Italian PhD student gaining knowledge and skills for his research at CATRIN

Matteo Di Virgilio, from the Materials for Energy and Environment laboratory, which is part of the Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering “Giulio Natta” of Politecnico di Milano, has come to CATRIN for a three-month internship as part of his PhD studies. Apart from improving his knowledge and skills, his stay will lead to the establishment of valuable contacts.

His main research topic is the development and investigation of innovative non-fluorinated self-assembling electrolytes for use in fuel cells.

“The aim of my stay at CATRIN is to further characterise the materials I am studying and gain additional knowledge that can advance my research. In collaboration with the scientists here, we also want to explore possible new combinations that could bring innovation in the field of self-assembling electrolytes,” said the PhD student.

The young scientist speaks highly of his temporary placement. “The buildings and offices are beautiful, the laboratories are new and functional and, above all, the people are extremely helpful. The internship here will definitely be a thrilling experience,” he believes. His stay at Palacký University was made possible thanks to the collaboration between the head of CATRIN-RCPTM, Michal Otyepka, and Giovanni Dotelli from Milan Polytechnic. “Matteo is a very hardworking and talented student who is working on an interesting issue related to the transition to the hydrogen economy. I am delighted that we can welcome a student from a prestigious Italian school. The exchange of students mutually contributes to deepening cooperation and sharing knowledge. I believe that Matteo’s visit will be beneficial for both sides,” said Otyepka.