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 Proof-of-Concept A.L.I.C.E. or "Actuators based on Light sensitive CompositE" aims at the development of innovative materials through 3D/4D printing processes and uses them as actuators in the fields of photovoltaics, concentrated solar power, thermodynamic solar, and other applications such as optical deflectors, optical microvalves, and optical switches.

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.

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.

The proposed technology takes advantages of the huge potentialities of the gellan gum microgels in the preservation of cultural heritage. Microgels are polymeric gels particles with the micro and nanoscale size, whose soft nature is due to the presence of the aqueous solvent inside the particle. For their small size, they can easily diffuse in the environment and penetrate in the porous structure of paper and wood to act as cleaner agent.

The current technology allows to achieve new macroporous superadsorbent polymeric materials able to remove toxic contaminants from water and soil showing excellent sequestering properties against arsenate As (V), chromate Cr (VI) and Borate B (III) ions. The material is obtained by radical cryopolymerization of the monomer 4'-vinyl-benzyl-N-methyl-D-glucamine and / or its mixtures with hydroxyethyl-methacrylate (HEMA).

VisLab laboratory of IMM possesses a latest generation Raman micro-spectroscope equipped for vibrational measurements with high spatial and spectral resolution, at controlled temperature and in fast-imaging. The apparatus can be used to collect information and chemico-physical maps without the need for sample preparation and alteration, therefore for non-destructive studies and in operating conditions.

INCIPIT technology allowed the implementation of a multifunctional, micro-structured and electroconductive therapeutic product to treat patients with myocardial infarction, the leading cause of death for cardiovascular disease.  Current therapies (drugs, bypass, angioplasty) do not restore the functionality of damaged myocardial tissue.

The herein described technology aims at the development of a platform of injectable hydrogels for application as drug carriers for localized delivery or in the regenerative medicine field. The use of ad-hoc synthesized poly(ether urethane)s (PEUs) as hydrogel forming materials is a common property which characterizes all the systems belonging to this platform.

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 proposed technology offers a novel and versatile method for detecting cracks in insulating materials of electrically polarized metal devices, i.e. dielectric coatings on metals, especially in low-pressure gas environments. It uses an ionized plasma that interacts uniformly with the insulating surface, allowing to detect defects invisible to the naked eye. The detection occurs in a single test without changing the environmental conditions and without risking harmful electrical discharges.

Combinations of several enzymes in a production chain are preferred to “first generation” enzymatic processes (where the "single reaction - single enzyme" principle was followed), for the synthesis of compounds with high added value starting from simple and cheap substrates. An important requirement for obtaining control in "cascade enzymatic reactions" is the ability to deliver from one biocatalyst to the next one the various intermediates, limiting as much as possible the diffusion of the latter in the solvent.

The technology refers to an innovative plasma (ionized gas) source operating at atmospheric pressure and low electric power levels. A cold plasma is produced, characterized by an ion temperature significantly lower than the electron temperature. Partial ionization of a Helium flux is induced by a time-varying electric field in between two parallel grids, both perpendicular to the flux itself.

This technology describe the synthesis of cross-linked polymeric materials in the form of macroporous gels based on poly (2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate), capable of sequestering the anticoagulant heparin from aqueous solutions, physiological solutions and biological fluids. They are morphologically elastic and mechanically stable materials, and show high specificity and selectivity for heparin as demonstrated by the negligible adsorption of specific blood proteins such as antithrombin III, albumin and total proteins.

AIS aim is a robotized inclinometer measurement in standard inclinometer boreholes. The deep measurements have multiple applications, including: evaluating the rate of deep-seated ground deformation in landslide areas, evaluating the volume of deep-seated landslides and assessing landslide hazards. The AIS is composed by an electronic control manager, an inclinometer probe and an electric motor equipped with a high precision encoder for handling and continuous control of the probe in the borehole.