Genesis, Usage of Durable Interfaces for Energy (Team GUIDE)

The GUIDE team structures its research activity around the design, implementation, characterization and modelling of polymer materials with high added value.

In the continuity of previous work, we have used our ability to generate new chemical structures to confer properties to organic materials and to develop tools to analyze or predict the behaviour of these innovative materials. We have thus developed a real balance between innovation, illustrated by the development of polymers or means of characterization, and their very concrete commercial applications (fuel cells, photovoltaic cells, electric cables).

One of the guiding threads of this activity is the determination of relevant parameters, i.e. those controlling the macroscopic properties of polymer and composite materials. These can be chemical, physico-chemical or even processing parameters. Our problems are always intended to respond to industrial concerns.

Finally, the approach used is relatively homogeneous: our approach is initially highly experimental, at different scales of measurement or even with tools developed in-house. These projects frequently lead to the development of modelling tools that describe the interactions between the different relevant scales. These models (mainly numerical, sometimes analytical) are initially validated experimentally. The tools thus developed allow, in a second step :

• to optimize materials according to needs
• to understand the hierarchical relationships between the different scales
• to define and control the microstructure and thus the macroscopic properties.

Recently, GUIDE has therefore strengthened and broadened its areas of expertise by getting strongly involved in the strategic research fields of renewable energy and environment. Our efforts have focused on the synthesis of polymers with adapted functional properties as well as on the study and modelling of the physical properties of polymers and their long-term behaviour.