Mortalò Cecilia

MORTALO

Mortalò
Cecilia

Researcher

University of Modena and Reggio Emilia

Email
cecilia.mortalo@cnr.it
Phone
+39 049 829 5856

BIOGRAPHY

Cecilia Mortalò obtained her degree in chemistry in 2001 and her PhD in chemistry in 2005 from the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia. Since 2006 she has been a researcher at the Institute of Condensed Matter Chemistry and Technologies for Energy (CNR-ICMATE). Since 2017, she has primarily worked at the Department of Engineering ‘Enzo Ferrari’ (DIEF) at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, as part of a scientific agreement between ICMATE and DIEF. She is also a member of the PhD Board in Civil, Environmental and Materials Engineering (cycles XL and XLI) at the same university.
Her research focuses on developing advanced functional materials for use in energy, environmental and emerging technological applications. She specialises in the synthesis, processing and characterization of ceramic and metallic materials, coatings and nanostructured systems. She has developed strong expertise in microwave-assisted synthesis (hydrothermal and sol–gel), which enables the controlled preparation of materials with tailored properties. Her recent research includes luminescent nanomaterials for anti-counterfeiting purposes and bio-based materials such as sodium alginate composites and hybrids, with a focus on sustainability.
She has participated in numerous national and international projects, including PRIN, PNRR and CNR-MiSE, and collaborates with several research institutions in Italy and abroad. She is the co-author of over 60 scientific publications. In 2025, she received the Ricky Metaxas Young Researcher Award at the AMPERE conference in recognition of her contributions to microwave-assisted technologies

RESEARCH AREAS

RESEARCH ACTIVITY

Her research integrates materials design, processability and application to contribute to the development of innovative, sustainable solutions to current technological challenges.
The research focuses particularly on the synthesis, processing and characterization of advanced functional materials for use in energy, environmental and optoelectronic applications.
Key topics include the microwave-assisted (hydrothermal and sol–gel) synthesis of nanostructured materials, ceramic and metallic coatings, and functional oxides for energy systems (e.g. SOFC and hydrogen-related technologies). Current research also focuses on luminescent nanomaterials for anti-counterfeiting purposes, colloidal suspensions and aqueous inks, and bio-based materials (e.g. sodium alginate composites) for sustainable applications.

PROJECTS

RdS (Ricerca di Sistema) 2025-2027
POR H2 – PNRR project
HEADSTONE – PRIN project
BRIC – Bilateral project CNR-ICMATE/RFX Consortium

RESEARCH PRODUCTS

C. Mortalò, R. Rosa, P. Veronesi, S. Fasolin, V. Zin, S.M. Deambrosis, E. Miorin, G. Dimitrakis, M. Fabrizio, C. Leonelli “Microwave assisted sintering of Na-β-Al2O3 in single mode cavities: Insights in the use of 2450 MHz frequency and preliminary experiments at 5800 MHz”, Ceramics International 46 (2020) 28767-28777.
DOI: 10.1016/j.ceramint.2020.08.039
Cecilia Mortalò, Pietro Russo, Enrico Miorin, Valentina Zin, Enrico Paradisi, Cristina Leonelli “Extruded composite films based on polylactic acid and sodium alginate”, Polymer, 282 (2023) 126162.
DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2023.126162
E. Paradisi, C. Mortalò, V. Zin, F. Armetta, V. Boiko, D. Hreniak, M. Zapparoli, S. M. Deambrosis, E. Miorin, C. Leonelli, M. L. Saladino “Eu-Doped YPO₄ Luminescent Nanopowders for Anticounterfeiting Applications: Tuning Morphology and Optical Properties by a Rapid Microwave-Assisted Hydrothermal Method” ACS Appl. Nano Mater., 7, (2024) 6893-6905.
DOI: 10.1021/acsanm.3c05806
Enrico Paradisi, Cecilia Mortalò, Fernanda Andreola, Valentina Zin, Raffaella Capelli, Luca Pasquali, Silvia Maria Deambrosis, Enrico Miorin, Cristina Leonelli, “Stable water-based luminescent suspensions of Eu³⁺:YPO₄ nanophosphors in sodium alginate medium: Sustainable inks for potential anticounterfeiting applications”, Ceramics International (2025), 51, 58745-58755.
DOI: 10.1016/j.ceramint.2025.10.092
D’Angelo, A.; Mortalò, C.; Comune, L.; Raffaini, G.; Fiorentino, M.; Catauro, M. “Sol–Gel Synthesized Silica/Sodium Alginate Hybrids: Comprehensive Physico-Chemical and Biological Characterization”. Molecules (2025), 30, 3481.
DOI: 10.3390/molecules30173481

RESEARCH PRODUCTS

Zin et al., “Effect of Mo content on the microstructure and mechanical properties of CoCrFeNiMo_x HEA coatings deposited by high power impulse magnetron sputtering”, Surface and Coatings Technology 476 (2024) 130244.
DOI: 10.1016/j.surfcoat.2023.130244
Piotto et al., “One-step laser ablation synthesis of magnetic nanoparticles with carbon coating for tribological applications”, Tribology International 183 (2023) 108371.
DOI: 10.1016/j.triboint.2023.108371
Mortalò et al., “Surface Optimization of Commercial Porous Ti Substrates by EPD of Titanium Nitride”, Membranes 12(5) (2022) 531.
DOI: 10.3390/membranes12050531
Zin et al., “Mechanical and Tribological Properties of Ta-N and Ta-Al-N Coatings Deposited by Reactive High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering”, Materials 15(9) (2022) 3354.
DOI: 10.3390/ma15093354
M. Deambrosis et al., “Effect of temperature and deposition technology on the microstructure, chemistry and tribo-mechanical characteristics of Ti-B based thin films by magnetron sputtering”, Surface and Coatings Technology 405 (2021) 126556.
DOI: 10.1016/j.surfcoat.2020.126556