BIOGRAPHY

Vladimiro Dal Santo was born in 1972 in Langenthal (Switzerland). In February 1997 he obtained the degree in Chemistry at the University of Milano. In February 2002 he obtained his PhD in Chemical Sciences from the University of Milan discussing a Thesis on the “Development of heterogeneous catalysts of environmental interest” (Supervisors, Prof. Carlo Dossi, and Dr. Rinaldo Psaro(CNR)). From December 2001 he joined the Institute of Molecular Science and Technologies, CNR, Milano, as Research Scientist (permanent position).
From November 2008 he is the responsible of CNR research activity about hydrogen production, uses and storage, research line PM PM.P03.005 “New materials for energy, hydrogen technology and biofuels”. He is member of the working groups “Materials for energy” of A4MIt and of the “Lombardy Cluster for Energy and Environment”.

RESEARCH INTERESTS

The scientific interests of Dr. Dal Santo are the development of nanostructured metal-based heterogeneous catalysts and their applications in hydrogen production, selective hydrogenations, pollutants abatement. 
His current research activity is mainly focused on the: (i) development of hematite nanostructured photoelectrodes for PEC water splitting (ii) development of photocatalysts, based on black TiO2 and metal nanoparticles (Au, Pt, Au-Pt) for hydrogen production by water photosplitting/renewables photoreforming; (iii) development of heterogeneous catalysts, based on metal nanoparticles (Ru; Ru-Sn; Ni; Cu; Co; etc.) supported on mixed oxides for hydrogen production by steam reforming of glycerol and bio-ethanol; (iv) preparation and characterization of heterogeneous catalysts, based on Cu, Co, and Cu-Co nanoparticles hosted in mesoporous silicas (ordered and non ordered) for syngas production by methanol decomposition; (v) preparation of SHB (supported by Hydrogen Bonding) single-site heterogeneous catalysts for selective hydrogenations and cyclopropanation reactions. 

Vladimiro Dal Santo authored 64 publications on international ISI journals, with a Citation Index of 1233 and H-Index of 21, one book chapter, one patent, and a number of communications to national and international meetings.