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> DAPHNE - Deciphering the formation of AmorPHous binders in ancient RomaN mortars for modErn applications
DAPHNE - Deciphering the formation of AmorPHous binders in ancient RomaN mortars for modErn applications
- Program: Horizon Europe (HORIZON)
- Topic: HORIZON-MSCA-2024-PF-01-01
- Type of action: HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
- Acronym: DAPHNE
- Grant Agreement: 101209231
- Duration: 1 June 2025 – 31 May 2027
- Participants: Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS
- DOI: 10.3030/101209231
- Funded by: the European Union under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
Cultural heritage materials can be the starting point for the experimentation of binding materials to be used in the field of constructions. It is the case of hydraulic mortars from ancient Roman aqueducts. In fact, the preliminary characterization of these mortars revealed the occurrence of an amorphous binder, which composition is comparable to a calcium-sodium/potassium aluminosilicate hydrate (C-(N,K)-A-S-H). However, the factors that allowed the formation of this peculiar binder, not previously attested in other ancient structures, are still unknown.
The aim of DAPHNE is to elucidate the chemical composition and physical structure of amorphous/nanocrystalline binders in ancient Roman mortars and understand the processes that lead to their formation using geochemical experimentation. In the future, the assessment of the properties of the amorphous binder can verify its employability as sustainable and durable material for cement industry applications, chasing the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Aqueducts at Banca d’Italia sport club, close to via Tuscolana, Rome.
Credits: Laura Calzolari.
Schematic overview of DAPHNE project. Credits: Laura Calzolari, Andrea Fiorini.
Conservation scientist, focusing her research on geomaterials employed in cultural heritage. Her interest in ancient Roman mortars began during her master in Science and Technology for the Conservation of Cultural Heritage at Sapienza University of Rome (Italy). During her PhD in Earth Sciences she focused on the characterization of hydraulic mortars from ancient Roman aqueducts. This led to the development of DAPHNE project, which aims to complete the characterization of amorphous binder phases using cutting-edge techniques and exploring the geochemical processes that led to their formation.
CNRS researcher at ISTerre, a visiting scientist at the ESRF, and a visiting scientist at Institut Néel in Grenoble. He has been awarded with the CNRS Bronze Medal in 2021. His domains of research are (1) structure and reactivity of amorphous and nanocrystalline environmental materials, (2) mineral formation processes, and (3) interfacial geochemistry.
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