New (photo)initiated polymerization processes for thick, filled, reinforced materials and new coatings. – Deep CURE

An important effort will be devoted to dual-cure radical initiating systems which would allows the curing of highly thick materials. This will opens the way to the manufacturing of structural parts. This goal will naturally induced a research on dispersing and adhesion agents in order to obtain fiber-reinforced polymer through photochemical methods. With the aim to overcome the limits imposed by conventionnal acrylates and epoxides, new chemistries will be studied for the coating technology.

- 2 patents pending

Upscaling of some of the developed technologies are in progress

D. Maréchal, X. Allonas, M. Lecompère, A. Criqui ”Novel Dual-Cure Initiating System for Cationic Polymerization of Epoxides”, Macromol. Chem. Phys. Accepted
M. Retailleau, A. Ibrahim, X. Allonas « Dual-cure photochemical/thermal polymerization of acrylates: a photoassisted process at low light intensity » Polym. Chem., 5 (2014) 6503-6509
S. Shi, X. Allonas, C. Croutxé-Barghorn, A. Chemtob “Sol-Gel Process Activated by Visible Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs) for Synthesis of Inorganic Films” New J. Chem. 39 (2015) 5686-5693

This industrial chair projet is positioned within a strong partnership between MÄDER A & A group and the Laboratory of Macromolecular Photochemistry and Engineering (LPIM) at the University of Haute Alsace. From the research activities undertaken for several years, this project aims to give to the partnership a new dimension, allowing it to devote substantial resources to research referred upstream industry. It fits perfectly in the priority "Environmental Emergency and Ecotechnologies" National Strategy for Research and Innovation and meets current demands breaking technology in fields such as structure lightweighting, efficient intelligent and functional materials, fast manufacturing, assembly technologies. This project aims to ensure the durability of the collaboration and to allow the industrialization of technologies by 6-10 years.
In continuation of the agreement which joins the two partners, the both want to create an industrial chair focused on the photochemistry applied to thick filled materials and new photopolymer coatings.
Thus, far beyond a simple research collaboration between partners, the Industrial Chair has four objectives:
- Strengthen the capacity of research and industrial innovation in the LPIM over the next 6-10 years;
- Provide training to students and professionals in the prescribed fields;
- Develop the attractiveness of the competence center LPIM / MÄDER;
- Interact with other potential partners upstream and downstream produced technologies.

In this context, the Industrial Chair plays the role of scientific expertise cluster, able to bring together universities and industries around specific projects identified in the field of UV curing.

The scientific program revolves around two major fields in which the current constraints limit the scope of photopolymerization technologies. Thus, a strong investment in research in the field of radical and cationic dual-cure initiators will cure very thick materials paving the way for manufacturing structural parts. This will also induce substantive work on the compatibilization and dispersion of fillers to obtain thick and highly filled composites photochemically.
Moreover, in order to overcome the limits imposed by existing coatings, mainly based on acrylates and epoxides, new photopolymerisable coatings will be investigated. On one hand, organic / inorganic hybrid coatings, which are obtained by photosol-gel way without introducing nanoparticles, offer attractive thermomechanical and barrier properties. On the other hand, one other path of exploration consists of evaluating the potential of anionic curing for sulfur or nitrogen new resins widening the use of photopolymerization.

Finally, the training and dissemination aspect is a major hub of the Chair program, with activities to students of IUT, Master and Engineering School. The goal is to train future managers to technologies developed by LPIM / Mäder, preparing the renewal and training of executives in business. The dissemination of results will be provided initially through patents, publications, and through structures such as a specific structure to be set up for this purpose or the technology demonstrator located in LAMIE (workshop dedicated to prototypes) at the UHA.