Materials & Nanophases Group: Structures, Characterization, Formulation, Applications and Recycling Processes

Visible light diffracted by different lamellar periods of colloidal suspension of H3Sb3P2O14 in water (shortest => Blue; longest => red)
© JCP Gabriel, CEA.

Research

The group's current fields of interest are the following:

Nanomaterials: In our laboratory, we synthesize and characterize low dimensionality materials (0, 1 and 2D), by all means necessary and available. These materials can often be exfoliated/dispersed in solution leading to some complex/colloidal fluids, exhibiting a very wide range of fascinating behaviors. In 2001, we discovered the first lamellar phase based on extended 2D nanosheets, and further confirmed it recently.

Waste recycling: we are developing tools and processes for impoving various wastes recycling to enable more economically viable waste processing. Our efforts in this field started in 2013 and focussed at the time on an integrated microfluidic lab-on-chip that enables much faster exploration of multidimensional phase diagrams of complex fluids. Such lab-on-chip devices integrate various sensors as well as characterizations methods (such as FTIR in hollow waveguides, or X-ray fluorescence). This work was first funded, from 2013 util 2018, by the advanced ERC project REE-CYCLE (PI = Prof. Thomas Zemb) that aims at developing new rare earth extraction/recycling processes, at least 10 times more efficient that current liquid-liquid extraction processes, where JCG served as acting co-PI. Since then, thanks to: (i) the NEA endowment to the joint CEA / NTU laboratory SCARCE (phase 1 2018-2023 and phase 2: 2023-2028); (ii) in 2023 funding from the French PEPR Recyclage program, and; (iii) industrial contracts, we are further developping the microfluidic platform as well as expanding our effort to other process steps in the recycling of e-waste (PCBs, plastics from e-wastes), such has:
1. PCBs dismantling and associated electronic component sorting;
2. Physical method based purification;
3. Critical metals recovery and purification;
4. Liquid-liquid and Solid-liquid hydrometallurgical recovery processes step development;
5. Use of supercritical fluid as a green solvent for e-waste recycling.
Integration:

Thanks to the awarded ANR Project 4WATER (2018): we are elaborating new and cheap multi-target chemical sensor arrays for the continuous monitoring of groundwater quality. Using a microelectronic approach, the sensors will be based on functionalized nanomaterials and that will target various ions selected for their relevance as regards the quality of fresh water.
Thanks to the awarded ANR Project 2D-MEMBA (2021): we integrate nanomaterials for the making of less power-hungry membranes for the purification of water

Group members in both CEA and NTU:

Leader: Dr. HDR. Jean-Christophe P. Gabriel, Invited Professor @ NTUPostdocs,

Permanent Researcher:

Dr. Guillame Zante: since 11/2023;

Research Fellows or Senior Research fellow:

Dr. Xia Dong (NTU), RF (2018-2023); SRF since 08/2023;
Dr. Han Bo (NTU), RF since 2021;
Dr. Pallab Das (NTU), RF with SCARCE since 2021, in the group since 09/2023;
Dr. Koh Kok Yuen (NTU), RF since 09/2023;

PhD students:

Thibault Rosier (12/2023-11/2026): "Recyclage de métaux critiques perdus et issus de cartes de circuits imprimés usagés." Thèse CIFRE avec ECOLOGIC France;
Gwénael Dupuis (11/2023-10/2026): "Microfluidic development for the analytical study of biohydrometalurgy processes for the recycling of critical metals ;
Sarah Chevrier (2021-02/2024): "New membranes based on 2D materials";
Nicolas Charpentier (2023-01/2024): "Recyclage de déchets électroniques : tri et réutilisation";

Research Assistant (NTU):

Colin Locoge (NTU): since 08/2023;
Théophile Dassonneville (NTU): since 08/2023;

V.I.A. CEA:

Estelle Brière (NTU): 06/2023 - 05/2024;

Interns: Looking for some, see below

Carmen Lee, since 08/2023;

Job openings (tenured or not):

We are currently hiring one research fellows (postdocs) in CEA/NTU SCARCE joint laboratory in Singapore. Look Here for more details and to apply (N.B. due to visa restrictions, local applicants are strongly encouraged).

There are currently two open positions for PhD candidates, one on the development of new membrane for water purification and selective separation of metals (Chemist profile seeked), the other on critical metal recovery from advanced sorting (Instrumental development engineer seeked).

NIMBE being a joint unit with CNRS, the group can be host of CNRS permanent/tenured researchers (commission 14 or 15 in the case of this group), either by mobility or cia the yearly contest: see here for more details. Current deadline for applicant to the 2024 contest is end of december 2023.

NB: There are also yearly funding opportunities for French University Professors to spend a sabbatical in the group. Feel free to contact JC Gabriel.

Former group members (Since 2013):

Visiting Scientists and Professors

Prof. Ing. Andrea Miškufová , Ph.D., 05-06/2023

Postdocs or Research Fellows:

Dr. Jayaraman Yamuna (NTU), 2021-04/2023
Dr. Mya Mya Khin (NTU), 2021-02/2023, now in NUS Singapore.
Dr. Tien Hoa Nguyen (NTU), 2020 - 08/2022, Now in NTU Prof. Hu Xiao's group
Dr. Ange A. Maurice (2018-2021) Now at Department of Thermal and Fluids Engineering, Madrid University Carlos III
Dr. Varun Rai (2020-2021) now researcher at NUS Singapore
Dr. Daobin Liu (2020-2021) now JSPS Postdoc Fellow (Institute of Solid State Physics)
Dr. Junhua Xu (2020-2021) now Ass. Prof at Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Dr. Fang Wei (2019-2020): now Ass. Professor, School of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, Ningbo University, China
Dr Johannes Theisen (2014-2018), now R&D system manager with Biomérieux.

PhD Students

Dr. Yuemin Deng (2020-10/2023): Recycling of ewaste using Sc-CO₂; now with ECOLOGIC France
Dr. Fabien Olivier (2020-2023, joint supervision with Prof. Charles Yang Chun from NTU): "Processes development using a microfluidic platform". Now with ERAMET.
Dr. Lina Cherni (10/2019-01/2023): Exfoliation of 2D materials and their applications
Dr. Christophe Penisson (10/2015 - 09/2018), now Research Engineer at CNRS
Dr. Nawres Sridi (2010-2013), now at SAGEM

Interns

Thibault Rosier (3rd year Student at CentraleSupelec, 2023);
Paloma F. (9^th grade internship, 2023, 1 week)
Sébastien Paloc (1st year Magistère, ENS Paris Saclay)
Alexandre Stawiarski (3rd year Engineering school internship, 2021), now Engineer at Mines ParisTech
Kassandra Ojeil (3rd year Engineering school internship, 2021). Now VIE at Capgemini
Gabriel Bernard (3rd year Engineering school internship, 2017). Now at SICK Sensor Intelligence
Alistair Gabriel (9^th grade internship, 2017) Student at ISEP
Lucas Hummel (9^th grade internship, 2017)
Brice Gay (9^th grade internship, 2016)
Pan Zhou (3rd year ENSIC Engineering school internship, 2016). Now Research Engineer at EDF China, Beijing, China.
Fatima-Ezzahra Hami (3rd year ENSIC Engineering school internship, 2016), now Welding Engineer at IWE, France.
Marine Le Meur (Master Alternance, 2015-2016), now Back-End Quality Engineer at STMicroelectronique
Dr. Nicolas Gauthier (Magistère internship, 2014), now at CEA after a Ph. D. with SAFT.