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Materials & Nanophases Group: Structures, Characterization, Formulation, Applications and Recycling Processes

Materials & Nanophases Group: Structures, Characterization, Formulation, Applications and Recycling Processes

Research

The group’s current fields of interest are the following:

  1. Nanomaterials: In our laboratory, we synthesize and characterize low dimensionality materials (0, 1 and 2D), by all means necessary and available. These materials can often be exfoliated/dispersed in solution leading to some complex/colloidal fluids, exhibiting a very wide range of fascinating behaviors. In 2001, we discovered the first lamellar phase based on extended 2D nanosheets, and further confirmed it recently.
  1. Waste recycling: we are developing tools and processes for impoving various wastes recycling to enable more economically viable waste processing. Our efforts in this field started in 2013 and focussed at the time on an integrated microfluidic lab-on-chip that enables much faster exploration of multidimensional phase diagrams of complex fluids. Such lab-on-chip devices integrate various sensors as well as characterizations methods (such as FTIR in hollow waveguides, or X-ray fluorescence). This work was first funded, from 2013 util 2018, by the advanced ERC project REE-CYCLE that aimed at developing new rare earth extraction/recycling processes, at least 10 times more efficient that current liquid-liquid extraction processes, where JCG served as acting co-PI. Since then, thanks to: (i) the NEA endowment to the joint CEA / NTU laboratory SCARCE (phase 1 2018-2023 and phase 2: 2023-2028); (ii) in 2023 funding from the French PEPR Recyclage program financed by the FRANCE 2030 (coordination of project REVIWEEE, and task leader in project CYCLAMET and PLASTICS), and; (iii) industrial contracts with ECOLOGIC France as well as Continental, we are further developping the microfluidic platform as well as expanding our effort to other process steps in the recycling of e-waste (PCBs, plastics from e-wastes), such has:
    1. PCBs dismantling and associated electronic component sorting;
    2. Physical method based purification;
    3. Critical metals recovery and purification;
    4. Liquid-liquid and Solid-liquid hydrometallurgical recovery processes step development;
    5. Use of supercritical fluid as a green solvent for e-waste recycling.
  • Integration:
  • Thanks to the awarded ANR Project 4WATER (2018): we are elaborating new and cheap multi-target chemical sensor arrays for the continuous monitoring of groundwater quality. Using a microelectronic approach, the sensors will be based on functionalized nanomaterials and that will target various ions selected for their relevance as regards the quality of fresh water.
  • Thanks to the awarded ANR Project 2D-MEMBA (2021): we integrate nanomaterials for the making of less power-hungry membranes for the purification of water.
Visible light diffracted by different lamellar periods of colloidal suspension of H3Sb3P2O14 in water (shortest => Blue; longest => red) © JCP Gabriel, CEA.

Group members in both CEA and NTU:

Leader: Dr. HDR. Jean-Christophe P. Gabriel, Invited Professor @ NTUPostdocs,

Permanent Researcher:

Research Fellows or Senior Research fellow:

PhD students:

  • Thibault Rosier (12/2023-11/2026): “Recyclage de métaux critiques perdus et issus de cartes de circuits imprimés usagés.” Thèse CIFRE avec ECOLOGIC France;
  • Gwénael Dupuis (11/2023-10/2026): “Microfluidic development for the analytical study of biohydrometalurgy processes for the recycling of critical metals ;
  • Emilie Rolland (11/2024-10/2027): “New membranes based on 2D materials”;
  • Qiqi Sun (2024-2027), in NTU, co-direction with Prof. Tan Lay Poh: “Supercritical CO2 of biomolecules from food waste”

Research Assistant (NTU):

  • Currently Hiring;

V.I.A. CEA:

  • Louis Langlais (NTU): 07/2024-present

Interns: Looking for some, see below

Job openings (tenured or not):

We are currently hiring one research fellows (postdocs) and research assistants in CEA/NTU SCARCE joint laboratory in Singapore. Look Here for more details and to apply (N.B. due to visa restrictions, local applicants are strongly encouraged).

NIMBE being a joint unit with CNRS, the group can be host of CNRS permanent/tenured researchers (commission 14 or 15 in the case of this group), either by mobility or via the yearly contest: see here for more details.

NB: There are also yearly funding opportunities for French University Professors to spend a sabbatical in the group. Feel free to contact JC Gabriel.

Former group members (Since 2013):

Visiting Scientists and Professors

Postdocs or Research Fellows:

V.I.A./V.I.E.

Research Assistants

PhD Students

Interns

2022’s Members of the group in Singapore in front of the SCARCE lab (from Left to right: XD, NC, SC, JY, FO, MMK, THN, HB)