This team deals with the research on nanomaterials used in the field of energy. This concerns the nuclear energy, with separative chemistry (solid-liquid or with phase transformation) and nanostructured materials (fuel and confinement materials). This concerns also alternative energies with recycling, used of biomass, or nanoparticles solar coatings. Research topics cover synthesis methods of nanostructured materials, their functionalisation, their characterization and study of their behaviour under stress.
The objectives are to develop materials with specific functions at a nanometer scale, inside a micrometer structure and to obtain a monolithic material use. This particular structure gives to the materials better physical (like behaviour under irradiation) or chemical properties. Indeed, nanostructured materials have non linear properties compared to "base" material which can be used to obtain high performance. Modeling properties will be used in the process of developing these materials.
Synthesis of these materials uses the "chimie douce" concept, like sol-gel, hydrothermal, ionothermal and colloidal routes. Their functionnalisation includes nanoparticles insertion, the functionnalisation by covalent bonding, or electro-phoretic routes. Controlling the nanochemistry during the synthesis allows the conception of materials well fitted to separative chemistry or with stress resistant. The objectives of this team are to develop new materials with hierarchical structure with several functionnalisation leading to a separation process or to an improvement of their properties with the time or under stress.
