ARCHI-CM project
The Michel-Eugène Chevreul Institute led the ARCHI-CM project (Chemistry and Architectural Materials), which was selected for funding under the 2014-2020 CPER (State-Region Plan Contract). It was a structuring project centered on the perimeter of the Institute’s laboratories (UCCS, UMET, LASIR and MSAP) and mobilized a significant part of the Chemistry and Materials sector.
The ARCHI-CM project aimed to respond to societal challenges in the fields of bio-economy, energy and advanced materials. It was an interdisciplinary project, the scientific specificity of which laid in the combination of architectural concepts both to produce innovative materials (functional block assemblies, multi-scale texturing, etc.) and to induce original chemical reactivities (confined environments, multifunctional catalysts, etc.).
ARCHI-CM project was divided into 3 work packages (WP):
The aim of the ARCHI-CM’s WP1 was to implement new developments leading to significant advances in the field of bio-economy. The establishment of biorefineries based on local resources brings new sources of economic activity to rural areas, creating specialized jobs in these areas. This is typically the case in the Hauts-de-France Region, with its strong agricultural potential, which is enhanced by the implementation of new technologies.
The work program was based on an asset of international stature, both in the scientific field (catalytic valorization of biomass and biogas, production of materials from agro-resources, chemistry using biobased synthons) and in partnership (European biorefinery project). One of the WP’s flagship initiatives has been the creation of the
UPCAT technology platform, dedicated to the study of the preparation of supports and catalysts for heterogeneous catalysis. Unique on an international scale, it is positioned in the direct technological continuity of the
REALCAT platform and the UCCS Catalysis Pilot Hall, and has enabled us to fill the missing link between the laboratory (gram) and industrial (hundreds of kilogram) stages.
WP2’s works were part of the energy transition approach described in the “Third Industrial Revolution” program. It concerned the development of hydrogen and biogas as energy carriers, particularly in the Hauts-de-France region. They involved the design of innovative materials for applications in Solid oxide electrolyzers cell (SOEC) and Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) electrolyzers, as well as for the catalytic treatment of biogas. The project has contributed to the development of new mixed conductor materials with specific topologies (1D, 2D, 3D, modular…) electrochemically active at medium temperatures (350°-500°C). We have also developed anodes for biogas supply in higher-temperature devices, resistant to sulfur and coke formation. The performance of such devices depends not only on their intrinsic properties, but also on their shaping (porosity, microstructure, texturing). The
advanced characterization platform has enabled the fine characterization of these new materials in relation to their electrochemical and/or catalytic properties.
The WP3’s overall aim was to design advanced functional materials with properties and performance that could be adjusted to the targeted applications. The concepts of materials architecture (arrangement of elementary bricks) were implemented by elaboration and transformation methods, in close relation with their properties and performances. The support of high-level advanced characterization techniques has been an essential part of this WP. The use of multi-scale and multi-physics predictive modeling was also a guiding and cross-disciplinary aspect of the approach. The materials concerned were mainly hybrid materials, nanomaterials and functional materials (intumescent, multiferroic, catalytic, self-healing, photo-functional, mechanical). This WP3 has led to the creation of a technology platform (
FIRE-RESIST) which should establish itself as a reference center for the design and development of “fire retardant” solutions for multiple application sectors. It bridges the gap between fundamental research and lab-scale design (TRL 1 to 4) through to certification and industrial production (TRL 6 to 9).
ARCHI-CM project has enabled the development of research hubs and technical platforms:
The work carried out as part of the ARCHI-CM project relied heavily on material characterization tools (NMR, electron microscopy, EPR, X-ray diffraction, etc.). The PCA platform has been used as a cross-functional tool, providing all those involved in the various work packages with new equipment enabling significant advances in understanding the fine structure of matter. The main investments were in magnetic measurements, electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, surface analysis and ultrafast spectroscopy. In addition to the investments made, the ARCHI-CM project made a major contribution to the ongoing structuration of the advanced characterization platform (PCA). An important step in this evolution was a in-depth reform of its operating methods, leading to its accreditation by the University of Lille. Several of its instruments have also been included in the INFRANALYTICS national research infrastructure.
ARCHI-CM project led to the creation of
UPCAT and
FIRE-RESIST (see above). These tools are now integrated into the
PTICM platform, accredited by the University and Centrale Lille in 2020. This platform comprises 5 instrumental clusters and is designed to develop research collaborations and services related to the “Chemistry and Materials” theme. It boasts some of the most advanced instrumentation on the market, combined with internationally recognized expertise and scientific support. The scientific uniqueness of the PTICM platform lies in the diversity and complementarity of the tools it offers for research and services in the fields of Chemistry and Materials.
Investments have also been made to consolidate existing research hubs or create new ones. Among the latter, the new Chevreul building (commissioned in 2019) has made it possible to host several research platforms that have benefited from the ARCHI-CM project. More specifically, these include the “Energy Materials”, “High-Pressure Materials”, “Polymer Materials Development” and “Advanced Macromolecular Synthesis” platforms.
In the end, the ARCHI-CM CPER project was co-financed with 12.8 M€ from the French State, the Hauts-de-France Region, Europe through FEDER funds and the MEL. It has led to the production of ~1900 scientific articles, the defense of more than 280 doctoral theses, the award of 200 research contracts financed by the French government (for a total of ~21 M€), the award of 35 contracts financed by international organizations, including 2 ERC “Advanced Grant” projects (for a total of ~10 M€), the signing of more than 150 partnership research agreements (for a total of ~13.5 M€), and the filing of around 50 patents.
By funding and structuring research in the “Chemistry and Materials” field in the northern part of the Hauts-de-France Region, the ARCHI-CM project has encouraged collaboration between public research laboratories and the development of partnerships with socio-economic actors.
