Polymer grafting on surfaces conducting electricity is one major topic of the activities of the "Laboratoire de Chimie des Surfaces et Interfaces (LCSI)" directed by Serge Palacin. Many patents deposited on the electro-grafting (eG©) process contributed to the creation 5 years ago of the first start-up resulting from the Science of Matter Division (CEA/DSM): Alchimer. Beyond the different existing processes for the chemimal fonctionalisation of surfaces, a new step is crossed with the introduction of a new process: Pegas.
Pegas (Procédé d’Enduction Généralisé Actif de Surfaces) allows the grafting in only one stage every standard polymer on any surfaces, conducting or not of electricity avoiding the electrochemical process used until now. In that way, it is possible to functionalize materials as varied as glass, diamond, Teflon, carbon nanotubes but also all the types of metals (gold, steel titanium, iron, zinc, copper etc…). The polymers are grafted in a covalent way on the surfaces and present properties of chemical resistance and conformity equivalent to those obtained by electro-grafting (eG©).
The process is carried out in aqueous phase, within air and at ambient temperature thus fitting the objective of a “green chemistry”. Thanks to this discovery, it is henceforth possible to functionalize by a stable grafting the surface of all types of materials, insulators like electricity conductors up to m2 an down to nm2.
The valorization of this new process seems obvious so much the applicability are numerous (electronics, cars, corrosion, textile, nanotechnologies, health etc.). This work begun in October 2006 was the subject of the deposit of several patents [1] and one publication [2]. A project of a new start-up is in the course of evaluation. The name of the process is Graftfast©, today marks deposited.
References:
[1] Patents : FR 06 55653, FR 07 54278, FR 07 55356, FR 07 55659, FR 07 56182 deposited between December 2006 and May 2007.
[2] V. Mévellec, S. Roussel, L. Tessier, M. Mayne-L'Hermite, J. Chancolon, G. Deniau, P. Viel and S. Palacin, acceptée dans Chemistry of Materials 09 2007.
(a) and (b): electronic scan microscopy illustrating the fonctionnalisation of surface of carbon nanotubes.
(c) and (d): water droplet deposited on glass, before and after fonctionnalisation by a hydrophobic invisible film.
Contacts :
Vincent Mévellec Tel. 01 69 75 43 46,
Sébastien Roussel, Tel. 01 69 08 65 88,
Guy Deniau Tel. 01 69 08 21 11,
Serge Palacin Tel. 01 69 08 54 28,
• Laboratory of Physics and Chemistry of Surfaces and Interfaces
