Organic/inorganic hybrids and nanocomposites are of major interest in the field of material science.
Our research is focused on synthesis and characterization of novel hybrid colloids and nanocomposites via heterophase polymerization techniques, “living” controlled polymerizations and sol-gel chemistry. Themes being pursued include the designed construction of colloidal nanocomposites with well defined compositions and morphologies (e.g., for instance an inorganic core surrounded by a polymer shell), the grafting of polymers from or to the surface of preformed mineral particles and the combination of free radical polymerization and sol-gel polycondensation to synthesize novel hybrid structures (made for instance of organic/inorganic interpenetrated polymer networks).
THEME I. Colloidal nanocomposites
- Surface modification of mineral oxide particles (sol-gel, complexation chemistry, ion exchange)
- New routes to O/I colloids in multiphase systems
- Characterization of nanocomposite particles morphology
- Kinetics and mechanisms
THEME II. Controlled (living) polymerizations from nanoparticle surfaces.
- Grafting from and grafting to techniques
- Nitroxide-mediated polymerization
- Anionic-coordinated polymerization
THEME III. Polymer/inorganic hybrid colloids by the sol-gel route.
- Synthesis of polyacrylic/polyorganosilsesquioxane hybrid particles by emulsion polymerization. Kinetics and modelling of the emulsion polymerization process.
- Design of particles with specific properties and morphologies : core-shell particles – nanocapsules.
- Synthesis of silicon containing homopolymer and copolymer architectures by the RAFT process.
THEME IV. Colloidal additives for cements and concretes (activity developped in association with R. Spitz and F. D’Agosto).
- Design of novel polymer particulate additives
- Impact of colloidal additives on ciment microstructure and properties
- Rheological and mechanical properties of polymer cement composites
- Structure-property relationships
Current Projects
• Polymer encapsulation of mineral oxide particles through emulsion polymerization
• Synthesis of polymer/clay nanocomposites through emulsion polymerization
• Synthesis of waterborne silica/polyacrylic and clay/polyacrylic hybrids via miniemulsion polymerization: NAPOLEON (with Tim McKenna).
• Assembly of organic and inorganic colloids in multiphase systems: from daisy-shaped to dissymetrical colloids (cooperation with the ICMCB and the CRPP at the University of Bordeaux).
• Nitroxide-mediated polymerization from the surface of silica and clay colloids (cooperation with the LMPB, Lyon).
• Synthesis of poly(acrylic-co-organosiloxane) hybrid colloids by emulsion polymerization. Kinetics and modelling (cooperation with the LAGEP, Lyon).
• Study of the role of organic colloidal additives on the end-use properties of cements and concretes (with R. Spitz and F. D’Agosto).
