Courses

Teacher: Francesca Soavi 

Contents: In this course students will learn the fundamentals of cell electrochemistry and the key chemical-physical properties and reactivity of the cell fundamental components: cathode, anode, separator and electrolyte. They will understand how cell chemistry impacts on energy, power, safety and life of batteries.

Teacher: Catia Arbizzani

Contents: At the end of the course the student has acquired basic and technological knowledge of the operation of Li-ion and Li metal batteries, and of the conventional and most advanced materials for lithium-based batteries, including electrodes, electrolytes and non active materials (separators, binders and current collectors).

Teacher: Vito Di Noto

Contents: This course explores key concepts in modern electrochemistry and emerging battery technologies, with a focus on next-generation systems beyond lithium-ion. Topics include advanced electrolytes - such as polymeric, ceramic, hybrid, and ionic liquid-based materials - as well as alternative chemistries like magnesium and sodium. High-energy cathode materials will also be briefly discussed.

Teacher: Stefano Saguatti

Contents: This module aims at developing comprehensive process overview specifications for state-of-the-art lithium-ion battery production. Electrode and cell manufacturing are presented with a focus on automation and industrial lines. We will address the follwoing topics:

-The assembly of electrochemical energy storage devices (Battery and Capacitor) produced for  different types of application: consumer, automotive and industrial sectors.  

-The effectiveness of different cell designs suitable for R2R (roll to roll) manufacturing technology.

- Process and  technology  Innovations  road map  from research lab to Mass Production.

-What is necessary to make sustainable battery production in Europe?

Teacher: Antunes Staffolani

Contents: This course offers a comprehensive overview of electrochemical techniques used to characterize Li-ion batteries and their materials. It covers methods such as galvanostatic and potentiodynamic techniques, as well as alternating current techniques like Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) and Distribution of Relaxation Times (DRT). At the end of the course the student has acquired the technological knowledge for the electrochemical characterization of batteries and their materials.

Teacher: Marco Giorgetti

Contents: This section of the course provides a broad overview of various analytical techniques used to study cell active material components. It covers their characterization in the pristine state, under operando conditions, and after aging, with a focus on material-level analysis.

Teacher: Simone D’Agostino

Contents: This course examines the chemistry of transition metals, emphasizing coordination compounds, electronic structure, bonding theories, isomerism, and reactivity. Additionally, it covers the latest applications of coordination compounds and Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs), such as energy storage devices.

Teacher: Chiara Gualandi

Contents: The course will present the basic principles of polymer chemistry and physics and it will focus of polymers used in batteries such as fluorinated polymers, polyelectrolytes and semiconductive polymers.

Teacher: Chiara Samorì

Contents: This course deals with the objectives and tools of green chemistry, such as green metrics, first, second and third generation biomasses, the use of renewable sources for the production of platform chemical compounds for industry through fermentation processes and chemical processes, biopolymers, and alternative solvents.

Teacher: Claudio Rossi

Contents: This course will allow you to acquire elements from engineering and environmental point of view, in order to evaluate, analyze and implement the diffusion of electric vehicles. The  role played by ‘powertrain electrification’ for the reduction of pollutant emission and for increasing the efficiency of road vehicles is discussed.

Teacher: Andrea Contin

Contents: At the end of the course, the student will have a basic knowledge on the production of energy from renewable sources (general overview on renewable energy, renewable energy sources and relevant indicators, environmental impact of energy systems) and the basic tools needed to understand the policies and energy plans at local and national level.

Teacher: Claudio Rossi

Contents: In this course students will learn modelling methodology for representing the cell output characteristic and the variability of cell parameters, will understand  the main issues related to the pack formation by series/parallel connection of cells and learn the sizing criteria for a battery pack.

Teacher: Cristian Torri

Learning outcomes: At the end of the course, students will have acquired fundamental knowledge of disassembly, sorting, and chemical recycling of main battery constituents. In particular, students will acquire the skills required to design the high-level structure of a battery recycling plant and perform an ex ante technoeconomic evaluation of a battery recycling strategy.

Contents: Hierarchy in the integrated waste management system: prevention, reduction, recycling, energy recovery, waste disposal. Technologies for disassembly and sorting of battery parts. Basics of inorganic material extraction and recycling. Technologies for the recycling of plastic materials. In-depth analysis of treatment technologies in terms of performance (mass and energy flows), pollutant emissions and costs. Waste characterisation techniques: elemental analysis, upper and lower calorific value. Examples of innovative battery recovery processes. Training activities via the technoeconomic evaluation of an example battery recycling line.

Teacher: Andrea Zucchelli

Contents: The main architectures of automated machines and robotic solutions for battery production processes are introduced. Parameters for calculating automatic machines' productivity and efficiency are also analyzed. Finally, an automatic system design for battery assembly and post-processing is introduced and analyzed.

Teacher: Fabrizio Passarini

Contents: Introduction to LCA: conceptual framework of reference and operational phases; system boundaries and functional unit setting; system allocation and expansion rules; categories of environmental impact and damage; characterization procedures and environmental indicators.

Teacher: Luca Ciacci

Contents:  Practical examples and guided LCA simulation on case studies relevant to battery systems; analysis of process contribution; modelling material recycling and energy recovery in LCA; sensitivity and uncertainty analysis.

Teacher: Eliana Quartarone

Contents: The course will focus on the strategies to minimise the environmental impacts of the battery technology throughout the whole lifecycle from its creation (raw materials sourcing) to its disposal and end-of-life management (recycling). They involve the entire value chain, not just the manufacturing phase and consider key-aspects such as design for material efficiency, recyclability, design for circularity, reduction of hazardous substance, etc.

Teacher: Paolo Bellavista

Contents: This course aims to introduce the architectures and enabling technologies emerging in the field of digital twins for industrial processes in general, with a particular focus on production, lifecycle, and circular economy processes related to next-generation batteries. In this context, basic elements of the Internet of Things and Machine Learning will also be discussed, as they are used as building blocks of modern digital twins."

Teacher: Eliana Quartarone

Contents: This course provides an overview of the new European Regulatory Landscape for batteries and related technologies, set during the last  years as legislative effort to improve Europe’s footprint on the climate and the environment and keep up with the progress and increasing competitive edge of the European battery industry.