CONSORZIO INTERUNIVERSITARIO NAZIONALE PER LA SCIENZA E TECNOLOGIA DEI MATERIALI

Their core work

INSTM is Italy's national inter-university consortium dedicated to materials science and technology, pooling expertise from dozens of Italian universities into a single research body. Their core work spans advanced materials development — from bio-based polymers for food packaging and personal care products to nanomaterials for architectural heritage conservation and metal alloys for aerospace turbine components. They bring deep materials characterization and formulation capabilities to applied research, frequently bridging the gap between lab-scale material discovery and industrial-scale demonstration. Their growing specialization in photoelectrocatalytic materials for CO2 conversion positions them at the intersection of materials science and green chemistry.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In the early period (2015–2018), INSTM's work was diverse and exploratory: wastewater treatment with algae (SALTGAE), agricultural waste biorefinery (AgriMax), heritage nanomaterials (NANO-CATHEDRAL), and additive manufacturing (DREAM). From 2019 onward, a clear convergence emerged toward two pillars — sustainable bio-based materials (ECOFUNCO, BIOnTop with focus on bioplastics, coatings, and biodegradation) and photoelectrocatalytic CO2 conversion (PERFORM, DECADE, SUN2CHEM). The shift from broad materials applications toward green chemistry and circular economy materials is unmistakable.

INSTM is converging toward circular-economy materials — expect future work in biodegradable packaging, bio-based coatings, and solar-driven CO2-to-chemicals conversion.

How they like to work

INSTM operates primarily as an active partner (13 of 18 projects) but has proven coordination capability, leading 4 projects including their largest grants. With 213 unique consortium partners across 28 countries, they are a well-connected hub rather than a loyal-partner organization — they join different consortia for different material challenges. This makes them an accessible and experienced partner: they know how EU consortia work and can plug into new teams without friction.

INSTM has collaborated with 213 unique partners across 28 countries, making them one of the more broadly networked Italian research organizations in materials science. Their reach is pan-European with no single dominant partner country, reflecting the consortium's role as a go-to materials expert that different teams recruit for specialized characterization and formulation work.

What sets them apart

INSTM's structure as a national inter-university consortium is its key differentiator — it aggregates materials science expertise from across Italy's university system into a single legal entity, giving consortium builders access to a deep bench of specialists through one partner. Unlike a single university lab, INSTM can mobilize expertise across polymer chemistry, metallurgy, nanomaterials, and electrochemistry depending on what the project needs. For anyone building a consortium that requires advanced materials work — whether for packaging, aerospace, energy, or cultural heritage — INSTM offers breadth and flexibility that few single institutions can match.

Highlights from their portfolio

• NANO-CATHEDRAL
  Their largest grant (EUR 1.05M) and a coordination role — applied nanomaterials to protect European stone heritage buildings, a distinctive niche combining materials science with cultural preservation.
• A-LEAF
  Flagship artificial photosynthesis project building photo-electro-catalytic cells from earth-abundant materials for solar fuel production — represents their strongest bet on green chemistry.
• ECOFUNCO
  Coordinated project on multifunctional bio-based coatings with tailored end-of-life options — sits at the center of their strategic pivot toward sustainable polymer materials.