Consortium
This consortium brings together leading experts in the areas of electrochemical device preparation and performance testing (LPPI), polymer and nanocomposite synthesis (LIST), and polymer processing and characterization (IMP). In addition to the high quality of the teams, they also possess the ability to provide backup for one another in the areas of materials preparation, processing and characterization, thus ensuring consistent progress through the proposed effort and favoring clear, effective communications between colleagues. Furthermore, co-PI Shaplov (LIST) has been actively collaborating with LPPI since 2007 and with IMP since 2013, a highly productive relationship that has resulted in the publication of 12 publications and 2 patents. Finally, LPPI provides critical capabilities in the area of electrochemical storage devices (supercapacitors, in particular) preparation and relevant performance measurements, IMP adds specific expertise in 1,2,3-triazolium-based PILs, rheology, broadband dielectric spectroscopy and Si-NP synthesis not available in Luxembourg, and LIST contributes an equally critical combination of expertise in the area of polyanions and polysiloxane nanocomposites not available in France. Altogether, three partners have the most complementary expertise to ensure the success of DISAFECAP.
The clear integrated value of a bilateral (France / Luxembourg), well-balanced cooperation (see human resource commitments, Table 1) as stated above is the possibility for carrying out a cutting-edge research, which will contribute to the creation of new industrial technology, to the facilitation of exchanges between the partners, to the education of PhD students and to launching the basis for future transnational projects.
• Partner 1 (France): Laboratoire de Physicochimie des Polymères et des Interfaces (LPPI, EA 2528) gathers 20 researchers and around 20 PhD and postdoc students. The team is the result of collaboration between chemists, electrochemists, physico-chemists of polymers, surfaces and interfaces. Since more than 10 years, the LPPI is conducting fundamental and development research activities in the field of energy (Metal-air batteries, high performance fuel cells membranes, actuators, supercapacitors electrolytes & electrodes). Prof. PH Aubert (16 mm) is an expert in electrochemistry and strongly involved in electrochemical storage (material electrodes, electrolytes). He will coordinate the project. Assoc. Prof. C. Plesse is an expert in polymer and their mechanical properties and will contribute (6 mm) to the elaboration of RGO electrodes including PILs and their combination to fabricate the supercapacitors in WP3. Prof. F. Vidal (6 mm) has strong expertise in physicochemistry of polymers and will contribute in the characterization of the elaborated systems. A PhD student (36 mm) will be recruited to contribute to the elaboration of the RGO|PILs electrodes and the fabrication/testing of fiber-based supercapacitors.
• Partner 2 (Luxembourg): LIST (Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology) is a young organization, resulting from the merger of CRP-Henri Tudor and CRP-Gabriel Lippmann in 2015 and devoted to applied research. Its main role rests in the transfer of science based technologies to socio-economic partners. In this context and owing to significant investments in world-class facilities, the creation of the SUSMAT polymer group within the Materials Research and Technology Department has attracted high level researchers from all over the world, with the aim of valorizing cutting-edge polymer composites as well as innovative polymeric materials, in line with national priorities. Assoc. Prof. A. Shaplov (12 mm) brings unique experience in the areas of polyelectrolytes and ionic liquids, especially in the synthesis of anionic single ion conducting PILs with incorporated TFSI structural motifs. He will be co-PI from Luxembourgish part and will coordinate WP1 dedicated to the synthesis of new PILs and charged Si-NPs. Prof. D. Schmidt (3 mm) gained intimate knowledge on the synthesis, characterization and properties of polysiloxane nanocomposites and will contribute to the synthesis of cationic PIL via hydrosilylation reaction. Dr. P. Verge (2 mm) performs his research in polymer chemistry, focusing on networks formation based on polybenzoxazines and their rheological characterization. He will contribute to rheological and tensile studies of PILs and DIGs in WP1 and WP2, respectively. LIST’s characterization engineers will be involved in thermal and electrochemical studies of PILS. PhD student (36 +12 mm*) will be recruited to synthesize novel polyelectrolytes and charged Si-NP, study of their properties and jointly with PhDs from LPPI and IMP fabricate the solid state supercapacitors.
• Partner 3 (France): IMP (UMR CNRS 5223), Lyon University
Laboratoire Ingénierie des Matériaux Polymères (IMP) is the biggest French laboratory exclusively dedicated to polymer materials and processes. Prof. E. Drockenmuller (10 mm) is an expert in the design, characterization and application of functional, nanostructured and ion conducting polymer materials. Dr. A. Serghei (6 mm) is an expert in the electrical properties of polymer-based materials. His skills will be useful for the measurement of the electrical properties of the different polymer electrolytes that will be prepared. Prof. P. Cassagnau (4 mm) is expert in rheology and in the viscoelastic properties of polymer materials. P. Alcouffe (IE2 CNRS, 4 mm) will contribute to the morphological characterization of NPs as well as organic and hybrid ion gels by AFM, optical, scanning and transmission electron microscopies. A. Crepet (IE2 CNRS, 4 mm) is in charge of the IMP size exclusion chromatography platform and will contribute to the characterization of polycation and polyanion (co)polymers by SEC. With the recruited PhD (36 mm), they will develop and characterize dynamic ion gels and their constituting building blocks.
