Polymer Materials Engineering - IMP

Research topics

The scientific aims of the IMP laboratory are to develop a global material approach by way of macromolecular chemistry strategies, which may be combined with physical and physico-chemical approaches, to simulate the creation of materials to define functions and integrate them into systems. By relying on strong and enduring competences, controlling the structure and the morphologies at all scales (molecular, supramolecular, nanoscopic etc.) in terms of volume, surface and interface, it is possible to perfectly control the design of polymers with a specific function. The following key elements shows the ability of the laboratory to develop research that complies with excellence criteria:

• "material" based research to come up with new kinds of material chemistry, reaction selectivity, the combination of organic and inorganic synthesis reactions to produce function polymers via controlled architectures and morphologies, as well as to simulate and control production processes.
• the development of original approaches for rheology, production, forming and simulation processes, integrating both design aspects at different scales as well as experimental components.
• a full "design" approach for functional polymers, often multi-functional, based on understanding the relationships between the molecular architecture, morphology at different scales and physical behaviour.
• interface with Life Sciences, relying on research in the field of bait systems and materials of biological environments as well as polymers for imaging in the field of infectiology. This line of research is hosted in the project "hotel" of the Laboratoire Joliot-Curie [Joliot-Curie laboratory] of ENS Lyon.

The IMP research unit lays claim to have a unique positioning in the local, national and international polymer community. Even if it is difficult to make comparisons given how differently research can be organised from one country to another, the scientific project and the scientific expertise developed here claim that the IMP operates like an institute with a role similar to that of "polymer" research institutes like Dutch Polymer, Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands, the University of Freiburg and the Institut für Polymerforschung [Polymer Research Institute] in Germany, to cite only European institutions that cover all fields of polymer research, and which are working on solid industrial partnership projects. This direction enables the laboratory to act as a partner in local industry such as the Lyon chemical sector with the Institut de Chimie de Lyon et l'Institut Carnot I@L "Matériaux-Transport-Energie" [Lyon Chemical Institute and the Carnot Institute I@L "Materials-Transport-Energy"] and soon the Axel One-Campus platform for interaction with industry.

To sum up, the IMP laboratory is part of a large number of research networks with French and foreign academic laboratories. It is also heavily involved with companies through collaborative projects (CIFRE conference, ANR, competitiveness clusters, the Institut Carnot etc.). The pilot laboratory where almost 120 projects are being worked on has 220 members including 60 permanent researchers and lecturer/researchers, 120 PhD students and around 20 post-doc students.

Subjects

The unit has been divided in to four areas of excellence:
1. Chemistry of polymers
2. Structure and rheology of polymers Processes and simulation
3. Physics and functional polymers
4. Polymers at the interface of life sciences

Fields of application

The IMP is working on fundamental research for practical applications, from the synthesis of new macromolecular architectures and the formulation of polymers to creating structure-property relationships for applications in the fields of energy (storage, making structures lighter etc.), healthcare and more usual applications (packaging, textiles, the car industry, aeronautics, etc.)

• Polymers for energy
• Composite and light materials
• Technical wires and fibres
• Polymers for the car and aeronautical industries
• Polymers for medical applications
• Recycling of polymers