Serena Esposito

Serena Esposito is an Associate Professor at the Department of Applied Science and Technology (DISAT) at the Polytechnic University of Turin. She is also a member of the Interdepartmental Center PolitoBIOMed Lab - Biomedical Engineering Lab. Her academic career is focused on materials chemistry with specialization in sol-gel synthesis and nanomaterials for various applications.

Dr. Esposito's research interests span multiple areas of materials science and chemistry. She specializes in sol-gel synthesis of functional materials, with particular expertise in heterogeneous catalysis, nanomaterials, and surface properties. Her work has significant applications in environmental remediation, biomass valorization, hydrogen production, and water treatment. She develops materials for photocatalytic degradation of pollutants, catalytic processes for CO2 valorization, and preparation of metal-ceramic nanocomposites for water remediation and biomedical uses.

Her recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on developing advanced materials for environmental applications, particularly in pollutant degradation and water treatment. The research shows a trend toward creating sophisticated nanomaterials with tailored properties for specific catalytic functions, often incorporating rare earth elements and high-entropy oxides for enhanced performance.

Dr. Esposito has received recognition through several prestigious appointments:

• Effective member of the Italian Chemical Society (2019-present)
• Effective member of the Sol-Gel Society (2009-present)
• Effective member of AICING (1998-present)
• Associate Editor of FRONTIERS IN CHEMICAL ENGINEERING (2020-present)
• Editorial board member of MOLECULES (2020-present)
• Editorial board member of MATERIALS (2019-present)
• Editorial board member of SURFACES AND INTERFACES (2017-present)

Dr. Esposito actively supervises PhD students and has served on doctoral college committees for the Materials Science and Technology program since 2019. She currently mentors three PhD students: Michele Ferri (Energy program, 40th cycle), Andrea Muscatello (Materials Science and Technology, 40th cycle), and previously supervised Nicola Blangetti (Materials Science and Technology, 35th cycle). Her research is supported by various grants including ERC starting grants (2021), European Commission VQR (2010), and MIUR Prin (2002).

She is a key member of the Surf-Chem research group at DISAT, where she coordinates synthesis strategies for nanostructured materials. Her laboratory work involves advanced characterization techniques including thermal analysis, X-ray diffraction, SEM and TEM microscopy, UV-visible-FTIR spectroscopy, N2 adsorption/desorption, and TPR-TPO-TPD techniques. She leads the Porous silicon synthesis Laboratory, Spectroscopy and surface characterization Laboratory, and Vibrational Spectroscopy Laboratory at DISAT.