Period: first semester

Course Units Contents: 

1) Industrial clay-based ceramics: raw materials and their characterisation, production processes, classification of ceramic products and their physical properties. Case studies: clay minerals; traditional bricks; new mix-design with recycled materials.
2) modern hydraulic binders (Portland cement): production process, characterization, cement classification, brief introduction to environmental issues related to cement and concrete production.
3) Asbestos containing wastes
4) X-ray powder diffraction: underlying theory, sample preparation and instrumental geometries, qualitative and quantitative analysis, analytical protocols for clay-minerals identification, advanced analysis of diffraction data (Rietveld method). Cases studies: clinker and cement, clay minerals, samples proposed by students.
5) image processing of 2D (SEM-BSE, PCM) and 3D (CT) images, and multispectral images (microchemical maps) for textural features (sand, matrix, pores) quantification and morphometric analysis. Case studies: ceramic materials, mortar-based materials, asbestos, and comparison with porous rocks.

Planned learning activities and teaching methods: Lectures; hands-on sample preparation for collecting powder diffraction data; exercise for quantitative phase analysis (software: High-Score Plus), digital image analysis (software: ImageJ, Multispec), statistical treatment of data (software: Excel). Interactive learning with Moodle (video tutorial, quizzes, final exam simulation).

Active and critical use of AI as an educational tool is expected.
Students with specific learning disorders (SLD) or other conditions (including physical health, which may prevent full fruition of the module) are encouraged to contact the Student Service office (“Ufficio Servizi agli studenti - Settore Inclusione”), which can provide further information, support and learning tools.

Last modified: Thursday, 7 August 2025, 3:32 PM