The conversion of CO₂ into solar fuels (e-fuels) or other useful chemicals is at the heart of the energy transition. One of the most important processes in this sense is the production of methanol, CH₃OH. For more than half a century, methanol has been produced in the world thanks to a heterogeneous catalyst, Cu/ZnO/Al₂O₃, where Cu nanoparticles are dispersed on an alumina support with ZnO particles as promoters.

When you blink, a thin film of tears is redistributed over the ocular surface. This film is primarily composed of mucins, water, and lipids, and has a thickness of a few micrometres that tends to break typically after a few seconds. Prolonged maintenance of the film's integrity suggests a lower propensity for issues such as dry eye disorder. Tear film breakups and the time at which they occur are typically analysed using in vivo a biomicroscope and a fluorescent dye diluted in tears, which is believed to potentially destabilize the tear film once instilled in the eye.

Communicating science to the general public is a growing need to bring citizens closer to science, to create a scientific culture and, why not, inspire tomorrow’s scientists. As part of the European project SURFICE - Smart surface design for efficient ice protection and control (www.surfice-itn.eu), coordinated by prof.

The ternary Ge-Sb-Te alloys (GST) are employed as active material in non-volatile phase-change memory devices, which exploit the large difference in both electrical and optical properties between the amorphous and crystalline phases and the possibility to thermally induce a fast and reversible transition between the two phases. Recently, this technology has attracted great attention for the possible exploitation in neuromorphic computing.

The depletion of fossil fuels and ongoing ecological challenges underscore the pressing need for sustainable and environmentally friendly energy solutions. In this pursuit, fuel cells have become a focal point in current research, primarily due to their exceptional advantages, with the noteworthy aspect being the recognition of hydrogen as a green energy carrier.