The interdisciplinary research activity ranges in the fields of crystallography, crystal physics, crystal chemistry, physical, crystallographic and crystal-chemical characterization of minerals and analogues of synthesis, thermodynamics of the mineral phase, science and technology of mineral materials, from both an experimental and theoretical point of view.
The research also concerns the study of mineral surfaces, the interaction between organic/biological matter and mineral surfaces, such as for instance single molecules of nucleotides, RNA, DNA, amino acids, proteins in interaction with mineral surfaces, the study of phyllosilicates, clay minerals and clays.
For these purposes, the research uses and develops specific investigation methodologies such as scanning probe microscopy (SPM, AFM, etc.), finite element analysis (MEMS, and electromechanics), electron microscopy (TEM, SEM, ESEM), electron diffraction (ED), X-ray microanalysis (Si-Li, SDD), Monte Carlo simulations for SEM-EDS microanalysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermal analysis, infrared and UV spectroscopy, quantum mechanics and quantum mineralogy (QM ).
