plant tissues, transgenic plants, plant cell culture). Our pipeline is based on the following modules:

The proposed technology deals with the development of active SERS (Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering) substrates ad hoc designed for diagnostics of cultural heritage. The substrates are prepared starting from common commercial 'polishing film' sheets (lapping optical fibers) showing an intrinsic roughness (48- 1000 nm) that favors the SERS effect. A pattern of silver or gold nanoparticles are deposited on these films through Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD).

Recently, it has been demonstrated that Raman spectroscopy can play a fundamental role in assisting the work of the anatomopathologist by allowing classification of oncological samples with practically 100% accuracy in oncological diagnosis.

Wine is one of the economically most important beverages and may be subject to fraud and mislabelling, although that there are specific and strict rules protecting its authenticity in Europe. Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs), recently identified and characterized thanks to advances in genomics, are considered the newest type of molecular marker for grapevine identification.

Environmental contamination is a prominent topic. Where the exposure to contaminants such as heavy metals (HMs) or polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is greater, the incidence of chronic degenerative diseases, such as oncologic, is increased. Scientific evidence reports that some phytochemicals are able to interact with HMs and PAHs by interfering with their cellular metabolism, inhibiting their cytotoxic mechanisms or helping to reduce tissue concentrations.

Spark anemometry based on the analysis of an electrical discharge can be implemented in the automotive sector through measurements of the secondary circuit voltage. Actual applicability of this method is quite limited, given that it requires additional hardware that is not compatible with space requirements specific for production engines (e.g. fueled with gasoline, LPG or methane); furthermore, applying high voltage measurements is complex and entails increased cost.

This technology is based on an algorithm able to provide the probability of being asthmatic with high accuracy. This probability is based on the evaluation of respiratory function and, specifically, of forced expiratory vital capacity in the first second (FEV₁), in resting conditions, and 20 minutes after administration of a bronchodilator drug.