Technologies

Bivalve mollusc shells are made mainly of CaCO₃ (ca 95%), with a small fraction of organic material. If from these shells this mineral is retrieved, they could become a renewable and sustainable “mine” of a “blue” CaCO₃. Bivalve mollusc shells, also after the removal of the animal flesh, maintain a certain quantity of organic substances, part in the muscle and part in the shell.

The technology, developed by CNR-ICB, is based on an innovative bioprocess called "Caphnophilic (CO2-requiring) Lactic Fermentation (CLF)”, developed in the hyperthermophilic bacterium Thermotoga neapolitana (EP patent: EP2948556B1), which allows the production of "green" hydrogen and capture and valorization of CO2 in L -lactic acid (98% e.e.).

Leishmaniasis is a zoonosis caused by the protozoan of the genus Leishmania, which affects both humans and animals through a phlebotomist. After malaria and lymphatic filariasis, leishmaniasis is the third most common disease on a global scale. Leishmania infantum is the species spread in the European continent and the Mediterranean basin. In Italy, from the hilly coastal areas and major islands, the infection has spread to many pre-Alpine areas and northern Italy.

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.

A virtuous multi-step biorefinery platform to convert urban biowaste into valuable molecules, not disregarding renewable energy and digestate production. The strategy is based on the integration of a thermal pretreatment capable of significantly increasing the fraction of fermentable organic carbon, in order to furthermore change the status of the feedstock to become more suitable for production of a) high-value bio-based molecules, b) biomethane and c) hygienized digestate to be recycled as biofertilizer.

The compact-GC platform is a MEMS-based analytical module for the purge&trap pre-concentration and (gas)-chromatographic separation of a sample. The two analytical MEMS (pre-concentrator and GC column) are interconnected by means of a MEMS microfluidic manifold. The microfluidic manifold interconnects the analytical MEMS, but it also acts as injector through the integrated micro-valves.

Our proposal consists in a quantum sensor based on a superconduc:ng resonator. The working principle is based on the exponential growth of the susceptibility in proximity of a critical phase transition, where the system quickly switches from the vacuum state to a strong emission of easily detectable microwave signals, in response to extremely weak electromagnetic signals. The sensor can detect microwave and radiowave signals, with single-photon resolu:on.

Method for extracting, with high yield, phycobiliproteins from cyanobacterial and/or algal biomass, obtaining aqueous extracts characterized by high concentration of pigments (4-5 mg/mL)  and a purity, at least equal to food/cosmetic grade (P≥2).

We propose a portable chemical analysis system capable of identifying chemical substances at trace concentrations (sub-ppm), even in case of a complex matrix of interfering species.

In the last years, hop culture has spread throughout Italy, and the vegetative biomass disposal, after harvesting of cones, used for beer production, became a serious problem for hop growers. Hop plant contains in all parts, cones, shoots, leaves and roots, bioactive compounds, with proven and important antiviral, antibacterial and antioxidant properties.

Lifeshell is an anti-seismic furniture construction concept, which can be used for making wardrobes, tables, desktops, beds. It’s made by timber based panels: highly resistant and flexible, relatively lightweight and inexpensive. Lifeshell benefits from the natural wood elasticity and from smart connections for dissipating the great impact energies occurring during an earthquake. Lifeshell has been designed for resisting partial building collapses, and to provide a safe shell where inhabitants can find refuge.

The procedure enables the fabrication of nanocomposite membranes filled with suitable amounts of exfoliated bidimensional crystals. These are obtained with an advanced wet-jet milling technique, which provides desired thickness and lateral size of nanofillers through the pulverization and colloidal homogenization of bulk nanomaterials. The bidimensional crystals are dispersed in fluids and suitably delivered inside polymeric matrixes exhibiting a singular morphology.

WembraneX is an Italian start-up born with the ambition to make a significant contribution to UN Sustainable Goal 6 - Ensure Access to Clean Water and Sanitation for all by 2030.

The object of the technology is the development of a transferable methodology from the laboratory scale to the pilot scale to be validated in the industrial setting for the treatment of basic waste of natural polymers of agro-food or manufacturing industry.

The metasurface optomechanical modulator is a device designed to modulate the amplitude, phase and polarization of a beam of electromagnetic radiation, independently, or simultaneously, according to prescribed paths in the parameter space (for example, as regards polarization, paths on the Poincaré sphere). The concept of our device can be applied to the entire spectrum of electromagnetic waves: from radio frequency, to microwaves (GHz), to millimeter waves (THz), to far and near infrared radiation, and to visible light.