Giulia Fredi

Master program in Communication of Science and Innovation (master di I livello)

09/2021-06/2022 - University of Trento

Doctoral degree in Materials, Mechatronics and Systems Engineering

11/2016-06/2020 - University of Trento

• Thesis title: Multifunctional polymer composites for thermal energy storage and thermal management
• Mark: Excellent cum laude
• DAAD scholarship holder and visiting Ph.D. student at the Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung (Dresden, Germany)

Master's degree in Materials Engineering

09/2014-10/2016 - University of Trento

• Thesis title: Correlation between microstructure and electrochemical properties of PAN-based
  carbon fibers for Li-ion structural batteries
• Mark: 110/110 cum laude
• Erasmus student at Chalmers University of Technology (Gothenburg, Sweden)

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical and Materials Engineering

09/2011-09/2014 - University of Brescia

• Thesis title: Caratterizzazione meccanica di dispositivi per la sensoristica biomedicale realizzati mediante deposizione di inchiostri conduttivi su film polimerici
• Mark: 110/110 cum laude

Fixed-term researcher (RTDa)

1/2022-present - University of Trento

• Project: Development of sustainable thermoplastic composites based on polyamide-6

Postdoctoral researcher - CARITRO fellow

4/2021-12/2021- University of Trento

• Project: Exploring the next generation bioplastics based on furanoate polyesters for sustainable packaging and textile fibers (BioPackTex)

Postdoctoral researcher - L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women In Science fellow

06/2020-03/2021 - University of Trento

• Project: Study of a new class of promising bioderived polymers, the poly(alkylene furanoates) (PAFs), for sustainable packaging and textiles

Multifunctional composites for thermal energy storage (TES)

The goal is to develop and characterize multifunctional polymer composites endowed with high mechanical properties and the capability of storing and releasing heat at a well defined temperature, thereby combining the structural function and the heat storage/management capability. This is achieved by introducing phase change materials (PCMs) into fiber- or particulate-reinforced composites.

Bioderived furanoate polyesters for sustainable packaging and textile fibers

Poly(alkylene furanoate)s (PAFs) are a new class of biopolymers exhibiting superior thermomechanical and gas-barrier properties than those of their petrochemical counterpart (i.e., poly(alkylene terephthalate)s, and are thus regarded as the “sleeping giant” in the world of bioplastics. The goal is the characterization of the physical properties of these PAFs to investigate their potential in various production processes (film casting, compression molding, wet/melt spinning, electrospinning) and expand their application range. 

In situ anionic polymerization of ε-caprolactam for thermoplastic composites and nanocomposites

In situ anionic polymerization is a suitable technique to produce polyamide-6-based continuous-fiber thermoplastic composites, as it allows the injection of a reactive mixture with a very low viscosity (composed by the monomer, i.e., ε-caprolactam, an activator and an initiator) in a mold containing the reinforcement. The subsequent in-situ polymerization allows the production of thermoplastic composites in few minutes. This technique has been used in our lab to produce several types of composites. Current activities are going on to optimize the process (reactor, mold, heating systems, injection time, polymerization temperature) and the composition of the reactive mixture, to tune the final properties of the resulting composites. 

Eni Award - Young researcher of the year (10/2022) - Eni, Italy

Best poster award (09/2022) - XXIV Conference of Associazione Italiana Macromolecole (AIM)

Best PhD thesis (09/2021) - Associazione italiana di Ingegneria dei Materiali (AIMAT)

Travel award for young researchers (03/2021) - MDPI Materials

INSTM/Polymers award for the best science communication video (03/2021) - Istituto Nazionale di Scienza e Tecnologia dei Materiali (INSTM) and MDPI Polymers

L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women In Science Award (05/2020) 

Best oral presentation award (06/2020 and 06/2017) - Macrogiovani Confrences (AIM)