About Me
Welcome to the personal webpage of Dr. Marco Altomare, tenure track assistant professor at the Faculty of Science and Technology (S&T) of the University of Twente (UT).
NEWS
- Dr. Marco Altomare appointed Early Career Advisory Board member for ChemSusChem, from January 2023. Check out the editorial!
- Dr. Marco Altomare appointed Organizing Committee member of the Dutch ElectroChemical Conversion and Materials ECCM graduate school. The next edition of the school will be held in Noordwijk,13-16 June 2023. Pre-registration will open on 1 Feb 2023. Check out the ECCM webpage for more information.
- Check out our latest open access article by Marco Pinna on sputtered NiCu co-catalyst films for H2 evolution via photocatalytic ethanol reforming
SHORT BIOGRAPHY
I am tenure track assistant professor at the University of Twente (UT) since January 2021.
I am passionate about education and research in the fields of materials science and photo-/electro-catalysis. My group’s research bridges materials science at the nanoscale to heterogeneous catalysis for the sustainable production of fuels and chemicals. We combine physical vapor deposition and solid-state methods – to design model nanostructured catalysts - with in-situ characterization techniques to elucidate structure-performance relationships and investigate catalyst stability in photo- and electrocatalytic reactions.
I lead the Electro-Chemical Materials Science team (ECMS), which is hosted by the PhotoCatalytic Synthesis group (PCS) of Prof. G. Mul at the Faculty of Science and Technology of UT.
ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE & EDUCATION
- Tenure track assistant professor at Uni Twente, NL
- Postdoc in materials science at Uni Erlangen-Nuremberg, DE, Schmuki lab
- PhD in metal oxide photo-electrocatalysis at Uni Milano, IT, Selli lab
- Master in Chemistry, Uni Milano, IT
RESEARCH
During my PhD at Uni Milan IT, I developed photocatalytic materials that drive chemical reactions powered by solar light. I focused on earth-abundant semiconductor materials, namely metal oxides, and investigated their synthesis by electrochemical anodization to produce one-dimensional nanostructures.
I joined Uni Erlangen-Nuremberg DE as postdoc, where I worked on solid-state dewetting, i.e., the heat induced transformation of metal films into arrangements of defined metal particles, to design model photocatalytic materials.
At Uni Twente, I am expanding further my work on dewetting in the fields of photo- and electrocatalysis. With my team, we aim at investigating controlled dewetting processes to develop nanostructured metal catalysts and electrodes for photo- or electrochemical conversion processes of environmental relevance (e.g., water splitting and hydrogen evolution).
For more information, see sections Research and Projects, or click here for the full publication record.
Expertise
Organisations
Research
Electro-Chemical Materials Science (ECMS) - Altomare research group
The research of my team focuses on materials science at the nanoscale and is diversified over four interlaced themes: solid-state dewetting, electro- and photo-catalysis, and X-ray spectroscopy. Besides, I also lead a responsible research and innovation project studying the societal impact of electrocatalytic technologies.
I. Team members and research lines
- Shreyas Harsha (PhD candidate, electrocatalysis) and Rakesh Sharma (Postdoc, electrocatalysis) team up to study the electrochemical performance of dewetted nanoparticles. They focus on the effect of catalyst structure, morphology and composition on the electrocatalytic performance of dewetted nanoparticles (e.g., Pt, Pd, Ni, or bimetallic systems such as PdCu, NiCu). Electrochemical processes of interest are water electrolysis, i.e., hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions, selective hydrogenation of carbonyl compounds from bio-oil upgrade, and selective reduction of nitrates in waste water.
- Tursun Abudukade (PhD candidate, photocatalysis) and Marco Pinna (PhD, photocatalysis, guest from Uni Como, Italy) join forces to investigate the stability and dynamic behavior of earth-abundant metal co-catalysts, such as Ni and Cu nanoparticles, on metal oxide semiconductors for photocatalytic reactions of environmental relevance such as solar water splitting and hydrogen generation. For this, they adopt operando synchrotron techniques such as X-ray absorption/emission spectroscopy.
- Adam Vass (Postdoc, electrocatalysis) studies the electrochemical conversion of methane to valuable products (methanol, ethane, ethylene) developing a gas-phase electrolyzer based on earth-abundant anode materials (e.g., transition metal oxides such as W, Sn or Ti oxides). He explores mechanistic aspects of methane conversion by operando infrared spectroscopy.
- Senna Middelveld (Postdoc, responsible research and innovation) Electrochemical conversion processes are expected to contribute in the near future to a transition towards more sustainable ("green") chemicals produced from surplus renewable electricity from wind and solar energy. Senna studies possible socio-technical configurations and pathways related to the electrochemical conversion in the chemical industry, spanning from established processes (water electrolysis and hydrogen generation) to perspective applications (e.g., upgrade of bio-oil, synthesis of hydrogen peroxide, or water treatment). She focuses on assessing the environmental and societal implications of materials (electrocatalysts and electrode materials) and produced chemical compounds.
II. Running projects
- NWO-ECCM Tenure Track project "Highly-defined nanostructured electrodes by solid state dewetting" 2021-2025
- DFG project "Dewetted earth-abundant co-catalysts for photocatalysis" 2021-2025
- NWO-ECCM MVI project "Electrifying the chemical production – Responsible pathways and material choices" 2022-2025; Uni Twente consortium with K. Konrad, L. Franco Garcia, and A. Weber
- NWO-ECCM KICk start project "Gas-phase electrocatalysis for methane valorization (ELEVATION)" 2022-2023; Consortium with G. Katsoukis (Uni Twente, NL), M. Tsampas (DIFFER, NL), R. Palkovits (Uni RWTH Aachen, DE), T. Franken (Uni Erlangen-Nuremberg, DE), and industrial partners VSparticle (NL) and Fumatech (DE)
III. Research output
See below or click here for full publication record
VI. Collaborators (by themes)
Solid-state dewetting
- E. Spiecker and J. Will, CENEM, Uni Erlangen-Nuremberg, DE
Photocatalysis
- G. Mul, Uni Twente, NL
- P. Schmuki, Uni Erlangen-Nuremberg, DE
- G. Zoppellaro, RCPTM Uni Palacky Olomouc, CZ
- A. Naldoni, Uni Torino, IT
- L. Palmisano and M. Bellardita, Uni Palermo, IT
- R. Marschall, Uni Bayreuth, DE
- N.T. Nguyen, Uni Concordia, Canada
- S. Recchia and D. Spanu, Uni Como Insubria, IT
Electrocatalysis
- G. Katsoukis, Uni Twente, NL
- B.T. Mei, Uni Bochum, DE
- A. Minguzzi, Uni Milano, IT
- C. Baeumer, Uni Twente, NL
- I. Makhotkin, Uni Twente, NL
- M. Tsampas, DIFFER, NL
- R. Palkovits, Uni RWTH Aachen, DE
- T. Franken, Uni Erlangen-Nuremberg, DE
X-ray spectroscopy
- P. Ghigna, Uni Pavia, IT
- V. Saveleva, ESRF Grenoble, FR
- C. Atzori, ESRF Grenoble, FR
Responsible research and innovation
- K. Konrad, Uni Twente, NL
- L. Franco Garcia, Uni Twente, NL
- A. Weber, Uni Twente, NL
V. Funding
- NWO Dutch Research Council
- Uni Twente - MESA+
- DFG German Research Foundation
Publications
Selected publications:
- M. Pinna, A.W.W. Wei, D. Spanu, J. Will, T. Yokosawa, E. Spiecker, S. Recchia, P. Schmuki, M. Altomare* “Amorphous NiCu Thin Films Sputtered on TiO2 Nanotube Arrays: A Noble-Metal Free Photocatalyst for Hydrogen Evolution” ChemCatChem 2022, just accepted, open access; DOI: 10.1002/cctc.202201052
- M. Altomare*, N.T. Nguyen, A. Naldoni, R. Marschall. “Chapter 3. Structure, materials, and preparation of photoelectrodes” Textbook “Photoelectrocatalysis: Fundamentals and Applications” 2022 1st Edition, Elsevier; Editors: L. Palmisano, S. Yurdakal; eBook ISBN: 9780128242421, just accepted
- D. Spanu, A. Minguzzi, S. Recchia, F. Shahvardanfard, O. Tomanec, R. Zboril, P. Schmuki, P. Ghigna, M. Altomare* “An Operando X-Ray Absorption Spectroscopy Study of a NiCu-TiO2 Photocatalyst for H2 Evolution” ACS Catalysis 2020, 10, 8293; DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.0c01373
- F. Shahvaranfard, P. Ghigna, A. Minguzzi, E. Wierzbicka, P. Schmuki, M. Altomare* “Dewetting of PtCu Nanoalloys on TiO2 Nanocavities Provides a Synergistic Photocatalytic Enhancement for Efficient H2 Evolution” ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 2020, 12, 38211; DOI: 10.1021/acsami.0c10968
- M. Licklederer, N.T. Nguyen, R. Mohammadi, H. Park, S. Hejazi, M. Halik, N. Vogel, M. Altomare*, P. Schmuki “Dewetted Au Nanoparticles on TiO2Surfaces – Evidence of a Size-Independent Plasmonic Photo-Electrochemical Response” The Journal of Physical Chemistry C 2019, 123, 16934; DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.9b02769
- A. Naldoni, M. Altomare, G. Zoppellaro, N. Liu, Š. Kment, R. Zbořil, P. Schmuki “Photocatalysis with Reduced TiO2: From Black TiO2 to Cocatalyst-Free Hydrogen Production” ACS Catalysis 2019, 9, 345, open access; DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.8b04068
- D. Spanu, S. Recchia, S. Mohajernia, O. Tomanec, Š. Kment, R. Zboril, P. Schmuki, M. Altomare* “Templated Dewetting-Alloying of NiCu Bilayers on TiO2 Nanotubes Enables Efficient Noble Metal-Free Photocatalytic H2 Evolution” ACS Catalysis 2018, 8, 5298; DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.8b01190
- M. Altomare, N.T. Nguyen, S. Hejazi, P. Schmuki “A Cocatalytic Electron Transfer Cascade Site-Selectively Placed on TiO2 Nanotubes Yields Enhanced Photocatalytic H2 Evolution” Advanced Functional Materials 2018, 28, 1704259; DOI: 10.1002/adfm.201704259
- M. Altomare, N.T. Nguyen, P. Schmuki “Templated Dewetting: Designing Entirely Self-Organized Platforms for Photocatalysis” Chemical Science 2016, 7, 6865, open access; DOI: 10.1039/C6SC02555B
- M. Altomare, O. Pfoch, A. Tighineanu, R. Kirchgeorg, K. Lee, E. Selli, P. Schmuki “Molten o-H3PO4 – A New Electrolyte for the Anodic Synthesis of Self-Organized Oxide Structures: WO3 Nanochannel Layers and Others” Journal of the American Chemical Society 2015, 137, 5646; DOI: 10.1021/jacs.5b02104
- M. Altomare, M.V. Dozzi, G.L. Chiarello, A. Di Paola, L. Palmisano, E. Selli “High activity of brookite TiO2 nanoparticles in the photocatalytic abatement of ammonia in water” Catalysis Today 2015, 252, 184; DOI: 10.1016/j.cattod.2014.09.031
- M. Altomare, K. Lee, M.S. Killian, E. Selli, P. Schmuki “Ta-Doped TiO2 Nanotubes for Enhanced Solar-Light Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting” Chemistry – A European Journal 2013, 19, 5841; DOI: 10.1002/chem.201203544
- M. Altomare, M. Pozzi, M. Allieta, L.G. Bettini, E. Selli “H2 and O2 photocatalytic production on TiO2 nanotube arrays: Effect of the anodization time on structural features and photoactivity” Applied Catalysis B: Environmental 2013, 136-137, 81; DOI: 10.1016/j.apcatb.2013.01.054
UT Research Information System
Google Scholar Link
Affiliated Study Programmes
Bachelor
Master
Courses Academic Year 2022/2023
Courses Academic Year 2021/2022
Projects
Dewetted materials for photo- & electro-catalysis
Solid-state dewetting, or simply dewetting, is based on the metastable nature of thin metal films, which when heated up to sufficiently high temperatures tend to agglomerate forming particles. This phenomenon occurs via surface diffusion of metal atoms due to the high surface-to-volume ratio of thin films.
Dewetting received large attention in the past for causing failure of micro- and nano-electronic components. Thus, it has been regarded as detrimental for technology advancement and has been widely investigated to understand mechanistic aspects and prevent its occurrence. Our research takes a different perspective: controlled dewetting opens for unique design concepts for functional metal nanoparticles.
Since metal particles are crucial towards a variety of technologies and applications, for example heterogeneous catalysis, my team studies controlled dewetting phenomena to produce supported metal nanoparticles with defined properties, e.g., size, composition, morphology and structure, for application in photo- or electro-catalysis.
Media
2023
2022
- Dec. 2022: Dr. Marco Altomare appointed Early Career Advisory Board member for ChemSusChem
- June 2022: Dr. Marco Altomare appointed Organizing Committee member of the Dutch ElectroChemical Conversion and Materials ECCM graduate school. The next edition of the school will be held in Noordwijk,13-16 June 2023. Pre-registration will open on 1 Feb 2023. Check out the ECCM webpage for more information.
2021
- Nov. 2021: Granted NWO ECCM KICk start project to Dr. Marco Altomare on "Gas phase electrocatalysis for methane valorization (ELEVATION)"
- July 2021: Granted NWO ECCM MVI project to Dr. Marco Altomare
- Jan. 2021: Dr. Marco Altomare receives the ECCM tenure track grant and joins the University of Twente to carry out research on materials science for electrochemical conversion
News on utwente.nl
Contact Details
Visiting Address
University of Twente
Drienerlolaan 5
7522 NB Enschede
The Netherlands
Mailing Address
University of Twente
P.O. Box 217
7500 AE Enschede
The Netherlands