Group for Applied Materials and Electrochemistry

Specific mission

The Group for Applied Materials and Electrochemistry (GAME Lab) is part of the Chemistry, Energy and Technology (CHENERGY) division within the Department of Applied Science and Technology (DISAT) of the Polytechnic of Torino. The GAME Lab research activity is mainly focused on analysing all the aspects related to innovative electrochemical systems for energy storage, which are fundamental to fully exploiting the potential of new technologies, such as smart electronics, energy generation from renewable sources and electric transport. The interests and skills of the GAME Lab concern the development of new materials (nanostructured electrodes and advanced polymeric/composite electrolytes) and innovative technologies for highly performant, safe, lightweight, low-cost, sustainable and environmental-friendly devices, such as lithium and sodium batteries, new zinc-ion and zinc-air batteries, lithium-sulfur batteries and supercapacitors, as well as new generations of photovoltaic and photoelectrochromic devices and materials for the reversible capture and storage of CO2.

Main research topics

  • Development and characterisation of innovative polymer electrolytes, including single ion conductors and self-healing materials, with high ionic conductivity and electrochemical stability, safe and with high mechanical properties, to be used in electrochemical energy generators and accumulators.
  • Development and characterisation of innovative ceramic electrolytes and polymer/ceramic composites with high ionic conductivity and electrochemical stability, safe and highly performant in lithium-ion batteries, lithium metal batteries and post-lithium devices.
  • Development of aqueous, and/or polymeric, and/or organic-inorganic hybrid electrolytes (e.g., based on either ionic liquids or on deep eutectic solvents) for new generation energy storage and conversion devices: supercapacitors, zinc-air cells, water-based solar cells, photoelectrochromic smart windows.
  • Use of innovative and/or bioderived materials, such as natural fibers or recycled polymers, as binders in electrodes and/or as electrolyte separators to develop eco-friendly and sustainable energy storage and conversion devices.
  • Synthesis and characterisation of nanostructured materials (oxides, phosphates, carbonaceous materials derived from the pyrolysis of food, agricultural and industrial wastes, graphene and new generation 2D-materials) for high energy and/or power density lithium-ion batteries and post-lithium energy storage systems, e.g. based on sodium, zinc and lithium-sulphur.
  • Use of advanced electrochemical techniques and computational modelling for the synthesis of new materials, for graphite expansion, for the transformation of natural fibers, and for reversible CO2 capture and storage.
  • Assembly of energy storage and conversion devices in controlled atmosphere environment such, as dry-room or glove-box, at lab and/or pre-industrial scale, and their electrochemical characterisation through cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic cycling and impedance spectroscopy.

Main partnerships

Within the Polytechnic of Torino, the GAME Lab mostly collaborates with the following research groups:

  • GLANCE (Glasses Ceramics and Composites) - DISAT
  • LaTEST (Laboratory for Theoretical and Experimental Superconducting Tunnelling) - DISAT
  • SIMTI (Materials Science and Engineering for Innovative Technologies) – DISAT
  • MPMNT (Materials and Processes for Micro & Nano Technologies Team) – DISAT
  • MOG (Microwaves and Optoelectronics Group) - DET
  • SMALL (multi-Scale ModeLing Laboratory) – DENERG
  • Active member of the interdepartmental research laboratory GRAPHENE @ PoliTO
  • Active member of the interdepartmental research laboratory ENERGY CENTER @ PoliTO
  • Active member of the research hub BIOCHAR @Polito

The GAME Lab has many collaborations with important Italian universities, consortia and research centers. Hereafter, the most significant collaborations are listed:

  • Proff. C. Barolo, G. Viscardi e S. Bordiga - University of Torino 
  • Prof. L. Marchese - University of Eastern Piedmont “Amedeo Avogadro”
  • Proff. B. Bozzini - Politecnico di Milano
  • Prof. M. Pavone and A.B. Munoz Garcia - University of Naples“Federico II”
  • Prof. R. Ruffo and P. Mustarelli  - University of Milano Bicocca
  • Prof. E. Quartarone  - University of Pavia
  • Proff. S. Brutti and M.A. Navarra - University of Roma “La Sapienza”
  • Prof. F. Nobili - University of Camerino
  • Prof. S. Licoccia - University of Roma “Tor Vergata”
  • Prof. V. Di Noto - University of Padova
  • Dr. P.P. Prosini and M. Moreno - ENEA Casaccia
  • Dr. S. Marchionna and I. Quinzeni - RSE
  • Dr. A. Di Blasi and V. Antonucci – CNR ITAE
  • Dr. A. Paolone – CNR ISC
  • Dr. M. Giuliano and V. Ravello – CRF
  • Prof. A. Caneschi and Prof. F. Bondioli – INSTM Consortium
  • Co-founder and active member of the GISEL (Italian group for electrochemical energy storage) network and the National Centre of Reference for Electrochemical Energy Storage Systems (GISEL-INSTM)

The GAME Lab is actively involved in many collaborations and research projects with international research centers, both European and extra-European, e.g.:

  • Dr. R. Salòt and Dr. S. Franger - CEA-Leti e CEA-Liten, Commisariat Energie Atomique, Grenoble FR
  • Dr. D. Beneventi and Dr. D. Chaussy - INPG, Grenoble Institute of Technology, Grenoble FR
  • Prof. A. Tuel - Institut de recherches sur la catalyse et l'environnement, IRCELYON, Lyon, FR
  • Prof. D. Mecerreyes - Institute for Polymer Materials of the University of the Basque Country, POLYMAT, SP
  • Prof. J. Maier and Dr. J. Popovic - Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Munchen, DE
  • Prof. M. Grätzel and Prof. A. Hagfeldt - EPFL - École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne, SUI
  • Prof. D. Brandell and Prof. K. Edstrom - University of Uppsala, SVE
  • Prof. A. Cornell - KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Svezia
  • Prof. S. Passerini - Helmholtz Institute Ulm - Battery Research Center, KIT, DE
  • Prof. J.L. Tirado - University of Córdoba, ES
  • Dr. P.P. Pescarmona - University of Groningen, NE
  • Dr. A.S. Shaplov – LIST, Luxembourg
  • Dr. G. Leftheriotis - University of Patras, GR
  • Dr. M. Hayes and Dr. G. Fagas - Tyndall National Institute, National University of Ireland, IR
  • Prof. F. Kleitz - University of Wien, Austria
  • Dr. A.M. Stephan - Central Electrochemical Research Institute, CECRI, India
  • Prof. M. Dinca - MIT- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA
  • Dr. Iratxe De Meatza - CIDETEC, ES
  • Prof. A. Arques Sanz - Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, ES
  • Prof. A. Ahmad and Dr. M.S. Su’ait - Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, MY
  • Prof. A. Balducci – University of Jena, GER
  • Dr. Jijeesh R. Nair - Fraunhofer IWKS, GER
  • Prof. Joan J. Manyà – University of Zaragoza, SP
  • Blue Solutions
  • CATL
  • COMAU
  • DIRECTA PLUS
  • ENI
  • FAAM (SERI Group SpA, http://www.serispa.it/)
  • INSTM
  • ITALGAS
  • IVECO Group
  • MBDA - Leonardo
  • Solvay Specialty Polymers S.p.A.
  • TOYOTA Motor Europe - Bruxelles, BE
  • Toyota Tech. Institute - Japan

Projects and publications

Reference laboratories