Mariaenrica Frigione

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Mariaenrica verified their affiliation via an institutional email.

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• MSc in Chemical Eng., PhD in Polymer Technology
• Professor at University of Salento

Citation: Sarcinella, A.; Cunha, S.; Aguiar, I.; Aguiar, J.; Frigione, M. Sustainable Organic Phase Change Materials for Sustainable Energy Efficiency Solutions. Polymers 2025, 17, 1343. https://doi. Abstract: The growing demand for sustainable energy solutions has intensified research on phase change materials (PCMs) due to their ability to effici...

The implementation of polymer-based Phase Change Materials (PCMs) as functional sustainable aggregates in lime-based mortars has proven to be a viable solution to give a higher thermal performance to historical buildings in the Mediterranean region. To this purpose, PEG-1000 has been selected and used for the impreg-nation of porous Lecce stone agg...

The building sector faces a challenge to find innovative and sustainable ways to increment the energy-efficiency of buildings and reduce their environmental impact. Recently, the incorporation of phase change material (PCM), based on a polymeric active phase (PEG-1000) in waste stone aggregates, has proven to be a promising option to be used for bu...

Circular Economy, which it is among the priorities of the European Commission, is defined as an economy in which the value of products, materials and resources is maintained for as long as possible and the production of waste is reduced to minimum. Keeping in mind the impact on the environment caused on the one hand by post-consumer plastic waste a...

A possible solution to reduce the consumption of fossil fuel and energy demand to power heating and cooling devices is represented by Phase Change Materials (PCMs). They can absorb, store and release energy according to their physical state that changes with the environmental temperature. In this work, novel eco-sustainable PCMs were developed thro...

Phase Change Materials (PCMs) in building materials can significantly reduce energy consumption in heating and cooling systems. PCMs absorb, store, and release thermal energy by transitioning between solid and liquid states based on external temperatures, helping to regulate indoor temperatures and lower energy use. This study evaluates the thermal...

The high global energy demand drives the search for sustainable alternatives for energy production and storage. Among the most effective solutions are phase change materials (PCMs). In particular, organic PCMs offer a high capacity to store and release thermal energy in response to external thermal variations, even over a wide temperature range. Th...

The development of construction materials with the integration of phase change materials (PCMs) has been a topic of wide interest in the scientific community, especially in recent years, due to its positive impact on temperature regulation inside buildings. However, little is known about the behavior of materials doped with PCMs when exposed to acc...

The development of 3D porous nanocarbon composites has improved the performance of piezoresistive sensors. However, the functionalization and surface distribution of nanocarbon may limit conductivity and mechanical stability. In this study, a mechanochemical approach was developed to create an elastomeric/CNTs 3D porous nanocomposite. By changing p...

This research study focused on the effect of adding boric acid to epoxy resin in order to obtain a composite material with improved properties and performance. To this end, a fine powder of boric acid (H3BO3) was introduced into epoxy resin in different amounts, i.e., 0.5 g, 1.0 g, and 1.5 g. As the matrix of the epoxy composites, styrene-modified...

The construction sector’s pursuit of sustainability, driven by growing concerns about climate change and resource depletion, requires innovative solutions to reduce the energy consumption necessary to ensure thermal comfort in buildings. The introduction of phase change materials (PCMs) in construction elements represents an effective solution to t...

The stability of wood materials in harsh environments requires a permanent water-repellent coating. In this paper, a sustainable super-hydrophobic (SH)coating, suitable for interior and exterior applications of wood was produced by reinforcing with bio based carnauba-wax two matrices, i.e. Epoxy resin or polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). Fluorine-free d...

The aim of this research was a comparative analysis of selected mechanical properties of epoxy compounds that were modified with metallic fillers and aged in aqueous environments. The tested epoxy compounds consisted of three components: styrene modified epoxy resin based on Bisphenol A, triethylenetetramine curing agent (resin/curing agent ratio o...

The widespread use of synthetic plastics, as well as the waste produced at the end of their life cycle, poses serious environmental issues. In this context, bio-based plastics, i.e., natural polymers produced from renewable resources, represent a promising alternative to petroleum-based materials. One potential source of biopolymers is waste from t...

In most reverse engineering projects, there is a lack of design data that would be necessary to reproduce the manufacture of the original component or to establish validation criteria for newly manufactured components when original design data are not known. For example, some external dimensional dimensions are usually available, but there is no in...

With the use of stereolithography, one of the most widespread and old rapid prototyping techniques, it is possible to reproduce objects, damaged or missing parts, faithful replicas of interest in the field of Cultural Heritage. In this work, some of the applications of the stereolithography technique to replicate objects or missing parts of artisti...

The construction industry is responsible for high energetic consumption, especially associated with buildings’ heating and cooling needs. This issue has attracted the attention of the scientific community, governments and authorities from all over the world, especially in the European Union, motivated by recent international conflicts which forced...

The purpose of a phase change material (PCM) is to store/release energy during its transition from solid to liquid state, being able to count on a range of melting/crystallization temperatures comparable to environmental temperatures. The inclusion of a PCM in mortars, or in other construction elements, guarantees a reduction in energy consumption...

The aim of this work was to study the valorization of argan seed pulp, a waste material obtained from argan oil extraction, for the biosynthesis of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB). A new species that showed the metabolic capacity for the conversion of argan waste into the bio-based polymer was isolated from an argan crop located in Teroudant, a southwest...

The growing concern for the environment and the depletion of raw materials such as fossil fuels is driving research towards the exploitation of new materials and the development of new technologies. Phase-change materials (PCMs) are increasingly used to reduce the energy required for the heating/cooling of buildings. The biggest challenge is to fin...

Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) is a biodegradable bio-based polymer synthesized by microorganisms under unfavorable conditions from agro-industrial residues as a source of carbon. These aspects make the bio-based polymer attractive for the mass production of biodegradable plastics, and a definitive replacement for petroleum-based plastics. The aim of th...

The durability of reinforced concrete strongly depends on the environment in which it is located; in any case, the concrete and the reinforcing bars it contains are constantly subject to slow deterioration processes. The protection of concrete structures is, therefore, essential to increase their service life, reducing the costs for their repair an...

Academic and industrial research are moving towards the development of innovative solutions and materials able to limit energy consumption for the thermoregulation of a building. One solution is the use of phase change materials (PCMs) that can absorb, store, and release energy according to their physical state that changes when the ambient tempera...

The aim of this work was to investigate selected biological and toxicity properties of cured epoxy resin-based compounds based on a bisphenol A epoxy resin, cold-cured by a polyamide and containing two types of metal powders (aluminum and copper). This study involved cytotoxicity analysis, pH measurements, absorbance measurements and sterilization....

This paper presents the results of an experimental study of adhesive joint strength with consideration of the inaccuracy of the hardener dosage, in the context of evaluating the degradation of joints when used either at ambient or elevated temperatures. The butt joint strength characteristics were assessed for two types of adhesives—rigid and flexi...

Carbon nanotube polymeric composites are widely developed as piezoresistive sensors. Despite these materials showed improved mechanical stability, they are less sensible than carbon aerogel. Moreover, the piezoresistive properties of these nanocomposites cannot be tuned to adapt the sensor to the different applications. Here we observed as modifyin...

The growing interest in piezoresistive sensors has favored the development of numerous approaches and materials for their fabrication. Within this framework, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are often employed. However, CNTs are a heterogeneous material with different morphological characteristics in terms of length and diameter, and, so far, experimental s...

The aim of this work is to assess the influence of different commercial diluents on some mechanical properties of two bisphenolic epoxy compounds, cold-cured by a polyamide curing agent, to be employed as epoxy structural adhesives for building and industrial applications. The diluents under analysis were epoxy, bituminous, nitro, acrylic and extra...

As any other natural or industrial material, polymers can experience some kind of degradation during their service life, resulting in minor to severe changes in their properties [...]

Starting from two low-cost, low-environmental-impact polymers belonging to the Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) family, i.e., PEG 800 and PEG 1000, two form-stable phase change materials were produced. The two PEGs differ in molecular weight and, as a consequence, the melting and crystallization range of temperatures. The PCMs were obtained, including the...

The aim of this experimental investigation was to produce a form-stable phase change material (PCM) able to reduce the need for nonrenewable energy resources required for the heating/cooling of buildings located in regions characterized by different climatic conditions. The innovative PCM must also be sustainable and must be produced according to t...

Waste management is an area of significant global concern. The reuse of waste materials (such as: plastics, glass, wood, etc.) in concrete manufacturing has been studied for potential cost savings, improvements in quality, and reduction of environmental impact leading to sustainability. This study examines the performance of concrete containing rec...

The application of hydrophobic treatments to stone surfaces is the most common proven method to prevent, or at least limit, the degradation of stone-made constructions and artworks brought about by the ingress and action of water, in particular in the case of very porous stone materials. To avoid the use of protective products containing harmful so...

Hypothesis: Nanocarbon/polymeric 3D porous composites have been widely developed as piezoresistive sensors due to their improved performances. Functionalized nanocarbon is usually used to allow its adsorption on the surface of porous polymeric material. However, both the functionalization and the surface localized distribution of the nanomaterial...

During their useful life, polymers are subject to degradation processes due to exposure to specific environmental conditions over long times. These processes generally lead to changes, almost always irreversible, of properties and performances of polymers, changes which would be useful to be able to predict in advance. To meet this need, numerous i...

The environmental issues caused by the impacts of synthetic plastics use and derived wastes are arising the attention to bio-based plastics, natural polymers produced from renewable resources, including agricultural, industrial, and domestic wastes. Bio-based plastics represent a potential alternative to petroleum-based materials, due to the insuff...

The growth of green energy technologies within the frame of the 7th Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) along with the concern about climatic changes make nuclear energy an attractive choice for many countries to ensure energy security and sustainable development as well as to actively address environmental issues. Unlike nuclear equipment (immovabl...

The degradation of polymeric components is of considerable interest to the nuclear industry and its regulatory bodies. The objective of this work was the development of a methodology to determine the useful life—based on the storage temperature—of acrylonitrile O-rings used as mechanical sealing elements to prevent leakages in nuclear equipment. To...

The dispersion of commercial plastics in the marine environments is a major threat to biodiversity and ecosystem services of the last decades. The lower density of the plastics with respect to marine water density determines their floating, transferring, and accumulation in sandy beaches. Sandy beaches represent a natural sink ecosystem for marine...

The effects of aging exposures to three non-saline aqueous environments on the compressive mechanical properties of a calcium carbonate-filled bisphenolic epoxy adhesive, cold-cured with the addition of two curing agents suitable for the cure at ambient temperature (i.e., Mannich base and triethylenetetramine), were assessed. The amount of the adde...

An experimental nano-filled coating, based on a fluorine resin containing SiO2 nano-particles, was applied on calcareous stones, representative of materials used in buildings and monuments of the Mediterranean basin; for comparison purposes, two commercial products were applied on the same substrates. The efficacy of the protective treatments was a...

Academic and industrial efforts around the world are continuously engaged to develop new smart materials that can provide efficient alternatives to conventional construction materials and improve the energy-efficiency in buildings or are able to upgrade, repair, and protect existing infrastructures. This new generation of materials, before an actua...

Bio-based plastics, i.e., non-synthetic polymers produced from renewable resources are gaining special attention as a feasible solution to the environmental issues caused by concerns regarding the impact of waste plastics. Furthermore, such materials can also represent an alternative to petroleum-derived polymers, due to the scarcity of this raw ma...

The conservation and protection of ancient buildings and art-works made of stone materials, that constitute the Cultural Heritage of each Country, are very delicate tasks involving different experts and disciplines. The most common and successful method for protecting the stone-made constructions and art-works consists in applying on their surfaces...

The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of different aqueous environments (i.e., demineralised, distilled and spring water) on the mechanical properties of a cold-cured bisphenolic epoxy resin modified with the addition of calcium carbonate filler, typically employed as structural adhesive. The parameters selected for the analysis have...

Cyclodextrins (CDs) are oligosaccharides, comprising 6 (α), 7 (β), or 8 (γ) glucose residues, used to prepare oil-in-water emulsions and improve oil stability towards degradation. In this research, the aptitude of α-, β-, and γ-CDs to form complexes with a supercritical CO2 extracted lycopene-rich tomato oil (TO) was comparatively assessed. TO/CD e...

In this study, poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) microspheres (PLGA MS)for controlled protein release by double emulsion-solvent evaporation were produced and characterized for their morphological and technological features. MS autocatalytic degradation was described by a mathematical model based on a Michaelis and Menten-like chemical balance. Here, f...

This paper aims at reviewing the works published in the last five years (2016–2020) on polymer nanocomposites based on epoxy resins. The different nanofillers successfully added to epoxies to enhance some of their characteristics, in relation to the nature and the feature of each nanofiller, are illustrated. The organic–inorganic hybrid nanostructu...

Increasing concerns about climate change and global warming bring about technical steps for the development of several energy-efficient technologies. Since the building sector is one of the largest energy users for cooling and heating necessities, the incorporation of a proper energy-efficient material into the building envelopes could be an intere...

Different hybrid epoxy formulations were produced and cold-cured, monitoring the properties development during low temperature curing and aging. All systems were based on silane functionalized bis-phenol A (DGEBA) resins (Part A), cured at ambient temperature with two amine hardeners (Part B). The different components of the formulations were selec...

Energy use in buildings represents more than one-third of global energy consumption and contributes to nearly one-quarter of greenhouse gases emission worldwide. The thermal comfort demand represents one of the main cause of the increased energy consumption. To guarantee a thermal indoor comfort, contributing at the same time to the energy saving,...

In recent years, graffiti writings are increasingly regarded as a form of art. However, their presence on historic building remains a vandalism and different strategies have been developed to clean or, preferably, protect the surfaces. In this study, an experimental nano-filled coating, based on fluorine resin containing SiO2 nano-particles, and tw...

Eco-sustainable, low toxic and low flammable poly-ethylene glycol (PEG) was forced into flakes of the porous Lecce stone (LS), collected as stone cutting wastes, employing a very simple cheap method, to produce a “form-stable” phase change material (PCM). The experimental PCM was included in mortars based on different binders (hydraulic lime, gypsu...

It is possible to download for free the paper (until December 7, 2019) at the link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0950061819326017?dgcid=author

A new patent has been developed in the Department of Engineering for Innovation concerning the formulation of a cold-cured epoxy-silica resin [Lionetto, F., Frigione M. Ibridi organici-inorganici polimerizzati in situ a temperatura ambiente, N. 0001425385, 2016.] This system is an example of ‘organic-inorganic hybrid’ made up of two phases: an orga...

Thermosetting cold-cured resins are largely used as structural adhesives and/or matrix to manufacture and apply fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composites employed in retrofitting technique. The slow development of their mechanical, adhesive and physical properties due to a cold-cure process represents a serious inconvenience in the repair procedure...

The purpose of this study was to produce poly(DL-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) – based microparticles (MPs), externally decorated with hyaluronic acid (HA). The MPs are intended for intravitreal injections in the treatment of posterior eye segment and have been designed to prolong the release of growth factors into the vitreous body, therefore ai...

The construction industry is responsible for consuming large amounts of energy. The development of new materials with the purpose of increasing the thermal efficiency of buildings is, therefore, becoming, imperative. Thus, during the last decades, integration of Phase Change Materials (PCMs) into buildings has gained interest. Such materials can re...

Lab-On-a-Brane (LOB) represents a class of Lab-On-a-Chip (LOC) integrating flexible, highly gas permeable and biocompatible thin membranes. Here we demonstrate the potentiality of LOBs as cell biochips promoting 3D cell growth. The human cancer cells MCF-7 were cultured into standard multiwells (MWs) and into polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) MWs, LOCs,...

The development of improved cold-cured resins, to be used as either adhesives or matrices for FRP (fiber reinforced polymer) composites employed in the construction industry, has become the focus of several academic and industrial research projects. It is expected that the use of nano-structured organic–inorganic hybrid materials could represent a...

Conservation strategies to limit the degradation of stone materials are being constantly developed. To this aim, new materials are designed to confer hydrophobic properties and anti-graffiti protection to the treated surfaces. Hybrid nanocomposites, based on inorganic nano-particles added to an organic matrix, have been recently proposed for treatm...

Fibre reinforced polymers (FRP) composites are increasingly employed worldwide for the rehabilitation of buildings or infrastructure systems, since they demonstrated to be effective in overcoming some of the well-known drawbacks experienced with traditional interventions and/or usual materials (such as concrete and steel), due to their low weights...

Oil wastewater and spilled oil caused serious environmental pollution and damage to public health in the last years. Therefore, considerable efforts are made to develop sorbent materials able to separate oil from water with high selectivity and sorption capacity. However most of them are low reusable, with low volume absorption capacity and poor me...

In order to protect a material belonging to Cultural Heritage (i.e., stone, wood) from weathering, and in turn to preserve its beauty and historical value for the future generations, the contact with external harmful agents, particularly water, must be avoided, or at least limited. This task can be successfully obtained with the use of a protective...

The modification of a UV–vis light curable hybrid methacrylic–siloxane resin with organic coated TiO2 nanorods (NRs) has been carried out, in order to fabricate a functional coating for protection of stone artefacts of artistic and cultural relevance. The nanocomposite, formulated without using any harmful and high volatile monomer components, has...

In order to improve of the durability of concrete from the attack of aggressive environments, a solvent-free hydrophobic photo-polymerizable organic–inorganic (O-I) nano-structured coating, indicated as HEP, was experimented on different concretes. The nano-structured hybrid product was already proved to act as an excellent hydrophobic protective c...

The main objective of this contribution is the study of mortars with the incorporation of polymer-based phase change materials (PCM) for the improvement of energy efficiency in buildings. The mortars are intended for an indoor thermal comfort in the typical climatic conditions of the Southern European countries. Production waste, such as stone powd...

The use of fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composites for the rehabilitation of buildings or other infrastructure is increasingly becoming an effective and popular solution, being able to overcome some of the drawbacks experienced with traditional interventions and/or traditional materials. The knowledge of long-term performance and of durability be...

The success of Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) composites for the strengthening/reparation of concrete structures is due to a favorable combination of suitable properties, superior than those of traditional materials, and manufacture/installation capability. Of great importance is the behavior of the repaired structure under loading and its durabili...

Oil wastewater and spilled oil caused serious environmental pollution and damage to public health in the last years. Therefore, considerable efforts are made to develop sorbent materials able to separate oil from water with high selectivity and sorption capacity. However most of them are low reusable, with low volume absorption capacity and poor me...

The use of fiber reinforced polymers (FRP) composites for the rehabilitation of buildings or infrastructure systems is increasingly becoming an effective and popular solution, being able to overcome some of the drawbacks experienced with traditional interventions and/or traditional materials. The knowledge of long-term performance and durability be...

The effect of physical aging and continuation of curing on the physical and mechanical properties of a commercial cold-curing structural epoxy adhesive used in bridge construction has been investigated during the first year. Since adhesive bridge joints are sealed, only dry conditions were taken into account. Predominant physical aging in the earli...

The physical and mechanical properties of a cold-curing structural epoxy adhesive were investigated if exposed to a wet bridge environment. A significant decrease of the glass transition temperature, elastic tensile modulus and tensile strength was observed which could be attributed to plasticization. A retention of 70% of E-modulus and strength at...

The physical and mechanical properties of a cold-curing structural epoxy adhesive, exposed to a wet bridge environment, were investigated. A significant decrease of the glass transition temperature, tensile E-modulus and tensile strength was observed which could be attributed to plasticization. The retention of 70% of the E-modulus and strength at...

The effect of physical aging and continuation of curing on the physical and mechanical properties of a commercial cold-curing structural epoxy adhesive used in bridge construction has been investigated during the first year. Since adhesive bridge joints are sealed, only dry conditions were taken into account. Predominant physical aging in the earli...

Novel UV-light curable methacrylic-siloxane-cellulose composite coatings for wood protection were prepared, fully characterized and, then, applied on walnut wood samples in order to assess the potential protective performances of the wooden treated substrates, such as hydrophobicity and surface properties. A comparison between nanocellulose and mic...

The realization of microfluidic platforms with liquid pumping and fluid transport independent on external power sources is the goal of a major part of research in the Lab on Chip (LOC) field. Autonomous pumping, indeed, has a strong impact on LOC cost, use and portability. In this context, power-free pumping is exploited herein by the use of chemic...

The protective properties of two innovative, experimental nano-composite coatings which are mainly intended for the protection of cultural heritage stone artifacts were compared. The decay of artworks, monuments, and buildings made of stone materials is a natural and irreversible process. In order to protect stone artworks and buildings from natura...

Several weathering aging tests were performed for assessing the durability of an innovative sunlight photopolymerizable nanostructured organic-inorganic (O-I) hybrid coating, namely HYBRIDSUN. The latter was applied on a calcarenitic porous stone typical of Apulia Region, Italy (Lecce Stone, i.e. LS) and photo-cured by means solar radiations up to...

The aim of this work is the analysis of the suitability of cardanol derivatives as primary plasticizer for polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Cardanol derived plasticizers (CDP) were obtained by acetylation of cardanol, followed by epoxidation of the side chain double bonds. The developed procedures allowed to achieve high yields of acetylated cardanol, whe...

The application of hydrophobic polymers to stone materials is an effective way to preserve stone artefacts and protect Cultural Heritage from decay. To improve the characteristics and performance of water-repellent treatments, and to avoid the use of harmful solvents, innovative solutions have been widely explored. As recent examples, organic nano-...

Usually the processing cycle to obtain different products using stone (construction blocks, ornamental elements, etc.) is carried out by cutting massive blocks with CNC system using water as lubricant. As a consequence, large amounts of fine powders are generated, compacted and stored in outdoor spaces. The production of this scrap amount depends o...

Photocurable composites based on a UV-light curable methacrylic-siloxane resin formulation and various concentrations (5 ÷ 20 wt%) of microcrystalline cellulose powder (MCC) were prepared and characterized to assess their suitability as protective coatings for wooden artworks. Dynamic mechanical thermal analysis highlighted that MCC promoted an enh...

Nanoscale expanded graphite stack (EGS) precursors were examined to assess their suitability to be added to a bisphenolic commercial cold-cured epoxy oligomer. The typical limits of cold-cured epoxy networks, in fact, could be surpassed with the addition of nanosized EGS. The rheological behavior of the uncured epoxy-based formulation in the presen...