NIMBE (Nanoscience and Innovation for Materials, Biomedecine and Energy) is a CEA-CNRS joint research unit (UMR 3685), whose activity is oriented towards the design, processing and analysis of matter from micron scale to nanoscale, as well as the understanding of the physicochemical mechanisms and their synergies, over these scales.

All these approaches are applied primarily to address major societal challenges like (nano) materials for sustainable energy management, information processing, environment, biomedical diagnostics, historical heritage...

A hundred permanent researchers and technicians depend on the NIMBE, which relies on 7 laboratories, all members of a Labex:

• Laboratoire Archéomatériaux et prévision de l’altération (LAPA, commun avec l'IRAMAT UMR5060; Labex PATRIMA et PALM)
• Laboratoire  de Chimie Moléculaire et Catalyse pour l'Energie (LCMCE; Labex CHARMMMAT)
• Laboratoire d’Etude des Eléments légers (LEEL; PALM)
• Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire sur l’Organisation Nanométrique et Supramoléculaire (LIONS; NanoSaclay)
• Laboratoire Innovation en Chimie de Surface et Nanosciences (LICSEN; NanoSaclay)
• Laboratoire Edifices Nanométriques (LEDNA; NanoSaclay)
• Laboratoire  de Structure et Dynamique par Résonance Magnétique (LSDRM; PALM)

The unit is one of the funding members of the "Fédération de chimie physique du Plateau de Saclay" (FR3510 CNRS).

Its main activity areas are:

• Synthesis of nano-objects and nanostructured materials, processing, (nano) characterization and simulation:  with carbon nanotubes and imogolite, CVD nanoparticles and colloidal semiconductor porous oxides, block copolymers ...; nucleation mechanisms, dynamics and reactivity in nanosystems; interfaces and confined fluids; studies of light elements in materials for energy; relativistic effects and integral equations.
• Nanochemistry for electronics: Co-integration; soft lithography; molecular electronics; printed flexible electronics; innovative chemical architectures.
• Nanochemistry for health, environment and historical heritage: Sensors and biosensors; NMR imaging of biological interactions, including biosensors by using hyperpolarized gases; peptide self-assembly; vectorization of drugs; interactions between life and environmental toxicity, ecotoxicity; archaeometry, historical heritage.
• Nanochemistry for sustainable energy management: electrochemical storage (accumulators); Chemical storage (H₂, CO₂); chemical-electrical conversion (Fuel Cells); Light-electricity conversion (photovoltaic); recycling and durability of materials; nanochemistry and other energy systems.
• Instrumentation and Modelisation in nanosciences: Portable NMR; Ultrasensitive NMR spin noise; detecting nanoparticles by mass spectrometry ...

Presentation of the Division "Nanosciences and Innovation for Materials, Biomedicine and Energy ".