Ever-increasing environmental awareness, enhanced by progressively stricter government regulations, is leading researchers and industrialists to develop new materials offering the opportunity, not only to satisfy the challenge for sustainable development but also to open new markets. Normandy already boasts a few innovations in the field.

Public works reverting to sediment? | New ecocompatible materials for catalysis | Linen reinforcing high performance composites | The region’s research players involved in ecomaterials

Public works reverting to sediment?
45 million square metres. That is precisely the quantity of sediment dragged from France’s ports each year. Sediment which, at present, is left totally unprocessed. Often polluted, it cannot be rejected back into sea, and on land, it is cumbersome, rendering its disposal problematic. Within the framework of its research work focusing on environmental geotechnics, the ESITC’s laboratory is looking to use these hitherto valueless sediments in new construction materials. “In partnership with the Regional Council and the Universities of Caen (ERPCB) and Brighton, we have recently submitted a project entitled SETARMS (stabilisation electrokinetic treatment and reuse of marine sediments) within the framework of the European Interreg IV programme,” announced Mohamed Boutouil, in charge of the research laboratory. The project, for which a reply is expected by the 2nd of October, “aims at characterising dredged sediment in view of its potential reuse in civil engineering applications.” The project reunites the ports of Caen-Ouistreham and Cherbourg (Ports Normands Associés - Associated Normandy Ports), the autonomous port of Le Havre and several businesses: Eurovia, Travaux Publics du Cotentin and the Vaubadon quarries. Aggregate shortage “This, as yet untapped, resource can prove to be of great interest within the worrying context of increasingly rare aggregates in rivers and quarries,” explains Mohamed Boutouil. The ESITC laboratory is precisely working on the possibility of recycling aggregates from demolished concrete, whilst guaranteeing a new concrete of equal quality, “which is not the case today”. A thesis is currently underway. “We are looking for businesses interested in our project,” indicates Mohamed Boutouil. The ball is now in their court.
Mohamed Boutouil- ESITC - 02 31 46 23 02

New ecocompatible materials for catalysis
Crucial stakes are involved in the utilisation of new catalytic reactions in the industrial field, relying on the development of new processes enabling the recycling of organometallic catalysts. An ecocompatible solution has recently been put forward by the sulphur and phosphor in catalysis, and materials teams from the LCMT (Laboratory for Molecular and Thio-organic Chemistry) - ENSICAEN, CNRS, UCBN laboratory, with the development of new catalytic materials which can be recycled ten to fifteen times. These catalytic materials, commonly referred to as « BioPSIL (BioPolymer Supported Ionic Liquid) comprise a solubilised organometallic catalyst within a fine layer of ionic liquid (new solvents consisting exclusively of organic salts), in turn absorbed by a natural biopolymer, chitosan, a by-product of shellfish carapaces. “These SILP systems,” explains Annie-Claude Gaumont, “will enable us to develop a bioresource, to produce a catalytic reaction without using a volatile solvent, to improve catalytic performance and to enable the multiple recycling of the catalytic system, hence contributing to the development of new catalytic processes for sustainable development.”

Linen reinforcing high performance composites
For nearly 2 years now, Linéo has been transforming linen fibre into the latest improvement to composite materials. And behind the scenes, the LRPMN (Research Laboratory on New Material Properties) in Alençon, has recently provided scientific endorsement for the new process. Convincing.
Could linen be the future for composite materials? Only history will tell. In the meantime, each and every day Linéo is increasingly convincing the industrial world with its innovative process involving the impregnation of linen fibres mixed with epoxy resin. Preimpregnated linen-epoxy fibres offer mechanical resistance which is at least as effective as that observed with standard fibreglass. And what’s more, it’s environment friendly. Associated with carbon fibre, the process has many potential applications. To start, a competitive bicycle frame weighing in at less than 1kg, tested and approved by the Belgian champion, Johan Museeuw, multiple winner of the Paris-Roubaix race.
A sword arm for R&D
Lightweight, capable of absorbing shock, resistant… linen has countless qualities. All of them scientifically proven. “We asked the LRPMN in Alençon to characterise our products,” explains François Vanfleteren, Linéo’s chairman. “The LRPMN calculates the resistance to stress offered by composite materials. Hence, we can provide our clients with technical information: we offer products whose mechanical properties are guaranteed.” Added value which Linéo implements to each and every one of the new applications of its initial process. Each time, knowledge of linen fabric increases and, with it, the confident relationship which has gradually been “woven” between the Alençon-based laboratory and the company located in Saint-Martin du Tilleul near Bernay (Eure). “We now plan to work on new developments with Linéo,” adds Christophe Poilane, associate professor at the LRPMN. A thesis needs to be developed between the laboratory and the company, in order to work on new material developments.” Last year, tutored projects were developed for professional degree students in “Plastics and Composite Materials”, with support from Linéo. A prototype for a 100% linen fibre skateboard is currently under study.
François Vanfleteren- Linéo - 02 32 43 13 67-
Christophe Poilâne - LRPMN - 02 33 80 85 16 -
Jun Chen - LRPMN - 02 33 80 85 16

The region’s research players involved in ecomaterials
The region’s research players involved in ecomaterials:
1-Centre National de Recherche Technologique MatériauX (National Centre for Technological Research in Materials)
2- Laboratoire de l’Ecole Supérieure d’Ingénieurs des Travaux de la Construction (Higher School of Civil Engineering laboratory)
3- Laboratoire de Morphodynamique continentale et côtière (UCBN) (M2C - Laboratoire CNRS-UCBN) (Continental and Coastal Morphodynamics Laboratory)
4- Laboratoire de Catalyse et Spectrochimique (Ensicaen) (LCS -Laboratoire CNRS-Ensicaen-UCBN) (Catalysis and Spectrochemistry Laboratory)
5- Laboratoire de Chimie Moléculaire et Thio organique (Ensicaen) (LCMT - Laboratoire CNRS-Ensicaen-UCBN) (Molecular Chemistry and Thio-Organics Laboratory)
6- Laboratoire de Cristallographie et Sciences des Matériaux (CRISMAT - Laboratoire CNRS-Ensicaen-UCBN) (Crystallography and Material Science Laboratory)
7- Physiologie et biochimie végétales (UCBN) (Plant physiology and biochemistry)
8- Physiologie et écophysiologie des mollusques marins (UCBN) (Marine mollusc physiology and ecophysiology)
9- Institut Supérieur de Plasturgie d’Alençon (ISPA) (Alençon Higher Education Institute in Plastics) 10-Laboratoire de Recherche sur les Propriétés des Matériaux Nouveaux (IUT d’Alençon) (Research Laboratory on New Material Properties).

“French chemical engineers from several CNRS-associated laboratories, including the Laboratoire de Catalyse et Spectrochimie (Catalysis and Spectrochemical laboratory) - CNRS laboratory, ENSICAEN, UCBN in Caen have recently established a world record.” The press release was published late May. “MIL-101 is the most effective material for storing CO2, the main greenhouse gas.” Several research teams have recently demonstrated that MIL-101 powder (Matériau de l’Institut Lavoisier) is currently the best material for storing CO2 at room temperature. One cubic metre is capable of storing approximately 400m3 of carbon dioxide at a temperature of 25°C against 200m3 of CO2 for the best solids currently on the market. “In 2005, the ANR’s first request for proposals on CO2 storage aimed at combating global warning received no responses. The second attempt, in 2007, generated countless proposals,” notes Jacques Léglise, regional representative for Research and Technology in Lower Normandy. Awareness of environmental issues is nothing new; however, the reinforcement of regulations to achieve the aims set by Grenelle Environment on a national scale, or via the Kyoto Protocol on a worldwide scale, has accelerated research and development in the field of what are referred to as ecomaterials: materials intended for ecological or sustainable use and derived from natural resources or recycled materials.

Regional criteria

These new materials also bring new challenges in all sectors of activity and, particularly, in the construction and public works industry, a major consumer of natural resources and energy, and renowned for its substantial production of greenhouse gas and of waste of all sorts. Within the framework of its Défi’Nergie programme, initiated in partnership with the ADEME to improve the thermal performance of existing structures, the Normandy Region fully intends to support and encourage the use of these ecomaterials. “It will imply, first and foremost, their identification,” highlights Thierry Berthaux, in charge of the Regional Council’s department for Resource Preservation and Risk Management, “and that’s precisely what we’re currently working on.” Ophélie Noquet, a Master 2 student in Environmental Expertise and Processing at Calais University is currently working on a regional definition of ecomaterials. “The second part of my training period will essentially comprise an inventory of what is currently available in Lower Normandy.”
Local initiatives will benefit from Regional support. Such is the case at the ESITC (Higher School of Civil Engineering), which is presently working on the possibility of using sediments from Normandy’s ports (16 million tonnes per year) to develop new construction materials, and on the reprocessing of concrete aggregates recovered after demolition work (see boxed article).

Linen is weaving its way into new markets

Current sustainable developments also involve the use of linen in materials.
Funded by MIRIADE (Regional Mission for Innovation and Economic Development Action), a study is currently underway to identify the possible use of linen within Lower Normandy’s competitiveness clusters. This renewable raw material, of which Normandy is the world’s leading producer, does indeed offer interesting prospects “within more profitable markets than textile alone,” highlights Jacques Léglise from the DRRT.
Teams led by Joël Bréard, from LMPG in Le Havre, and by Moussa Gomina at the CRISMAT (CNRS laboratory, Ensicaen, UCBN) in Caen, have already been working on the subject for ten years now (Connexions n°21-July 2006). Alongside the Centre National de Recherche Technologique Matériaux (National Centre for Technological Research in Materials) and in partnership with the Normandy-based companies ACOME, OCI and Dehondt Technologies, “we are looking to promote a linen industry serving the future’s transport needs.” A project to create a Caen-Le Havre campus, with Ensicaen as the key player, is hence underway.
Still on the subject of linen, Seablade, a young kite-surf manufacturer based since 2006 in Caen’s Nouveau Bassin, is also working on 100% environment friendly products involving a mixture of linen fibres and resin from rapeseed oil, linen or castor oil plants (Connexions n°28 - December 2007). The company’s partnership with the manufacturer Lamerent SA, together with the Ardèche-based producer of high technology fibres, Chomorat, could well lead to the creation of another new company in Caen. “We are expecting a merger,” reveals Franck Provost, Seablade’s consultant.
Ecolit, in Croissanville, was the first to offer a horse bedding made of 100% linen anas (Connexions n°29 - March 2008). In 1995, “I developed the brand name within what is referred to as a niche,” explains Laurence Meunier, who is also president of the horse industry competitiveness cluster. The rising demand for alternative bedding to compensate for the difficulty in finding straw, which is not only increasingly rare, but more difficult to store and often allergenic, is at the heart of the product’s success today.

Wood within plastic

In Lower Normandy, the wood industry offers a high potential for developing new materials in harmony with the environment. This is precisely how Christian Gondard, in charge of industrial relations at the ISPA (Alençon Higher Education Institute in Plastics), justifies the creation of a new course focusing on polymer woods: These supple materials composed of natural fibres and plastic offer extremely innovative possibilities, particularly in the field of furnishing (Connexions n°28 - December 2007). The initiative is supported by the CESR and has generated much interest among industrialists in the plastics and wood industries: Barrain et James Ebénistes in Manche, Arkema in Eure and Aswood, specialised in wood flours near Honfleur.
Tomorrow, ecomaterials, and on a larger scale ecodesign in general (Connexions n°28- December 2007) will enable SME’s to take the advantage over their competitors. Within these fields, the implementation of decision-making tools by the ADEME and the DRIE (Regional Directorate for Industry and the Environment) should offer businesses genuine opportunities.

Conseil Régional Basse Normandie
Thierry Berthaux
Tél. 02 31 06 96 91.

DRRT
Jacques Léglise,
Tél. 02 31 46 50 12.

ADEME :
Damien Grebot,
Tél. 02 31 46 89 62.

DRIRE :
Murielle Bougeard,

ISPA :
Christian Gondard,
Tél. 02 33 81 26 00.

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