Fields of Interest and Expertise

Green Hydrogen Electrochemistry Coatings Microscopy Spectroscopy

Teaching

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Curriculum Vitae

Alessandro Lavacchi is a senior researcher at the Institute of Organometallic Chemistry of the National Research Council (ICCOM-CNR) of Italy, where he also leads the Electron Microscopy Facility. Dr. Lavacchi earned his Ph.D. in Materials Science and Technology in 2003, focusing on pioneering work in aluminum electrodeposition from ionic liquids as a clean, sustainable alternative to chemical vapor deposition. From 2003 to 2010, he held dual roles as a postdoctoral researcher at the Italian Interuniversity Consortium for the Science and Technology of Materials and as an R&D and safety consultant for over 200 private sector clients. His work during this period spanned the development of coatings for the aerospace and energy industries, as well as electroplating solutions for the fashion sector. In 2010, Dr. Lavacchi obtained a permanent position at the Italian National Research Council (CNR), applying his expertise in surface treatment to develop novel electrocatalysts for electrolyzers and fuel cells. Concurrently, he developed innovative numerical methods to simplify the metrology of coatings, focusing on non-destructive techniques for determining the thickness and composition of metal deposits. Promoted to senior researcher in 2020, Dr. Lavacchi leads the applied surface science group, which specializes in green and sustainable coatings, including solutions for the hydrogen economy and innovative electroplating films for the fashion industry. The group's work emphasizes the use of abundant raw materials to enhance supply chain resilience and is currently exploring the controlled anodization of titanium felt for corrosion-resistant, high-surface-area coatings in the hydrogen sector. Since 2015, Dr. Lavacchi has overseen the Electron Microscopy Facility in the Florence Research Area, managing more than 3 million through various projects funded by public and private entities for applied surface science research and facility modernization. In 2021, he contributed to establishing the Technology Transfer Center (CenTraTec) of the Florence Research Area that is now under his leadership. Throughout his career, Dr. Lavacchi has co-authored more than 150 scientific publications and the monograph "Nanotechnology in Electrocatalysis for Energy." He served as Chief Editor of the peer-reviewed journal Coatings (2013-2023) and he is a member of the editorial board of Electrochemical Energy Reviews (IF 2021: 32.8). Since 2010, Dr. Lavacchi has organized several international conferences on coatings and electrochemical energy conversion and storage, including symposia for the Electrochemical Society (ECS) and the International Society of Electrochemistry (ISE) conferences.

Awards

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Unit

• Florence

Publications