The research activities of the group cover the following areas:

Development of advanced polymeric materials

  • nano-/micro-composites

  • model systems

  • materials for sensing applications

  • materials for biomedical applications

  • bio-plastics

  • polymer blends


Selected publications:


Effect of the resin/hardener ratio on yield, post‐yield, and fracture behavior of nanofilled epoxies

Stefano Pandini, Francesco Baldi, Riccardo De Santis, Fabio Bignotti

Polymer Composites 32 (9), 1461-1472

(model systems)


Two-way reversible shape memory behaviour of crosslinked poly (ε-caprolactone)

S Pandini, S Passera, M Messori, K Paderni, M Toselli, A Gianoncelli, E Bontempi, T Ricco

Polymer, Volume 53, Issue 9, 17 April 2012, Pages 1915–1924

(materials for biomedical applications)

Mechanics of polymers, composites and nanocomposites

  • viscoelastic behaviour

  • thermal and dynamic behaviour

  • mechanical failure and environmental effects

  • fracture mechanics

  • development of new testing methodologies

  • deformation mechanisms (model/industrial materials)


Selected publications:


Mechanics of polymers, composites and nanocomposites

Time, temperature, and strain effects on viscoelastic Poisson's ratio of epoxy resins

Stefano Pandini, Alessandro Pegoretti

Polymer Engineering & Science, 2008

(viscoelastic behaviour)


The role of CNTs in promoting hybrid filler networking and synergism with carbon black in the mechanical behavior of filled polyisoprene

M Galimberti, M Coombs, P Riccio, T Riccò, S Passera, S Pandini, Lucia Conzatti, Andrea Ravasio, Incoronata Tritto

Macromolecular Materials and Engineering 298 (2), 241-251

(thermal and dynamic behaviour)


Application of the load separation criterion in J-testing of ductile polymers: A round-robin testing exercise

S Agnelli, F Baldi, BRK Blackman, L Castellani, PM Frontini, L Laiarinandrasana, A Pegoretti, M Rink, A Salazar, HA Visser

Polymer Testing 44, 72-81 (2015)

(development of new testing methodologies)


On the measurement of the fracture resistance of polyacrylamide hydrogels by wire cutting tests

F Baldi, F Bignotti, I Peroni, S Agnelli, T Riccò

Polymer Testing 31 (3), 455-465 (2012)

(fracture mechanics)


On the applicability of the load separation criterion in determining the fracture resistance (JIc) of ductile polymers at low and high loading rates

F Baldi, S Agnelli, T Riccò

International journal of fracture 165 (1), 105-119 (2010)

(fracture mechanics)


Network architecture and shape memory behavior of cold-worked epoxies

S Pandini, F Bignotti, F Baldi, S Passera

Journal of Intelligent Material Systems and Structures, 2013

(deformation mechanisms of model/industrial materials)

Rheology of polymers and polymer-based systems

  • rheology of nanocomposites

  • structure-property relationships

  • development of testing methodologies for the measurement of elongational viscosity

  • study of flow instabilities (“melt fracture”)


Selected publications:


On the measurement of the high rate flow properties of organo-clay platelet filled polyamide 6 melts by capillary rheometer

F Baldi, A Franceschini, F Bignotti

Polymer Testing 30 (7), 765-772 (2011)

(rheology of nanocomposites)


Rheological behaviour of nano-composites based on polyamide 6 under shear and elongational flow at high strain rates

F Baldi, A Franceschini, F Bignotti, G Tieghi, T Riccò

Rheologica Acta 48 (1), 73-88 (2009)

(rheology of nanocomposites)


Measurement of the high rate flow properties of filled HDPE melts by capillary rheometer: Effects of the test geometry

F Baldi, J Ragnoli, F Briatico-Vangosa

Polymer Testing 37, 201-209 (2014)

(structure-property relationships)


Determination of the elongational viscosity of polymer melts by melt spinning experiments. A comparison with different experimental techniques

F Baldi, A Franceschini, T Riccò

Rheologica acta 46 (7), 965-978 (2007)

(development of testing methodologies for the measurement of elongational viscosity)


Experimental study of the melt fracture behavior of filled high‐density polyethylene melts

F Baldi, F Briatico‐Vangosa, A Franceschini

Polymer Engineering & Science 54 (2), 364-377 (2014)

(study of flow instabilities (“melt fracture”))

Technology and engineering of plastics products

  • development of criterions for design with polymeric materials

  • re-design of components

  • fine tuning/optimization of process conditions


Selected publications:


Process–property–structure relationship in miniaturized injection moulded polyoxymethylene samples

F Baldi, A Bongiorno, I Fassi, A Franceschini, C Pagano, T Riccò, R Surace, F Tescione

Polymer Engineering & Science 54 (3), 512-521 (2014)

(fine tuning/optimization of process conditions)

You can find more details about the activities in the projects page.