COLORaDO Project
COLORaDO - a new Chromogenic technOLOgy foR on-field Damage detectiOn
Breakthrough technology for protecting vehicles, critical infrastructure, supplies, and personnel, as well as preventing illicit activities. The technology is based on mechanochromic materials that have the autonomous function of informing the end-user about mechanical forces that may cause catastrophic failure, allowing for simple and reliable identification of mechanical forces acting on the material itself.
COLORaDO news
Discover the latest breakthroughs and insights in the world of science with our dedicated blog and events section
Oral presentation by Chiara Corapi at WME 2026 Winter Workshop on Materials for Energy
Bressanone (Italy), 27th January-2nd February 2026
Poster presentation by Lorenzo Gatti at the 13th Crystal Forms
Bologna (Italy), 7th-9th September 2025
Poster presentation by Lorenzo Gatti at the 51st Meeting of the Italian Crystallographic Association
Florence (Italy), 2nd-5th September 2025
The COLORaDO project addresses the issue of mechanical damages that can lead to catastrophic failures in vehicles, buildings, and electronic devices, which are particularly detrimental to military operations. Traditional methods for locating material damage are often costly and time-consuming, making early detection a critical need.
Who is involved
Explore our team profiles to learn more about the passionate individuals who are transforming the future of material science.
Chiara Gualandi
COLORaDO Project Coordinator
Chiara Gualandi received her Ph.D. degree in Industrial Chemistry from the University of Bologna in 2010.
Since 2021 she is Associate Professor at the Chemistry Department “Giacomo Ciamician” (Bologna, Italy).
Her research interests focus on stimuli-responsive and functional polymers, including mechano-responsive materials, photo-responsive materials, thermo-reversible polymeric systems and shape-memory polymers.
She is the scientific coordinator of the COLORaDO project (NATO Partner Director).
Since 2021 she is Associate Professor at the Chemistry Department “Giacomo Ciamician” (Bologna, Italy).
Her research interests focus on stimuli-responsive and functional polymers, including mechano-responsive materials, photo-responsive materials, thermo-reversible polymeric systems and shape-memory polymers.
She is the scientific coordinator of the COLORaDO project (NATO Partner Director).
Andrea Dodero
Soft Matter Physics Team Leader
Andrea Dodero studied materials science and engineering at the University of Genoa, Italy, where he received his PhD in May 2021. Since June 2021, he works at the Adolphe Merkle Institute within the NCCR Bio-Inspired Materials where he now holds a Group Leader position in the Soft Matter Physics group.
His research interests include the development of optical materials for advanced technological applications.
He is the scientific coordinator of the AMI unit of the COLORaDO project (Partner country Co-Director).
His research interests include the development of optical materials for advanced technological applications.
He is the scientific coordinator of the AMI unit of the COLORaDO project (Partner country Co-Director).
Damiano Genovese
Associate professor in Chemistry
Associate professor in Chemistry at University of Bologna since 2022.
Background in luminescence spectroscopy and imaging, and in multichromophoric nanomaterials.
My present research spans interdisciplinary fields such as colloids and surface chemistry, self-assembling systems, and nanostructured photoactive materials for optoelectronics, sensing, and nanomedicine.
My endeavor in the COLORaDO research project is the in-situ investigation of mechanochromic coatings via steady-state and time-resolved spectroscopic and imaging techniques.
Background in luminescence spectroscopy and imaging, and in multichromophoric nanomaterials.
My present research spans interdisciplinary fields such as colloids and surface chemistry, self-assembling systems, and nanostructured photoactive materials for optoelectronics, sensing, and nanomedicine.
My endeavor in the COLORaDO research project is the in-situ investigation of mechanochromic coatings via steady-state and time-resolved spectroscopic and imaging techniques.
Daniele Fazzi
Associate professor in Chemistry
I am associate professor at the Department of Chemistry “Giacomo Ciamician”, University of Bologna.
My research activities involve the computational modelling of charge transport mechanisms, photo-induced processes and structure-function properties in soft, functional, materials for opto-electronic and energy conversion applications.
In COLORaDO I model the structure, the vibrational and excited-state properties of copper-iodine-based coordination polymers in order to tackle their mechanoluminochromism effects.
My research activities involve the computational modelling of charge transport mechanisms, photo-induced processes and structure-function properties in soft, functional, materials for opto-electronic and energy conversion applications.
In COLORaDO I model the structure, the vibrational and excited-state properties of copper-iodine-based coordination polymers in order to tackle their mechanoluminochromism effects.
Lucia Maini
Professor in Chemistry
Lucia Maini is a full professor of chemistry at the Department of Chemistry "G. Ciamician" at the University of Bologna.
She has a strong background in structure determination from single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction and in solid state characterization.
Her research covers a range of areas within the field of crystal engineering: polymorphs, co-crystals, coordination polymers, organic materials.
She studies the use of mechanochemistry for the synthesis of coordination polymers.
She is engaged on the structural characterization of the coordination polymer and the characterization of the mechanochromic material via X-ray diffraction and thermal analysis.
She has a strong background in structure determination from single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction and in solid state characterization.
Her research covers a range of areas within the field of crystal engineering: polymorphs, co-crystals, coordination polymers, organic materials.
She studies the use of mechanochemistry for the synthesis of coordination polymers.
She is engaged on the structural characterization of the coordination polymer and the characterization of the mechanochromic material via X-ray diffraction and thermal analysis.
Tommaso Maria Brugo
Researcher in Industrial Engineering
Tommaso Maria Brugo is a post-doctoral researcher at the Industrial Engineering Department of the
University of Bologna. He has a background in the design and development of self-sensing composite
laminates functionalized with nanotechnologies. In the project, he is in charge of the mechanical
characterization and development of composite laminate coated with mechanochromic and correlates the
damage with spectra emission.
Andrea Zucchelli
Professor in Industrial Engineering
Andrea Zucchelli is a full professor at the Department of Industrial Engineering
of the University of Bologna.
Born on Feb. 2, 1973, he graduated in Nuclear Engineering in 1997 and received his received his doctorate in 2002.
He specializes in Mechanical Design and Machine Building and directs the Graduate Course in Polymeric Composites.
He is the author of more than 170 publications of which 123 are in international journals. He contributes to the COLORaDO project through his expertise in the field of “composite smart materials.”
Born on Feb. 2, 1973, he graduated in Nuclear Engineering in 1997 and received his received his doctorate in 2002.
He specializes in Mechanical Design and Machine Building and directs the Graduate Course in Polymeric Composites.
He is the author of more than 170 publications of which 123 are in international journals. He contributes to the COLORaDO project through his expertise in the field of “composite smart materials.”
Chiara Corapi
Researcher in Physical Chemistry
Graduated with a Master’s degree in Physical Chemistry from the University of Pisa in
January 2024. Currently undertaking a research fellowship at the University of Bologna, focused on the
modelling of hybrid coordination polymers to investigate the atomistic mechanisms governing
mechanoluminochromic properties.
Emma Contini
PhD student in Industrial Chemistry
Emma Contini received her MSc degree in Photochemistry and Molecular Materials (2022) at the University of Bologna and is currently a PhD student in Industrial Chemistry at the University of Bologna.
Her scientific interests mainly concern the development and characterization of mechanochromic polymeric materials and composites as sensors for early damage detection.
In the COLORaDO Project her main roles are the development and characterization of mechanochromic coatings and the spectroscopic characterization of mechanochromic fillers and coatings.
Her scientific interests mainly concern the development and characterization of mechanochromic polymeric materials and composites as sensors for early damage detection.
In the COLORaDO Project her main roles are the development and characterization of mechanochromic coatings and the spectroscopic characterization of mechanochromic fillers and coatings.
Lorenzo Gatti
PhD student in Chemistry
Lorenzo Gatti earned his MSc in Synthesis Methods and Bio-organic Chemistry from the University of
Bologna in 2023 and is currently pursuing a PhD in Chemistry at the same institution. His research focuses
on crystal engineering, particularly on optimizing the synthesis and structural analysis of mechanochromic
polymeric materials. In the Colorado Project, he is mainly involved in developing new crystallization
strategies for novel pigments and studying their structural stability when integrated into coating matrices.