Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) is a soft and conjugated polymer whose conductive properties can be properly tuned through doping with various additives or solvents, preserving its excellent processability. In this work PEDOT:PSS was combined with a cost-effective graphite derivative named Edge Oxidized Graphite (EOG) for developing a nanocomposite with improved electrical conductivity, with respect to the pristine PEDOT:PSS, through an easy and environmentally friendly doping process. Firstly, the EOG powders, produced by a green oxidation process of graphite, were deeply characterized through Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), Thermogravimetric (TGA), and Wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXD) analysis, showing that this nanofiller has oxygenated functional groups on the sheet edges. The quality and the stability of the EOG dispersions within PEDOT:PSS were investigated at different carbon-filler concentrations, up to high loading of 25 %wt/V of EOG through rheological analyses, demonstrating pseudo-plastic behavior and excellent long-term stability of the inks due to the absence of inhomogeneities and aggregates over time; in fact, the same inks were tested under the same rheological conditions after 21 days, showing the same viscosity trend for all EOG concentrations (%wt/V). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and (Scanning Electron microscopy) SEM investigation of spin-coated samples onto glass substrates were performed to morphologically evaluate the nanocomposites and estimate the average size of the sheets, particularly the mean length of 1.2 μm and an approximated thickness of 26 nm of the EOG sheets dispersed into the polymer matrix (PEDOT:PSS) was determined, while WAXD analysis allowed to identify the average layer number of the EOG sheets, obtaining thus, a direct measurement of the EOG sheets aspect ratio equal to 45. Finally, sheet resistance tests showed that the increasing concentration of EOG leads to a significant improvement in the electrical conductivity of the nanocomposites, from 1.1 S/cm for pristine PEDOT:PSS to 21.9 S/cm for nanocomposites with the highest EOG content (25 %wt/V). This work demonstrates the successful development of nanocomposite based on PEDOT:PSS doped with carbon-based filler synthesized through a green and cost-effective process, promoting their use in the production of bio/electrochemical sensors or optoelectronic devices.

The development of pressure ulcers, associated with increased temperature and moisture in specific areas of the body, and the risk of microbial infections in patients lying in a static position for prolonged periods of time represents a serious issue in medicine. In order to prevent the formation of pressure ulcers, this work aims to present advanced nanostructured coatings developed by three research groups. Nanometric silver, ash and functionalized torrefied biomass were the basis for the treatment of wound dressings to improve thermal conductivity and antimicrobial properties of the conventional cotton gauzes. Each treatment was performed according to its own optimized method. The treated fabrics were characterized in terms of antimicrobial properties, heat transfer, morphology and hydrophobic behavior. The results demonstrated the effectiveness of the deposition treatments also in synergistic actions. In particular, the antibacterial efficacy was improved in all the samples by the addition of silver treatment, and the thermal conductivity was enhanced by around 58% with nanometric ashes. A further step of the study involved the designing of two multilayer systems evaluated using circuit models for determining the total thermal conductivity. In this way, both systems were designed with the aim to guarantee simultaneous efficacy: high antibacterial and hydrophilic properties at the skin level and more hydrophobic and conductive behaviors toward the external environment.

The functionalization of carbon black (CB) represents a promising strategy to enhance its compatibility with polymers while addressing sustainability concerns. In this study, a solvent-free mechanochemical approach (ball milling) is proposed for the functionalization of oxidized carbon black (oCB) with post-consumed polylactic acid (PLA), overcoming the environmental drawbacks of conventional methods that mostly rely on toxic solvents and catalysts. The functionalized carbon black (f-CB) was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), elemental analysis (EA), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) to confirm the successful modification. At the same time, the influence of f-CB as a nanofiller of residual PLA waste was evaluated using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and gel permeation chromatography (GPC), demonstrating its stabilization effect during melt extrusion by preserving the molecular weight of the starting polymer. On the other hand, the dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) revealed that the addition of f-CB did not negatively affect the mechanical properties of the resulting composite. In conclusion, mechanochemistry was used as a sustainable and unique strategy for the upcycling of waste PLA into a PLA-based composite stabilized by CB functionalized with the waste PLA itself.

The ability of charcoal, a low-cost material derived from biomass pyrolysis, to be functionalized via cation exchange in an aqueous solution, providing new interesting fillers with possible antimicrobial and flame-retardant properties, is discussed here. The adducts obtained through this sustainable procedure, show a significant uptake of close to 30% by weight of well-known quaternary phosphonium salts, tetraphenyl phosphonium bromide, and dodecyl triphenyl phosphonium bromide. The new functionalized materials were characterized by elemental analysis, wide-angle X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, and thermogravimetry. Additionally, a study of changing the ratio between the reagents for both adducts was performed to improve salt uptake and optimize the cationic exchange. Dispersibility tests showed the ability of functionalization to deeply change the polarities of the carbon materials to modify the compatibility and improve the possible interactions with different media, such as different polymer matrices.