Christian Durante is a Full Professor of Physical Chemistry at the Department of Chemical Sciences (DiSC) at the University of Padova (UniPD) and serves as the leader of the Electrocatalysis and Applied Electrochemistry group. He graduated in Industrial Chemistry from UniPD in March 2003 and earned his Ph.D. in Chemical Sciences in March 2007. Shortly after completing his Ph.D., he joined the research group of Prof. A. Gennaro at UniPD as an assistant researcher (postdoc) and held that position until December 2010 when he became an Assistant Professor in Physical Chemistry at DiSC.
During his time as an assistant researcher, C. Durante expanded his research activities, particularly in the field of molecular electrochemistry, encompassing both organic and inorganic chemistry, as well as environmental electrochemistry. Currently, he is pioneering a new research direction in the field of electrocatalysis applied to energy production and storage, mostly in the field of oxygen reduction reaction for PEMFC, H2O2 electrogeneration and water electrolysis for green hydrogen generation. His focus is on investigating the catalytic effects associated with the size and morphology of metal nanoparticles (NPs) and alloyed NPs loaded onto nitrogen-doped carbon-based electrodes.
He is a member of the Italian Chemical Society and the International Society of Electrochemistry. Today it teaches courses in physical chemistry and electrochemistry to undergraduate and graduate students in chemistry, industrial chemistry, material science, and chemical engineering. He has authored 95 papers published in peer-reviewed international journals and has delivered over 80 presentations at national and international conferences. Additionally, he holds an Italian patent.