Matteo Pierno - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Matteo Pierno
Proceedings of the 3rd World Congress on Mechanical, Chemical, and Material Engineering, Jul 31, 2023
UNITEXT for physics, 2019
For each thermodynamic system, it is possible to determine a relation between energy, entropy, an... more For each thermodynamic system, it is possible to determine a relation between energy, entropy, and the work parameters (the volume only in the case of simple systems) that is called the Fundamental Relation of the system. We start first with closed systems with no chemical reactions for which the Equilibrium State Postulate determines, in general, the number of degrees of freedom and then it is generalized to open systems with variable chemical composition. The Fundamental Relation describes the set of all stable and metastable equilibrium states that the system can reach and the geometrical properties of the surface described by it determines the conditions of stability of equilibrium states. It can be represented in various forms according to the external constraints. The representations commonly used, in addition to that of Energy and of Entropy, are the Free Energy, the Enthalpy, and the Gibbs Potential and the general properties of isothermal, isobaric and isochoric transformations are discussed. The definition of the chemical potential is given and its physical meaning as the thermodynamic potential responsible of phase equilibria is shown.
UNITEXT for physics, 2019
Advanced Materials Technologies
The handling of yield‐stress fluids typically involves a jammed‐to‐flow transition that is pivota... more The handling of yield‐stress fluids typically involves a jammed‐to‐flow transition that is pivotal for many injection and transport technologies on different scales, such as additive manufacturing, injection molding, food rheology, and oil transport. For all of these applications, it is crucial to be able to tune the fluidization under constant load. The pressure‐driven flow of emulsions is reported within a microfluidic channel, one wall of which is patterned by a herringbone‐riblet roughness comprising a regular array of V‐shaped grooves. With respect to the pressure gradient, this pattern displays a convergent (divergent) orientation that provides a forward (backward) direction. At the tip of the herringbone pattern, the forward and backward flows are almost identical for a viscous Newtonian fluid and a diluted emulsion, whereas a surprising flow boost in the forward direction is observed as the emulsion approaches a jammed state. The flow boost is more effective at small herring...
Journal of Colloid and Interface Science
Biosensors
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are double-layered lipid membrane vesicles released by cells. Curren... more Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are double-layered lipid membrane vesicles released by cells. Currently, EVs are attracting a lot of attention in the biological and medical fields due to their role as natural carriers of proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids. Thus, they can transport useful genomic information from their parental cell through body fluids, promoting cell-to-cell communication even between different organs. Due to their functionality as cargo carriers and their protein expression, they can play an important role as possible diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in various types of diseases, e.g., cancers, neurodegenerative, and autoimmune diseases. Today, given the invaluable importance of EVs, there are some pivotal challenges to overcome in terms of their isolation. Conventional methods have some limitations: they are influenced by the starting sample, might present low throughput and low purity, and sometimes a lack of reproducibility, being operator dependent. During th...
UNITEXT for Physics, 2019
The third law of thermodynamics is discussed starting from the Nernst-Planck formulation. Some ob... more The third law of thermodynamics is discussed starting from the Nernst-Planck formulation. Some observational consequences and experimental confirmations are summarized and the formulation concerning the unattainability of absolute zero is briefly commented. Keywords Third law • Nernst-Planck formulation • Attainability of absolute zero
RSC Advances, 2017
We report on a comprehensive study of the unique adhesive properties of mats of polymethylmethacr... more We report on a comprehensive study of the unique adhesive properties of mats of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) nanofibers produced by electrospinning.
Langmuir, 2018
The motion of liquid drops on solid surfaces is attracting a lot of attention because of its fund... more The motion of liquid drops on solid surfaces is attracting a lot of attention because of its fundamental implications and wide technological applications. In this article, we present a comprehensive experimental study of the interaction between gravity driven ferrofluid drops on very slippery oil impregnated surfaces and a patterned magnetic field. The drop speed can be accurately tuned by the magnetic interaction and, more interestingly, drops are found to undergo a stick-slip motion whose contrast and phase can be easily tuned by changing either the strength of the magnetic field or the ferrofluid concentration. This motion is the result of the periodic modulation of the external magnetic field and can be accurately analyzed because the intrinsic pinning due to chemical defects is negligible on oil impregnated surfaces. Keywords Ferrofluid drops. Liquid impregnated surfaces. Wetting of ferrofluid drops on modulated magnetic fields. Gravity driven sessile drops. Stick-slip motion. Friction of ferrofluid drops.
UNITEXT for physics, 2019
UNITEXT for physics, 2019
Within the approximation of discontinuous systems, the entropy production is calculated in a vari... more Within the approximation of discontinuous systems, the entropy production is calculated in a variety of nonequilibrium situations in open/closed systems and for chemical and electrochemical reactions. The definition of generalized fluxes and forces is widely discussed. The dependence of fluxes on forces is explored and for near to equilibrium configurations this dependence is linearized. The linearization leads to the Onsager relations which give the quantitative characterization of the cross-interference of different irreversible processes. The non-unique determination of the fluxes and of the relative forces is widely discussed and the limits of validity for the linear relations between fluxes and forces are examined with particular reference to chemical reactions.
UNITEXT for physics, 2019
The van der Waals equation of state is obtained as the first- order correction to the ideal gas e... more The van der Waals equation of state is obtained as the first- order correction to the ideal gas equation and some observational consequences are discussed: the correlation of the critical parameters, the Joule–Thomson coefficient, the inversion curve, and the determination of the vapor pressure. The Law of Corresponding States is formulated and discussed in several aspects. The notion of generalized charts is introduced with particular reference to the compressibility chart. The behavior in the proximity of the critical point is briefly examined.
UNITEXT for physics, 2019
The extension of the fundamental equations of Thermodynamics to a description of macroscopic syst... more The extension of the fundamental equations of Thermodynamics to a description of macroscopic systems in terms of continuous state variables is developed. All the basic relations as mass conservation in the presence of chemical reactions, the equation of motion and the equations for energy and that for entropy which express, in the new formalism, the First and the Second Principles, respectively, must be reformulated. The correct expression for the entropy production and the consequent expressions for the fluxes and the corresponding generalized forces are obtained. In the linear regime, the general relation between the mobility of ionic species and the coefficient of diffusion (Einstein relation) is demonstrated. The thermoelectric phenomena (Seebeck, Peltier, and Thomson effects) are discussed together with the thermodiffusion processes. An appendix concerning the Gibbs–Duhem relation closes the Chapter.
This book offers a comprehensive overview of thermodynamics. It is divided into four parts, the f... more This book offers a comprehensive overview of thermodynamics. It is divided into four parts, the first of which equips readers with a deeper understanding of the fundamental principles of thermodynamics of equilibrium states and of their evolution. The second part applies these principles to a series of generalized situations, presenting applications that are of interest both in their own right and in terms of demonstrating how thermodynamics, as a theory of principle, relates to different fields. In turn, the third part focuses on non-equilibrium configurations and the dynamics of natural processes. It discusses both discontinuous and continuous systems, highlighting the interference among non-equilibrium processes, and the nature of stationary states and of fluctuations in isolated systems. Lastly, part four introduces the relation between physics and information theory, which constitutes a new frontier in fundamental research. The book includes step-by-step exercises, with solutions, to help readers to gain a fuller understanding of the subjects, and also features a series of appendices providing useful mathematical formulae. Reflecting the content of modern university courses on thermodynamics, it is a valuable resource for students and young scientists in the fields of physics, chemistry, and engineering
UNITEXT for physics, 2019
The impossibility of realizing the perpetual motion is universally accepted as a fundamental prin... more The impossibility of realizing the perpetual motion is universally accepted as a fundamental principle of Physics. This postulate defines two main categories, where physical processes can be placed: natural processes and unnatural processes. The former includes all the observed processes and the hypothesized processes that do not violate the fundamental principle and are, therefore, possible. The latter includes all the hypothesized processes that violate the principle of the impossibility of perpetual motion, and therefore they cannot occur. This is the starting point for formulating an evolutionary criterion for all-natural processes. To achieve this, a suitable mathematical tool must be developed. The fundamental step is the definition of entropy and of absolute temperature. These are complementary quantities and constitute the basis of the Second Principle, which must be formulated, first, in the frame of closed systems. Before the extension of the fundamental equations of Thermodynamics to continuous systems, the approximation of discontinuous systems and the problem of the conversion of heat into work both for reversible and irreversible engines are discussed. The coefficients of performance of refrigerators and of heat pumps are defined and the problem of the maximum work obtainable from a given configuration immersed in a given environment is briefly treated.
UNITEXT for physics, 2019
The Onsager symmetry relations are applied to the study of electrokinetic effects and of thermome... more The Onsager symmetry relations are applied to the study of electrokinetic effects and of thermomechanical effects. In the latter case the relation between thermomolecular pressure difference and the heat of transfer is calculated, for comparison, also for Knudsen gases in a classical kinetic model. The characterization of stationary states as states of minimum entropy production are studied. The determination of stationary states, their stability and the principles of Le Chatelier and of Le Chatelier–Braun, find their correct explanation within the context of the thermodynamical theory of stationary states. The model by Prigogine and Waime is presented as an example. Within the theory of fluctuations in an isolated thermodynamical system, the decay of fluctuations are treated with the formalism of linear irreversible processes and the symmetry properties of the linear phenomenological matrix is derived from the postulate of time reversal symmetry for microscopic physics.
Nature Nanotechnology, May 25, 2015
MRS Proceedings, 2003
The structural evolution of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) crystalline polymer latex films is stu... more The structural evolution of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) crystalline polymer latex films is studied at hundreds nanometer length scale by atomic force microscopy and Brillouin light scattering. In a controlled sintering process the transition is observed from the original particle distribution towards a ‘fibrillar’ structure of crystalline regions embedded in a disordered matrix. This transition is accompanied by a cross-over from localized acoustic excitations to propagating acoustic phonons, related to mesoscopic elastic properties. After sintering, a ‘mark’ of the original particulate structure persists, suggesting that filming of crystalline polymers may be analogous to sintering of ceramic powders. Films of crystalline polymers can thus be exploited as model systems to study the elasto-optical properties of granular and disordered media.
Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Oct 1, 2018
A new sensor for alpha particles based on plastic scintillators immersed in water was demonstrate... more A new sensor for alpha particles based on plastic scintillators immersed in water was demonstrated to provide a viable solution for real-time detection of radioactive contaminants in water. It is obtained by stacking an array of plastic modules composed by a thin layer of Ag-doped zinc sulfide, ZnS(Ag), deposited on a plastic scintillator foil. Alpha particles are detected in the ZnS(Ag) layer, whereas beta are detected inside the plastic substrate. One still unexplored aspect of this novel detection technology is how the long-term contact with water affects the detector performance. To protect its surface from water-induced damages, we identified a coating protocol based on a poly(methyl-methacrylate) film deposited by spraying on the ZnS(Ag) active layer of the scintillator. The ageing process of the scintillator was carried out by using suitable aqueous solutions and the effect on the sensing layer was monitored by measuring its wettability and surface morphology. The performance of the coated scintillator was tested by measuring the efficiency with alpha radioactive sources. Highlights Chemical analysis of plastic scintillators for alpha particle detection Coating protocol of plastic scintillators surfaces Wetting characterization of coated plastic scintillators Validation of the coating protocol after ageing process of the scintillators
Proceedings of the 3rd World Congress on Mechanical, Chemical, and Material Engineering, Jul 31, 2023
UNITEXT for physics, 2019
For each thermodynamic system, it is possible to determine a relation between energy, entropy, an... more For each thermodynamic system, it is possible to determine a relation between energy, entropy, and the work parameters (the volume only in the case of simple systems) that is called the Fundamental Relation of the system. We start first with closed systems with no chemical reactions for which the Equilibrium State Postulate determines, in general, the number of degrees of freedom and then it is generalized to open systems with variable chemical composition. The Fundamental Relation describes the set of all stable and metastable equilibrium states that the system can reach and the geometrical properties of the surface described by it determines the conditions of stability of equilibrium states. It can be represented in various forms according to the external constraints. The representations commonly used, in addition to that of Energy and of Entropy, are the Free Energy, the Enthalpy, and the Gibbs Potential and the general properties of isothermal, isobaric and isochoric transformations are discussed. The definition of the chemical potential is given and its physical meaning as the thermodynamic potential responsible of phase equilibria is shown.
UNITEXT for physics, 2019
Advanced Materials Technologies
The handling of yield‐stress fluids typically involves a jammed‐to‐flow transition that is pivota... more The handling of yield‐stress fluids typically involves a jammed‐to‐flow transition that is pivotal for many injection and transport technologies on different scales, such as additive manufacturing, injection molding, food rheology, and oil transport. For all of these applications, it is crucial to be able to tune the fluidization under constant load. The pressure‐driven flow of emulsions is reported within a microfluidic channel, one wall of which is patterned by a herringbone‐riblet roughness comprising a regular array of V‐shaped grooves. With respect to the pressure gradient, this pattern displays a convergent (divergent) orientation that provides a forward (backward) direction. At the tip of the herringbone pattern, the forward and backward flows are almost identical for a viscous Newtonian fluid and a diluted emulsion, whereas a surprising flow boost in the forward direction is observed as the emulsion approaches a jammed state. The flow boost is more effective at small herring...
Journal of Colloid and Interface Science
Biosensors
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are double-layered lipid membrane vesicles released by cells. Curren... more Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are double-layered lipid membrane vesicles released by cells. Currently, EVs are attracting a lot of attention in the biological and medical fields due to their role as natural carriers of proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids. Thus, they can transport useful genomic information from their parental cell through body fluids, promoting cell-to-cell communication even between different organs. Due to their functionality as cargo carriers and their protein expression, they can play an important role as possible diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in various types of diseases, e.g., cancers, neurodegenerative, and autoimmune diseases. Today, given the invaluable importance of EVs, there are some pivotal challenges to overcome in terms of their isolation. Conventional methods have some limitations: they are influenced by the starting sample, might present low throughput and low purity, and sometimes a lack of reproducibility, being operator dependent. During th...
UNITEXT for Physics, 2019
The third law of thermodynamics is discussed starting from the Nernst-Planck formulation. Some ob... more The third law of thermodynamics is discussed starting from the Nernst-Planck formulation. Some observational consequences and experimental confirmations are summarized and the formulation concerning the unattainability of absolute zero is briefly commented. Keywords Third law • Nernst-Planck formulation • Attainability of absolute zero
RSC Advances, 2017
We report on a comprehensive study of the unique adhesive properties of mats of polymethylmethacr... more We report on a comprehensive study of the unique adhesive properties of mats of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) nanofibers produced by electrospinning.
Langmuir, 2018
The motion of liquid drops on solid surfaces is attracting a lot of attention because of its fund... more The motion of liquid drops on solid surfaces is attracting a lot of attention because of its fundamental implications and wide technological applications. In this article, we present a comprehensive experimental study of the interaction between gravity driven ferrofluid drops on very slippery oil impregnated surfaces and a patterned magnetic field. The drop speed can be accurately tuned by the magnetic interaction and, more interestingly, drops are found to undergo a stick-slip motion whose contrast and phase can be easily tuned by changing either the strength of the magnetic field or the ferrofluid concentration. This motion is the result of the periodic modulation of the external magnetic field and can be accurately analyzed because the intrinsic pinning due to chemical defects is negligible on oil impregnated surfaces. Keywords Ferrofluid drops. Liquid impregnated surfaces. Wetting of ferrofluid drops on modulated magnetic fields. Gravity driven sessile drops. Stick-slip motion. Friction of ferrofluid drops.
UNITEXT for physics, 2019
UNITEXT for physics, 2019
Within the approximation of discontinuous systems, the entropy production is calculated in a vari... more Within the approximation of discontinuous systems, the entropy production is calculated in a variety of nonequilibrium situations in open/closed systems and for chemical and electrochemical reactions. The definition of generalized fluxes and forces is widely discussed. The dependence of fluxes on forces is explored and for near to equilibrium configurations this dependence is linearized. The linearization leads to the Onsager relations which give the quantitative characterization of the cross-interference of different irreversible processes. The non-unique determination of the fluxes and of the relative forces is widely discussed and the limits of validity for the linear relations between fluxes and forces are examined with particular reference to chemical reactions.
UNITEXT for physics, 2019
The van der Waals equation of state is obtained as the first- order correction to the ideal gas e... more The van der Waals equation of state is obtained as the first- order correction to the ideal gas equation and some observational consequences are discussed: the correlation of the critical parameters, the Joule–Thomson coefficient, the inversion curve, and the determination of the vapor pressure. The Law of Corresponding States is formulated and discussed in several aspects. The notion of generalized charts is introduced with particular reference to the compressibility chart. The behavior in the proximity of the critical point is briefly examined.
UNITEXT for physics, 2019
The extension of the fundamental equations of Thermodynamics to a description of macroscopic syst... more The extension of the fundamental equations of Thermodynamics to a description of macroscopic systems in terms of continuous state variables is developed. All the basic relations as mass conservation in the presence of chemical reactions, the equation of motion and the equations for energy and that for entropy which express, in the new formalism, the First and the Second Principles, respectively, must be reformulated. The correct expression for the entropy production and the consequent expressions for the fluxes and the corresponding generalized forces are obtained. In the linear regime, the general relation between the mobility of ionic species and the coefficient of diffusion (Einstein relation) is demonstrated. The thermoelectric phenomena (Seebeck, Peltier, and Thomson effects) are discussed together with the thermodiffusion processes. An appendix concerning the Gibbs–Duhem relation closes the Chapter.
This book offers a comprehensive overview of thermodynamics. It is divided into four parts, the f... more This book offers a comprehensive overview of thermodynamics. It is divided into four parts, the first of which equips readers with a deeper understanding of the fundamental principles of thermodynamics of equilibrium states and of their evolution. The second part applies these principles to a series of generalized situations, presenting applications that are of interest both in their own right and in terms of demonstrating how thermodynamics, as a theory of principle, relates to different fields. In turn, the third part focuses on non-equilibrium configurations and the dynamics of natural processes. It discusses both discontinuous and continuous systems, highlighting the interference among non-equilibrium processes, and the nature of stationary states and of fluctuations in isolated systems. Lastly, part four introduces the relation between physics and information theory, which constitutes a new frontier in fundamental research. The book includes step-by-step exercises, with solutions, to help readers to gain a fuller understanding of the subjects, and also features a series of appendices providing useful mathematical formulae. Reflecting the content of modern university courses on thermodynamics, it is a valuable resource for students and young scientists in the fields of physics, chemistry, and engineering
UNITEXT for physics, 2019
The impossibility of realizing the perpetual motion is universally accepted as a fundamental prin... more The impossibility of realizing the perpetual motion is universally accepted as a fundamental principle of Physics. This postulate defines two main categories, where physical processes can be placed: natural processes and unnatural processes. The former includes all the observed processes and the hypothesized processes that do not violate the fundamental principle and are, therefore, possible. The latter includes all the hypothesized processes that violate the principle of the impossibility of perpetual motion, and therefore they cannot occur. This is the starting point for formulating an evolutionary criterion for all-natural processes. To achieve this, a suitable mathematical tool must be developed. The fundamental step is the definition of entropy and of absolute temperature. These are complementary quantities and constitute the basis of the Second Principle, which must be formulated, first, in the frame of closed systems. Before the extension of the fundamental equations of Thermodynamics to continuous systems, the approximation of discontinuous systems and the problem of the conversion of heat into work both for reversible and irreversible engines are discussed. The coefficients of performance of refrigerators and of heat pumps are defined and the problem of the maximum work obtainable from a given configuration immersed in a given environment is briefly treated.
UNITEXT for physics, 2019
The Onsager symmetry relations are applied to the study of electrokinetic effects and of thermome... more The Onsager symmetry relations are applied to the study of electrokinetic effects and of thermomechanical effects. In the latter case the relation between thermomolecular pressure difference and the heat of transfer is calculated, for comparison, also for Knudsen gases in a classical kinetic model. The characterization of stationary states as states of minimum entropy production are studied. The determination of stationary states, their stability and the principles of Le Chatelier and of Le Chatelier–Braun, find their correct explanation within the context of the thermodynamical theory of stationary states. The model by Prigogine and Waime is presented as an example. Within the theory of fluctuations in an isolated thermodynamical system, the decay of fluctuations are treated with the formalism of linear irreversible processes and the symmetry properties of the linear phenomenological matrix is derived from the postulate of time reversal symmetry for microscopic physics.
Nature Nanotechnology, May 25, 2015
MRS Proceedings, 2003
The structural evolution of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) crystalline polymer latex films is stu... more The structural evolution of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) crystalline polymer latex films is studied at hundreds nanometer length scale by atomic force microscopy and Brillouin light scattering. In a controlled sintering process the transition is observed from the original particle distribution towards a ‘fibrillar’ structure of crystalline regions embedded in a disordered matrix. This transition is accompanied by a cross-over from localized acoustic excitations to propagating acoustic phonons, related to mesoscopic elastic properties. After sintering, a ‘mark’ of the original particulate structure persists, suggesting that filming of crystalline polymers may be analogous to sintering of ceramic powders. Films of crystalline polymers can thus be exploited as model systems to study the elasto-optical properties of granular and disordered media.
Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Oct 1, 2018
A new sensor for alpha particles based on plastic scintillators immersed in water was demonstrate... more A new sensor for alpha particles based on plastic scintillators immersed in water was demonstrated to provide a viable solution for real-time detection of radioactive contaminants in water. It is obtained by stacking an array of plastic modules composed by a thin layer of Ag-doped zinc sulfide, ZnS(Ag), deposited on a plastic scintillator foil. Alpha particles are detected in the ZnS(Ag) layer, whereas beta are detected inside the plastic substrate. One still unexplored aspect of this novel detection technology is how the long-term contact with water affects the detector performance. To protect its surface from water-induced damages, we identified a coating protocol based on a poly(methyl-methacrylate) film deposited by spraying on the ZnS(Ag) active layer of the scintillator. The ageing process of the scintillator was carried out by using suitable aqueous solutions and the effect on the sensing layer was monitored by measuring its wettability and surface morphology. The performance of the coated scintillator was tested by measuring the efficiency with alpha radioactive sources. Highlights Chemical analysis of plastic scintillators for alpha particle detection Coating protocol of plastic scintillators surfaces Wetting characterization of coated plastic scintillators Validation of the coating protocol after ageing process of the scintillators