Florence, Italy
CSGI is a Research Center for Colloids and Nanoscience, established in Dec 1993 in Firenze (Italy). In 1995 CSGI began its scientific activity, devoted to basic research and to the development of high-tech new processes, and is supporting the activities of the small and medium size business industrial companies, that cannot afford the financial costs of an independent research activity.
In the last 18 years, CSGI has sponsored several different research programs, mainly supported by European Union grants, and partly also by other international and national Institutions, such as the Italian “Articolo 10, Law 46/1982”, PRIN, PNR, FISR, FIRB, CNR, and so forth.
CSGI has signed numerous contracts that involve about 75 national and international industrial companies, and some highly qualified research Centers. Such lively activity has brought to several International Patents and research agreements. Some of the main projects that have been managed by CSGI are:
Acronym | Title |
Amna | Addressable Molecular Node Assembly – a Generic Platform of Nanoscale Functionalised Surfaces Based on a “Digitally Addressable” Molecular Grid |
Leapfrog | Leadership for European Apparel Production from Research along Original Guidelines |
Manudirect | Direct ultraprecision manufacturing |
Bearings | New generation of aeronautical bearings for extreme environmental constraints |
Polytect | Polyfunctional Technical Textiles against Natural Hazards |
CSGI has reached a very qualified standard, and its level has been acknowledged abroad, in several fields. For example, CSGI is a leader in a number of applications of Nanotechnology, in the conservation of cultural heritage, and in the production of nanophasic powders for the production of special materials for aeronautics, high resistance coatings, etc.
CSGI is active also in the training of specialized researchers, has granted several fellowships, PhD supporting programs, post-doc grants, and other education projects, and has organized several national and international Meetings. In particular, during the year 2010, CSGI has issued 10 PhD scholarships, 42 fellowships, and 7 post-doc grants, and is actively participating in two European Master Programs: EMASCO-COSOM (European Master in Supramolecular and Colloidal Chemistry) and IMES (International Master on Bioenergy and Environment).
The CSGI financial plan is solid, with a strong growth of its financial assets, mainly due to EU funding.
Fields of Interest
- Nanostructured and ultrafine materials.
- Structure and dynamics of supramolecular assemblies (monolayers, micelles, liposomes, microemulsions, Langmuir-Blodgett films, host-guest systems).
- Nanophasic ternary oxides.
- Structural analysis of biomolecules in solution, interaction processes, recognition of ligands with macromolecular surfaces, theoretical and experimental analysis of cellular metabolism, interactions between metals and ligands, characterization of the interaction sites.
- Formulation of nanophasic systems.
- Innovative processes for the conservation and restoration of cultural heritage (stone materials, wood materials, paintings, frescoes, paper, photographic material)
Relevant instrumentation
- Small and wide Angle X-Ray Scattering
- Static and Dynamic Light Scattering
- Access to European and North American Facilities for Small Angle Neutron Scattering
- Differential Scanning Calorimetry and Thermal Analysis5.Rheology
- FTIR, UV-vis Spectrophotometry, Fluorescence, Circular Dichroism
- Zeta-potential
- Optical Microscopy, SEM, EDAX
- Atomic Force Microscopy
- Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy
- Surface Area BET Apparatus
- Dynamic and Static Tensiometry
- Langmuir Film Balance, Langmuir-Blodgett Instruments, QCM
The CSGI Team
The CSGI team includes Prof. Pierandrea Lo Nostro, Prof. Piero Baglioni, Dr. Moira Ambrosi. The team is specifically oriented to the formulation of different complex fluids for different applications, based on the physico-chemical properties of the active ingredients and on the desired behavior of the final product.
Contacts
Prof. Pierandrea Lo Nostro
+39 055 4573010
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Dr. Moira Ambrosi
+39 055 4573018
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Duccio Tatini
+39 055 4573024
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