Francesca Pignatelli
Senior Technician

Contacts
About
Francesca Pignatelli graduated in Physics in 1999, at the University of Florence in Italy, studing “Macroscopic Quantum Tunneling in Josephson Junctions”. From 2000 to 2004 she accomplished her PhD studies in Physics, at the “Physikalisches Institüt III der Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg” in Germany, in Prof. A. V. Ustinov’s group, over a EC predoc in the European Commission research and training network, LocNet . She obtained her PhD in January 2004 with a work on “Broken-Symmetry States in Josephson Cells”. In 2004-2006 she worked at the “Laboratorio di Sanità Pubblica” ASL 10 of Florence, as responsible for the definition of the sampling strategies and of the general evaluation of the results for the physical risk factors, in the regional project Indoor, investigation of the school environments.
Since 2006 she jointed the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT) in Genova, working first on the set-up and development of the nanophysics facility. At present, she has a research technologist position in the Material Science group of the Department of Nanophysics. Her work is mainly devoted on the optimization and study of “smart” materials by them structural and optical characterization.
Her specific research experience ranges from superconductivity, Josephson tunnel junctions and Josephson junctions arrays as model systems for studying localized excitations in nonlinear lattices to polymeric nanocomposites-development & characterization. In this last activity her field of interest is the tailoring of material properties such as optical, electrical, superficial and thermal, with particular care to the assembly of the nanofillers in the polymeric matrix.
Selected Publications
- G. C. Anyfantis, M. Scotto, A. Scarpellini, F. Pignatelli, S. M. Toussi, R. Ruffilli, L. Martiradonna, A. Athanassiou “Synergistic Action of Alginate Chemical Reduction and Laser Irradiation for the Formation of Au Nanoparticles with Controlled Dimensions” Particles & Particle Systems Characterization 32 (2015) 389-397.
- Bayer, S. Guzman-Puyol, J. A. Heredia-Guerrero, L. Ceseracciu, F. Pignatelli, R. Ruffilli, R. Cingolani, A. Athanassiou “Direct transformation of edible vegetable waste into bioplastics” Macromolecules 47 (2014) 5135-5143.
- R. Carzino, F. Pignatelli, D. Farina, B. Torre, M. Scotto, L. Marini, G. Bertoni, G. Caputo, P. D. Cozzoli, A. Diaspro and A. Athanassiou “Laser-induced disaggregation of TiO2 nanofillers for uniform nanocomposites” Nanotechnology 25 (2014) 125702.
- G. N. Abdelrasoul, R. Cingolani, A. Diaspro, A. Athanassiou, F. Pignatelli “Photochemical synthesis: effect of UV irradiation on gold nanorods morphology” Journal of Photochemistry & Photobiology, A: Chemistry 275C (2014) 7-11.
- E. Samoylova, W. Dallari, M. Allione, F. Pignatelli, L. Marini, R. Cingolani, A. Diaspro, and A. Athanassiou “Characterization of fatigue resistance in photochromic composite materials for 3D rewritable optical memory applications” Materials Science and Engineering B,178 (2013) 730-735.
- G. N. Abdelrasoul, M. Scotto, R. Cingolani, A. Diaspro, A. Athanassiou, F. Pignatelli “Effect of precursor solution dark incubation on gold nanorods morphology” Journal of Crystal Growth 361 (2012) 159-165.
- N. Patra, M. Salerno, P. D. Cozzoli, A. C. Barone, L. Ceseracciu, F. Pignatelli, R. Carzino, L. Marini, A. Athanassiou, “Thermal and mechanical characterization of poly(methyl methacrylate) nanocomposites filled with TiO2 nanorods” Composites: Part B 43 (2012) 3114-3119.
- W. Dallari, M. Scotto, M. Allione, E. Samoylova, F. Pignatelli, R. Cingolani, A. Athanassiou, A. Diaspro, “Three-dimensional optical data storage through multi-photon confocal microscopy and imaging” Microelectronic Engineering 88 (2011) 3466-3469.
- W. Dallari, M. Scotto, M. Allione, E. Samoylova, F. Pignatelli, R. Cingolani, A. Athanassiou, A. Diaspro, “Optical data storage in photochromic compounds” proceedings SPIE 7935 (2011) 793510.
- F. Pignatelli, R. Carzino, M. Salerno, M. Scotto, C. Canale, M. Distaso, F. Rizzi, G. Caputo, P. D. Cozzoli, R. Cingolani, A. Athanassiou, ‘Directional enhancement of refractive index and tunable wettability of polymeric coatings due to preferential dispersion of colloidal TiO2 nanorods towards their surface’, Thin Solid Films, Elsevier 518 (2010) 4425-4431.
- D. Fragouli, L. Persano, G. Paladini, D. Pisignano, R. Carzino, F. Pignatelli, R. Cingolani and A.Athanassiou, ‘Reversible diffraction efficiency of photochromic-polymer gratings related to photoinduced dimensional changes’, Advanced Functional Materials 18 (2008) 1617-1623.
- M.C. Aprea, E. Balocchini, L. Miligi, A. Benvenuti, V. Bianchimani, P. Cercenà, R. La Vecchia, C. Cassinelli, G. Sciarra, I. Pinto, M. Vincentini, F. Corsi, C. Delicius, V. Calafiore, F. Pignatelli, S. Alberghini Maltoni, F. Barghini, M.T. Maurello, atti del 25° Congresso Nazionale AIDII (2007).
- F. Pignatelli, L. Bertuzzi, P. Lenzuni, “Semplici Considerazioni sulla Comprensibilità del Linguaggio nelle Aule Scolastiche”, atti del XXXIII convegno nazionale dell’associazione italiana di acustica (AIA), Ischia (2006).
- F. Pignatelli, Broken-Symmetry States in Josephson Cells, Mesoscopic Structures and Superconductivity 4, Verlag: Lehrstuhl für Mikrocharakterisierung Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, ISBN 3-932392-49-3 (2004).
- M. Schuster, F. Pignatelli and A. V. Ustinov, “Spontaneous Creation of Discrete Breathers in Josephson Arrays”, Phys. Rev. B 69 (2004) 094507.
- F. Pignatelli and A. V. Ustinov, “Observation of Breather-Like States and Resonances in a Single Josephson Cell”, Proceedings of the third conference on “Localization and Energy Transfer in Nonlinear Systems” June 17-21, 2002, San Lorenzo de El Escorial Madrid, Spain, eds. L. Velazques, R. S. Mac Kay, M. P. Zorzano (World Scientific 2003), p. 339-341.
- F. Pignatelli and A. V. Ustinov, “Observation of Breatherlike States in a Single Josephson Cell”, Phys. Rev. E, 67 (2003) 036607.
- P. Moretti, D. Mugnai, F. Pignatelli, A. Ranfagni, “Josephson junction coupled to a trasmission line: another look to the problem”, Phys. Lett. A 271 (2000) 139-144.
- P. Fabeni, D. Mugnai, G. P. Pazzi, F. Pignatelli, A. Ranfagni, R. Cristiano, L. Frunzio, L. S. Schulman, “Traversal Time in Josephson Junctions”, Journal of Superconductivity, 12 (1999) 829-833.
IIT Publications
- 2020
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DOI
3D printed composites from heat extruded polycaprolactone/sodium alginate filaments and their heavy metal adsorption properties
Materials Chemistry Frontiers, vol. 4, (no. 8), pp. 2472-2483 -
DOI
Light-assisted electrospinning monitoring for soft polymeric nanofibers
Scientific Reports, vol. 10, (no. 1) -
DOI
Light-induced capacitance switching in spiropyran-based capacitors
Sensors and Actuators, A: Physical, vol. 302 - 2019
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DOI
Suberin/ trans-Cinnamaldehyde Oil Nanoparticles with Antimicrobial Activity and Anticancer Properties When Loaded with Paclitaxel
ACS Applied Bio Materials, vol. 2, (no. 8), pp. 3484-3497 - 2018
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DOI
Plasmonic polyaniline/gold nanorods hybrid composites for selective NIR photodetection: Synthesis and characterization
Composites Part B: Engineering, vol. 149, pp. 178-187 -
DOI
Ultraconformable Freestanding Capacitors Based on Ultrathin Polyvinyl Formal Films
Advanced Electronic Materials, vol. 4, (no. 11) - 2017
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DOI
Surface morphology analysis of composite thin films based on titanium-dioxide nanoparticles
Acta Physica Polonica A, vol. 131, (no. 6), pp. 1529-1533 -
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Time- and Solvent-Dependent Self-Assembly of Photochromic Crystallites
Journal of Physical Chemistry C, vol. 121, (no. 43), pp. 24245-24251 - 2016
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Nylon 6,6/graphene nanoplatelet composite films obtained from a new solvent
RSC Advances, vol. 6, (no. 8), pp. 6823-6831 -
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P(VDF-TrFE)/BaTiO3 Nanoparticle Composite Films Mediate Piezoelectric Stimulation and Promote Differentiation of SH-SY5Y Neuroblastoma Cells
Advanced healthcare materials, vol. 5, (no. 14), pp. 1808-1820 - 2015
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DOI
Erratum: Spontaneous Formation of Photochromic Coatings Made of Reversible Microfibrils and Nanofibrils on an Elastomer Substrate (Langmuir (2014) 30:43 (13058-13064) DOI: 10.1021/la5035068)
Langmuir, vol. 31, (no. 27), pp. 7695-7695 -
DOI
Synergistic action of alginate chemical reduction and laser irradiation for the formation of au nanoparticles with controlled dimensions
Particle and Particle Systems Characterization, vol. 32, (no. 3), pp. 389-397 -
DOI
Twofold role of Hexadecyltrimethylammonium Bromide in photochemical synthesis of gold nanorods
Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology A: Chemistry, vol. 311, pp. 76-84 - 2014
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DOI
Direct transformation of edible vegetable waste into bioplastics
Macromolecules, vol. 47, (no. 15), pp. 5135-5143 -
DOI
Laser-induced disaggregation of TiO2nanofillers for uniform nanocomposites
Nanotechnology, vol. 25, (no. 12) -
DOI
Photochemical synthesis: Effect of UV irradiation on gold nanorods morphology
Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology A: Chemistry, vol. 275, pp. 7-11 -
DOI
Spontaneous formation of photochromic coatings made of reversible microfibrils and nanofibrils on an elastomer substrate
Langmuir, vol. 30, (no. 43), pp. 13058-13064 - 2013
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DOI
Characterization of fatigue resistance in photochromic composite materials for 3D rewritable optical memory applications
Materials Science & Engineering B: Solid-State Materials for Advanced Technology, vol. 178, (no. 10), pp. 730-735 - 2012
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DOI
Effect of precursor solution dark incubation on gold nanorods morphology
Journal of Crystal Growth, vol. 361, (no. 1), pp. 159-165 -
DOI
Thermal and mechanical characterization of poly(methyl methacrylate) nanocomposites filled with TiO 2 nanorods
Composites Part B: Engineering, vol. 43, (no. 8), pp. 3114-3119 - 2011
-
DOI
Optical data storage in photochromic compounds
Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering, vol. 7935 -
DOI
Three-dimensional optical data storage through multi-photon confocal microscopy and imaging
Microelectronic Engineering, vol. 88, (no. 12), pp. 3466-3469 - 2010
-
DOI
Directional enhancement of refractive index and tunable wettability of polymeric coatings due to preferential dispersion of colloidal TiO2 nanorods towards their surface
Thin Solid Films, vol. 518, (no. 15), pp. 4425-4431 - 2008
-
DOI
Reversible diffraction efficiency of photochromic polymer gratings related to photoinduced dimensional changes
Advanced Functional Materials, vol. 18, (no. 11), pp. 1617-1623 - 2004
-
DOI
Spontaneous creation of discrete breathers in Josephson arrays
Physical Review B - Condensed Matter and Materials Physics, vol. 69, (no. 9) - 2003
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DOI
Observation of breatherlike states in a single Josephson cell
Physical Review E, vol. 67, (no. 3) - 1999
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DOI
Traversal Time in Josephson Junctions
Journal of Superconductivity, vol. 12, (no. 6), pp. 829-833