Athanassia Athanassiou

Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia | IIT · Department of Nanophysics, Smart Materials

Herein, the ability of highly porous colorimetric indicators to sense volatile and biogenic amine vapors in real time is presented. Curcumin-loaded polycaprolactone porous fiber mats are exposed to various concentrations of off-flavor compounds such as the volatile amine trimethylamine, and the biogenic amines cadaverine, putrescine, spermidine, an...

Printed circuit boards (PCBs) physically support and connect electronic components to the implementation of complex circuits. The most widespread insulating substrate that also acts as a mechanical support in PCBs is commercially known as FR4, and it is a glass-fiber-reinforced epoxy resin laminate. FR4 has exceptional dielectric, mechanical, and t...

Sensors and transducers enable the robots' movements and interactions with humans and the environment. Particularly, tactile and motion sensors, even those inspired by the human skin, often miss many of its essential features. Indeed, the materials that constitute such sensors are often rigid and lack self-healing and biodegradability. Furthermore,...

Introduction: Recently, mycelia of Ganoderma lucidum and Pleurotus ostreatus , edible fungi, have been characterized in vitro as self-growing biomaterials for tissue engineering since they are constituted of interconnected fibrous networks resembling the dermal collagen structure. Aim: This work aims to investigate the biopharmaceutical properties...

The development of this work lies in the relevant interest in epoxy resins, which, despite their wide use, do not meet the requirements for sustainable materials. Therefore, the proposed approach considers the need to develop environmentally friendly systems, both in terms of the starting material and the synthetic method applied, as well as in ter...

Natural polymers from organic wastes have gained increasing attention in the biomedical field as resourceful second raw materials for the design of biomedical devices which can perform a specific bioactive function and eventually degrade without liberating toxic residues in the surroundings. In this context, patches and bandages, that need to suppo...

A mixture of trifluoroacetic acid:trifluoroacetic anhydride (TFA:TFAA) was used to dissolve chitin from shrimp shells. Free-standing films were prepared by blending the chitin solution and glycerol at different percentages, followed by drop-casting, and the complete evaporation of the solvents. After this process, the chitin matrix showed an amorph...

Byproducts of the processing of foods are usually non-edible residues that are typically discarded, even though they contain large amounts of natural polymers with great potential in bioplastics and biocomposites preparation. Herein, a new method of production of vegetable-waste-derived biocomposites is developed. It consists of the thermomechanica...

Massive coral bleaching episodes induced by thermal stress are one of the first causes of coral death worldwide. Overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) has been identified as one of the potential causes of symbiosis breakdown between polyps and algae in corals during extreme heat wave events. Here, we propose a new strategy for mitigating...

An effective and sustainable approach to deal with the scarcity of freshwater is interfacial solar-driven evaporation. Nonetheless, some serious challenges for photothermal materials still need to be considered, such as long-term stability in harsh environments, eco-friendly materials, and cost-effective and simple fabrication processes. Keeping th...

be reduced and in the absence of a safe alternative, short-chain PFASs are currently used in their place. The continuously growing utilization of the short-chain PFASs, results in their abrupt introduction in the environment, and highlights the importance of adopting efficient remediation strategies. This study addresses an appropriate solution to...

Periodontal regeneration is extremely limited and unpredictable due to structural complications, as it requires the simultaneous restoration of different tissues, including cementum, gingiva, bone, and periodontal ligament. In this work, spray-dried microparticles based on green materials (polysaccharides - gums - and a protein - silk fibroin) are...

A green textile‐based conductor with controllable electrical resistance change with deformation and transiency (i.e., dissolution in water) will be the holy grail in wearable electronics since it can satisfy divergent needs with a single solution and be sustainable simultaneously. Nevertheless, designing such material is challenging since opposite...

Edible electronics is a growing field that aims to produce digestible devices using only food ingredients and additives, thus addressing many of the shortcomings of ingestible electronic devices. Edible electronic devices would have major implications for gastrointestinal tract monitoring, therapeutics, as well as rapid food quality monitoring. Rec...

Biodegradable stent coatings have shown great potential in terms of delivering drugs to a damaged vessel wall, and their release profiles are key elements governing the overall performance of drug-eluting stents (DESs). However, release and degradation kinetics are usually not tested under simulated physiological conditions or in dynamic environmen...

The food industry produces a large amount of food byproducts that, when appropriately valorized, can become a renewable source of sustainable materials. The valorization of these byproducts require a new...

Cell microencapsulation has been utilized for years as a means of cell shielding from the external environment while facilitating the transport of gases, general metabolites, and secretory bioactive molecules at once. In this light, hydrogels may support the structural integrity and functionality of encapsulated biologics whereas ensuring cell viab...

Over the last few years it has been understood that the interface between living cells and the underlying materials can be a powerful tool to manipulate cell functions. In this study, we explore the hypothesis that the electrical cell/material interface can regulate the differentiation of cancer stem-like cells (CSCs). Electrospun polymer fibres, e...

Mild acid hydrolysis of various plant residues has been proposed in recent years as a novel way of transforming biomass into bioplastics. However, the alkaline hydrolysis of such residues has not yet been studied for this purpose. In this work, an in-depth comparative study is carried out for the first time on the physicochemical, thermal, mechanic...

The new space economy paradigm demands for cost-effective systems for its development. Plastic CubeSats are appealing candidates. To enable the use of this new generation of space systems, the challenge of designing suitable communication subsystems must be faced. In this work, a 3D-printed ABS antenna easily embeddable in a plastic CubeSat is prop...

A polylactic acid (PLA)-graphene nanoplatelets (GnPs) based ink dispersion in an eco-friendly solvent (ethyl acetate/benzyl alcohol) was developed to prepare conductive coatings for porous and non-porous elastomeric surfaces. The ink dispersion remained highly stable over time and to induce conformability to the elastomeric substrates, the dispersi...

Highly stretchable biobased and biodegradable agricultural mulch films based on polylactic acid (PLA) and 10, 20, or 30 wt % various nonedible vegetable wastes such as spinach stems (SS), tomato pomace (TP), and cocoa shells (CS) are prepared and characterized in this work. The results demonstrate that appropriate PLA plasticization and vegetable w...

The waste stream of low-grade wool is an underutilized source of keratin-rich materials with appropriate methods for upcycling into high value-added products still being an open challenge. In the present work, keratins were precipitated from their water solution to produce hierarchical keratin particles via isoelectric precipitation. Matrix-assiste...

This review explores the colorimetric indicators based on anthocyanin polymer composites fabricated in the last decade, in order to provide a comprehensive overview of their morphological and compositional characteristics and their efficacy in their various application fields. Notably, the structural properties of the developed materials and the ef...

Conversion of waste biomass into valuable functional materials accomplishes the concept of circular economy in the development of sustainable waste management, and also recovery of such resources possibly reduces the requirement of feedstocks. In this scenario, the development of methodologies toward the direct conversion of the raw biomass into so...

This paper reports the fabrication of multifunctional composite cryogels that simultaneously remove oil and dye from polluted water through gravity-driven filtration. The cryogels were prepared via cryopolymerization of a poly(sodium acrylate) (PSA) and graphitic carbon nitride nanosheets (CNNs) mixture. Although the different CNNs concentrations t...

Water-based biopolymer solutions capable of forming a protective layer when sprayed onto the soil represent a groundbreaking step toward eco-friendly mulching. Low methoxyl pectin (LMP) can cross-link with calcium cations naturally present in the soil. Therefore, LMP-based bioplastics were prepared here to assess their potential use as mulches. Lem...

There is growing interest in transitioning electronic components and circuitry from stiff and rigid substrates to more flexible and stretchable platforms, such as thin plastics, textiles, and foams. In parallel, the push for more sustainable, biocompatible, and cost-efficient conductive inks to coat these substrates, has led to the development of f...

There is growing interest in transitioning electronic components and circuitry from stiff and rigid substrates to more flexible and stretchable platforms, such as thin plastics, textiles, and foams. In parallel, the push for more sustainable, biocompatible, and cost-efficient conductive inks to coat these substrates has led to the development of fo...

A vinyl laurate-based elastomeric copolymer, developed as chewing gum base, was used to produce functional coatings with the antioxidant curcumin. Both the polymer and curcumin were dissolved in MIBK, methyl isobutyl ketone. Coatings were applied on glass but also on natural alginate and gelatin film surfaces by dip-coating. Microscopy analysis ind...

Sub-micrometer particles derived from the fragmentation of plastics in the environment can enter the food chain and reach humans, posing significant health risks. To date, there is a lack of adequate toxicological assessment of the effects of nanoplastics (NPs) in mammalian systems, particularly in humans. In this work, we evaluated the potential t...

Vegetable-based bioplastic materials, obtained from the upscaling of food byproducts showed a good potential for replacing plastics in single-use applications. This work presents a novel strategy for the improvement of the mechanical properties and water stability of materials derived from orange peel. Herein, the reinforcement of the structure inv...

Malva sylvestris (MS) is a medicinal herb known worldwide for its beneficial effects due to the several active molecules present in its leaves and flowers. These compounds have shown antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and thus can be helpful in treatments of burns and chronic wounds, characterized mainly by high levels of free radicals an...

A delivery platform of active compounds on demand has been developed, composed of a flexible mat of CO2-derived poly (propylene carbonate) (PPC) electrospun fibers, loaded with antioxidant cinnamon essential oil (CEO), covered with poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM). The PED...

Free-standing, robust, and transparent bioplastics were obtained by blending cellulose and naringin at different proportions. Optical, thermal, mechanical, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties were systematically investigated. In general, the incorporation of naringin produced important UV blocking and plasticizer effects and good antioxidant...

Nowadays, manufacturing bio-based and biodegradable materials for electronic applications is a swiftly growing field. This approach can effectively tackle the future electronic waste problems. However, the preparation of such sustainable materials with high conductivity remains a challenging task. Moreover, in many cases, the use of noxious solvent...

Bio-based and biodegradable packaging combined with chemical sensors and indicators has attracted great attention as they can provide protection combined with information on the actual freshness of foodstuffs. In this study, we present an effective, biodegradable, mostly bio-sourced material ideal for sustainable packaging that can also be used as...

In this study, an innovative and scalable strategy is developed to valorize vegetable wastes as valuable and cost‐effective natural antioxidant resources in the development of CO2‐based biocomposites. The dried vegetable stems (parsley and spinach) are firstly micronized and then incorporated into a CO2‐derived poly(propylene carbonate) (PPC) polym...

Polyethylene resistance to biochemical attack is a well-known limit, preventing the development of green strategies, based on enzymatic catalysis, for the bioconversion of waste polyethylene into smaller molecules and subsequently second-life products. This inertness derives from the chemical structure of the polymer, consisting of repeating methyl...

The management of acute and chronic wounds is still a socioeconomic burden for society due to the lack of suitable tools capable of supporting all the healing phases. The exponential spread of diabetes worldwide and the consequent increase of complicated diabetic ulcers require further efforts to develop scalable, low-cost, and easy-to-use treatmen...

Tridecafluorononanoic acid (TFNA), a C6-fluorinated carboxylic acid, was esterified with cellulose at different molar ratios (0:1, 1:1, 2:1, and 3:1) in a trifluoroacetic acid (TFA):trifluoroacetic anhydride (TFAA):CHCl3 (2:1:1, v:v:v) solvent mixture. Free-standing films were obtained for all formulations and are presented as alternatives to compo...

Organic materials have attracted considerable attention for thermoelectric (TE) applications. Given their potential as wearable power generators, there is an urgent need to develop organic TE materials that possess superior electronic properties as well as excellent mechanical and environmental stability. Here, we develop paper-based TE materials u...

In recent decades, significant progress has been made on the development of low environmental impact plastic materials, as alternatives to conventional plastics for food packaging. Research has focused on the...

The goal of this work is the design and the development of scaffolds based on maltodextrin (MD) to recover chronic lesions. MD was mixed with arginine/lysine/polylysine and the electrospinning was successfully used to prepare scaffolds with uniform and continuous nanofibers having regular shape and smooth surface. A thermal treatment was applied to...

Although water is essential for global health and the socio-economic development of modern society, providing fresh water universally in a sustainable and affordable manner, for both developing and industrialized communities, is challenging. Polymeric hydrogels have recently drawn increasing interest as promising material platforms to sustainably e...

Sustainable coatings for metal food packaging were prepared from ZnO nanoparticles (obtained by the thermal decomposition of zinc acetate) and a naturally occurring polyhydroxylated fatty acid named aleuritic (or 9,10,16-trihydroxyhexadecanoic) acid. Both components reacted, originating under specific conditions zinc polyaleuritate ionomers. The po...

A paper sensor was designed in order to detect the presence of nanomaterials, such as ZnO and silica nanoparticles, as well as graphene nanoplatelets (GnP), based on fluorescence changes of carbon nanodots. Paper strips were functionalized with carbon nanodots using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as binder. The carbon nanodots were highly fluorescent and,...

We describe how the organocatalytic, 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene (DBU)-based lactide ring-opening polymerization can be effectively performed in a very polar solvent, N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP). Due to a low ceiling temperature, this “living” mechanism has been unreported to date, but we here demonstrate that through a combination of low temp...

The growing demand of disposable electronics raises serious concerns for the corresponding increase in the amount of electronic waste, with severe environmental impact. Organic and flexible electronics have been proposed long ago as a more sustainable and energy-efficient technological platform with respect to established ones. Yet, such technology...

In the present work, the efficiency of an ecofriendly 5% (w/v) solution of zein in DMSO was evaluated as protective material for stone. The solution was sprayed on 5 × 5 × 1 cm slabs of Serena stone, a sandstone widely used in Florentine architecture, in order to create a hydrophobic coating. The obtained coating turned out to be hydrophobic, showi...

Graphene-based materials are found as excellent resources and employed as efficient anti-microbial agents, and they have been receiving significant attention from scientists and researchers in this regard. By giving special attention to recent applications of graphene-based materials, the current review is dedicated to unveiling the antimicrobial p...

The use of composite biomaterials as innovative bio-friendly neuronal interfaces has been poorly developed so far. Smart strategies to target neuro-pathologies are currently exploiting the mixed and complementary characteristics of composite materials to better design future neural interfaces. Here we present a polymer-based scaffold that has been...

Coral Reef Restoration In article number 2100089, Marco Contardi, Simone Montanoand, Athanassia Athanassiou and co-workers fabricate two biodegradable biocomposites based on starch–polydimethylsiloxane and soybean lecithin-wax-polyurethane. They are evaluated as scaffolds for the growth of oceanic organisms. Such materials placed underwater on the...

Polylactic acid (PLA) is a key biopolymer with potential uses in numerous sectors, since it is biocompatible and both biobased and biodegradable. However, brittleness limits its industrial applications where plastic deformation at high impact rates or high elongation is required, for instance, flexible food packaging. In order to overcome this draw...

In this study, a textile-based wearable strain sensor is fabricated to monitor human muscular activities with high sensitivity and large working range. To achieve electrical conductivity, a gum-like sticky polyvinyl acetate-co-vinyl laurate polymer (commercial name: VINNAPASS) is mixed with 50 wt % of carbon nanofiber (CNFs) using ethyl acetate as...

The development of mulch films from wastes of vegetables represents a sustainable alternative to the traditionally used polyethylene ones that follow the principles of circular economy. In this work, we obtained films based on two different industrial vegetable wastes, orange peels (OP) and spinach stems (SS), using hydrolysis at different times (6...