Presto Sabrina

Presto Sabrina

Researcher

Genoa unit
Located at DICCA, Department of Chemical, Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Genoa, Via all’Opera Pia 15, 16145, Genoa
Email
sabrina.presto@cnr.it
Phone
+39 010 353 6025

BIOGRAPHY

Graduated in physics with a PhD in Materials Science and Technology, she has been a researcher at ICMATE (formerly IENI) since 2009. Since 2016 she has been working at the Department of Civil, Chemical and Environmental Engineering (DICCA), University of Genoa, at MErgELab: the laboratory of materials and electrochemical processes for energy.

She works on the synthesis, shaping and characterization (morphological and functional) of ceramic powders, for the production, storage and transformation of clean energy using solid oxide cells (SOFC and SOEC).

With a master in journalism and institutional science communication, she combines her research activity with the science communication, interweaving environmental and climate crisis issues with gender issues in STEM disciplines.

She designs scientific laboratories and gives seminars in events dedicated to spreading scientific culture for the public and promoting STEM subjects in schools. She holds training courses for teachers.

She experiments with unconventional languages such as theater and storytelling to increase the effectiveness of science communication.

She is part of the CNR interdepartmental working group “Nature, Research and Society” with the aim of engaging the CNR community to create a network of inter- and transdisciplinary discussion on science, society and politics and proposing shared research topics also through communication and training.

She is part of the CNR gender equality team for Training and European perspectives activities.

She is part of the working group for the communication and dissemination of ICMATE research, being the contact person for the gender dimension subgroup.

RESEARCH AREAS

RESEARCH ACTIVITY

Design and development of ionic and mixed conductor functional ceramic and cermet materials for fuel cells (SOFCs) and solid oxide electrolytic cells (SOECs), for hydrogen power generation and high-temperature electrochemical conversion of steam and carbon dioxide to syngas.

The optimization process ranges from the synthesis and characterization of oxides, through the formulation and fabrication of electrolytes and electrodes using colloidal techniques (spraying, infiltration, impregnation of controlled porosity structures) to the characterization of materials, their interfaces and devices under operating conditions through D.C. and impedance spectroscopy measurements.

The experimental activity is complemented by modelling, in collaboration with UNIGE, UNIMIB and CNR-SCITEC to correlate microscopic phenomena with electrode microstructure and device performance.

PROJECTS

Ricerca e sviluppo di tecnologie per la filiera dell’idrogeno. POR H2 – PNRR. 2022-2025

Forceful – Fuel from CO2 by co-electRolysis: advanCed materials and dEvices For sUstainabLe energy storage. PRIN 2022. 2023-2025

Coelus – produzione di combustibile rinnovabile mediante co-elettrolisi e riuso del diossido di carbonio. Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo. 2020-2024

RESEARCH PRODUCTS

JF Basbus et al., “Study of a novel microstructured air electrode/electrolyte interface for solid oxide cells”, Applied Surface Science 652 (2024) 159372
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsusc.2024.159372

D. Cadermartori et al., “A high-performance Co-free electrode for solid oxide cells: La0.7Sr0.3Cu0.15Fe0.85O3-δ synthesis and characterisation”, Journal of Alloys and Compounds 965 (2023) 171334
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jallcom.2023.171334

S Massardo et al., “Defect chemistry of (Nd, Tm)-and (Nd, Dy)-doped ceria as revealed by Raman and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy”, Solid State Ionics 403 (2023), 116403
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssi.2023.116403

Presto, S. et al., “Lo storytelling nella comunicazione scientifica sulla crisi climatica.” CNR Edizioni. (2023) ISBN 978 88 8080 557 1.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10579432

Presto et al., “Storytelling e metodologia hands on: avvicinare i bambini e le bambine alla ricerca ambientale e climatica”, Quaderni di Comunicazione Scientifica 3/2022, (2023), ISBN 9791259931696.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17454/QDCS03.08

RESEARCH PRODUCTS

JF Basbus et al., “Study of a novel microstructured air electrode/electrolyte interface for solid oxide cells”, Applied Surface Science 652 (2024) 159372
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsusc.2024.159372

D. Cadermartori et al., “A high-performance Co-free electrode for solid oxide cells: La0.7Sr0.3Cu0.15Fe0.85O3-δ synthesis and characterisation”, Journal of Alloys and Compounds 965 (2023) 171334
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jallcom.2023.171334

S Massardo et al., “Defect chemistry of (Nd, Tm)-and (Nd, Dy)-doped ceria as revealed by Raman and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy”, Solid State Ionics 403 (2023), 116403
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssi.2023.116403

Presto, S. et al., “Lo storytelling nella comunicazione scientifica sulla crisi climatica.” CNR Edizioni. (2023) ISBN 978 88 8080 557 1.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10579432

Presto et al., “Storytelling e metodologia hands on: avvicinare i bambini e le bambine alla ricerca ambientale e climatica”, Quaderni di Comunicazione Scientifica 3/2022, (2023), ISBN 9791259931696.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17454/QDCS03.08