Industry collaboration
Combining materials science with innovative processes
to meet the industrial challenges of today and tomorrow. Our teams are pushing the boundaries from atomic characterisation to the design of sustainable materials, reinventing engineering for future generations.
A collaborative technical ecosystem
open to industrial and academic partners. Through its numerous partnerships and services, the LSPM has built a dynamic innovation network. The laboratory’s platforms enable us to accelerate cutting-edge collaboration driven by our expertise.
Interdisciplinary approach
enabling the design of bespoke technological solutions. The LSPM draws on cross-disciplinary expertise in plasma physics, materials mechanics and process chemistry to develop materials with exceptional properties and innovative plasma processes.
Environment and Sustainable Materials: Addressing the Challenges of the Energy Transition
The LSPM develops innovative solutions to support the energy transition and industrial decontamination, combining experimental characterisation, predictive modelling and industrial prototyping. Our work focuses on three main areas: hydrogen storage, biomass utilisation and plasma-based decontamination, with an integrated approach aimed at optimising process efficiency whilst reducing their environmental footprint.
Our state-of-the-art tools include diamond anvil cells and thermomechanical simulators (such as the Gleeble 3500) to study material behaviour under high pressure and high temperature, as well as fast pyrolysis reactors and chromatographs coupled with mass spectrometry for biomass conversion. We also use cold plasmas and microplasmas for the degradation of VOCs and PFAS, as well as for the synthesis of nanoparticles.
Industrial applications: Our solutions have direct applications in key sectors such as green energy (hydrogen, biofuels), environmental remediation (effluent treatment, materials recycling) and nanotechnologies. For example, the LSPM is involved in the ITER project, where it is developing modelling tools to understand tritium diffusion in first-wall materials and their resistance under extreme conditions. We are also working on rechargeable zinc-ion batteries, a safe and strategic alternative to lithium batteries, using innovative plasma processes.
Disruptive Innovations and Advanced Materials for Industry 4.0
The LSPM is at the forefront of research into advanced materials and disruptive processes, developing high-entropy alloys (HEAs), functional coatings and engineered structures. Our teams combine experimental and numerical approaches to explore the mechanical, thermal and functional properties of these materials, paving the way for applications in the aerospace, biomedical and energy sectors.
Our technological platforms include MPACVD reactors for the synthesis of graphene, diamond and hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN), as well as high-temperature furnaces and physical vapour deposition (PVD) systems for high-entropy alloys and functional coatings. Finally, our plasma processes (microwave reactors, micro-discharges) enable the deposition of thin films and the synthesis of nanoparticles, whilst our multi-physics simulations (fluid-thermodynamic coupling, modelling of plasma-surface interactions) optimise these processes for scalable industrialisation.
Industrial applications: Our innovations are directly transferable to industry, as evidenced by our concrete partnerships. For example, the LabCom OPTIMAA, established in 2024 with Z3DLAB, aims to develop innovative metallic materials for additive manufacturing, with applications in the biomedical and aerospace sectors. The LSPM has also been involved in the creation of the start-up HiQuTte Diamond, which produces diamonds for applications in quantum technology and power electronics via a CVD growth process developed at the LSPM.
Multiscale Characterisation and Behavioural Modelling: Towards Predictive Optimisation
The LSPM excels in the multi-scale analysis of materials, from the atomic to the macroscopic level, using advanced characterisation tools (X-ray diffraction, microscopy, in situ testing) and multi-scale modelling methods. These approaches enable us to understand the mechanisms of deformation, fracture and damage, and to optimise material properties for demanding applications.
Our equipment includes high-resolution X-ray diffractometers for the analysis of residual stresses and crystallographic textures, as well as electron microscopes (SEM, TEM) equipped with EBSD and EDX systems for microstructural analysis. The LaSPM platform (picosecond laser and associated cameras) enables the analysis of plasma-surface interactions and ultrafast phenomena. We also use mechanical testing machines (tensile, compressive, fatigue) under extreme conditions (temperature, pressure, hydrogen), as well as image correlation systems and finite element models to analyse deformation and fracture. Finally, our multi-physics modelling (dislocation dynamics, mechanical behaviour, diffusion of gases such as hydrogen, micromagnetism) provides a detailed understanding of materials, which is essential for optimising their performance and durability.
Industrial applications: Our work enables manufacturers to improve the reliability and durability of their components, even in extreme environments. For example, our studies on hydrogen diffusion in materials are crucial for the energy and transport sectors, where resistance to hydrogen embrittlement is a major challenge. We also collaborate with industry partners to develop smart materials and functional coatings tailored to today’s technological challenges.