Engineering of Hybrid Nanomaterials for the Environment and Health team

L’équipe de Ingénierie des Nanomatériaux hybrides pour l’Environnement et la Santé développe la conception de nanoparticules d’oxydes, de semi-conducteurs et de nanocomposites en utilisant diverses techniques de synthèse (coprécipitation, décomposition thermique, voies polyols thermale ou solvothermale, mécanosynthèse) et leur fonctionnalisation ou structuration suivant l’application visée. Les activités de l’équipe se structurent autour de 3 axes de recherches :

• Axe 1 : Functionnalized metal oxide nanoparticles with different size and shape by different chemical synthesis methods. Application to peritoneal dialysis and diagnostic of Alzheimer disease

Our nanoparticle (NP) design is based on the understanding of fundamental mechanisms of nucleation and growth. The various types of reactions used to design our NPs include thermal decomposition, hydrothermal route, coprecipitation, polyol solvothermal, , etc… The NPs are either formed in a single phase structure or as a multi-component nanostructures (composite with carbon based materials).

• Peritoneal Dialysis: Enhancement of phosphate removal
• pathophysiological understanding

Collaboration Philippe Choquet (HUS, ICUBE), ANR PHODIA (21-25) & MICA (2025), One patent and one in course

• Coupling of targeting ligands onto functionalised oxide nanoparticles
• Study of the interaction of vectorised nanoparticles with fibers mimicking senile plates

Coll. Université La Havane Cuba, Coll. Dr G. Ulrich (ICPEES) – V. Mazan (LIMA) - M. Schmutz (ICS), PHC Cuba and AAP Cuba

Contact : Pr Sylvie Begin-Colin and Pr Ariane Zaloszic

• Axe 2 : Mechanosynthesis of hybrid perovskites and lead free hybrid perovskites (3D, 2D and mixed 2D/3D). Applications : photodetection, detection RX et batteries

Hybrid perovskites (HPs) are promising for optoelectronic applications with, beyond photovoltaics, other applications explored here. A main challenge is achieving reproducible, pure, and scalable HPs synthesis. Mechanosynthesis (MS), a green and solvent-free method, successfully led to 3D HP MAPbI₃ and graphite composites in 30 min. grinding, yielding properties similar to solvent-based synthesized MAPbI₃. Extended grinding introduced surface defects enhancing electromagnetic wave absorption. MS was also applied to low-dimensional HPs (n=1–3) with different ammoniums. Pure n=1 2D HPs and composites were synthesized successfully, while n>2 showed compositional heterogeneity.

For X-Ray and photo-detection tests, the required compaction of MS powders induced grain coalescence, preferential orientation, and appearance of new phase. Graphite improved HPs photodetection performance, while low-dimensional HPs need a device optimization due to crystallites in plane orientation.

Coll. V&S Zafeiratos, CEA Grenoble, C. Lefevre (IPCMS), T. Fix (ICUBE); Fondation JML (24-25), ANR ABPERO (2024-28)

We developed the mechanosynthesis of lead-free 2D and 3D perovskite powders for supercapacitor applications. Using this scalable and solvent-free ball-milling technique, we have synthesized methylammonium copper bromide (MA₂CuBr₄), cesium bismuth chloride (Cs₂Bi₃Cl₉) perovskites, and MA₂CuBr₄-graphite composite powders

• Axe 3 : Nano-adsorbants magnétiques à base de graphène et d'oxyde de fer pour la dépollution environnementale des hydrocarbures aromatiques polycycliques et d'autres polluants pertinents

A lot of different pollutants exist in the environment that can be harmful both to human health and the environment, so removing them from different environmental media and monitoring their presence is essential. Adsorption has gained a lot of attention in the past years for pollutant capture and extraction, particularly with the development of nanotechnologies and nanomaterials. The possibility to create composite materials of graphene and iron oxide for depollution strategies is particularly attractive because it couples the high adsorption efficiency of graphene materials with the easy magnetic separation of magnetic nanomaterials.

• Phosphates
• Hydrocarbures aromatiques polycycliques (HAPs)
• Carbon and plastic based particles

Contact : Pr Sylvie Begin-Colin, Dr Stéphane Le Calvé

Coll. S. Le Calvé, ENGEES, LCPME (Nancy), Région Gd Est + MICA (2021-2024), ANR (2024-2028)