Focus on...

Corroded pipes
Fundamental Research
News 04 July 2024

Understanding and improving the protection of carbon steels in aqueous environments containing CO2

Carbon steel, construction material that is widely used in industry, can come into contact with an aggressive environment, such as aqueous environments that have been acidified by the presence of CO2, leading to corrosion-induced deterioration. In order to gain a better understanding and improve the protection of carbon steels in environments of this type, corrosion teams from IFPEN, INSA-Lyon’s Mateis Laboratory and the University of Leeds’ Institute of Functional Surfaces (IFS) have pooled their expertise to conduct joint research.

H2
Fundamental Research
News 22 September 2023

PEM Electrolysis for hydrogen production from water: is platinum strictly required ?

Dihydrogen H2 has a bright future ahead in the drive for energy transition. However, it is seldom found in its natural state on Earth. Water electrolysis can produce carbon-free dihydrogen, provided that the electricity used is carbon-free. As part of the MoSHy project, which brings together three research laboratories including IFPEN, several methodologies are being developed, which combine experimentation and molecular modeling, in order to identifyhigh-performance electrocatalysts that are also frugal in terms of scarce resources. A promising avenue that has captured the attention of researchers is the use of molybdenum sulfide (MoS2)-based active phases in PEM (Proton Exchange Membrane) electrocatalysts, which also opens up a possible conversion solution for these major ingredients in refining catalysts.

Issue 53 of Science@ifpen
News in brief

Digital porous materials: from the virtual to very real interest!
While macroscopic models combined with experimental analysis of porosity are well established for geometrically simple pores, hierarchized and disordered microstructures defy existing frameworks and call into question conventional interpretations. We proposed a digital framework to help overcome this challenge, taking into account morphology, connectivity and pore size distribution...
Individual page

Etienne GIRARD

Research scientist in Catalysis / R&I Project manager
Following an engineering degree obtained from Chimie ParisTech (2008), I completed my research career with an academic thesis at the University of Toulouse (obtained in 2012), on the design and
Issue 51 of Science@ifpen
News in brief

SC3 - Simulation of the adsorption/transport combination via a generalized lattice-boltzmann approach
Transport of molecules within porous structures that adsorb on the surfaces plays an important role in numerous contexts and very different applications. These include pollutant transport in soils, industrial catalytic conversion and purification processes, and chromatographic techniques...
Individual page

Malika BOUALLEG

Project manager, Research Engineer in Heterogeneous Catalysis
Malika Boualleg joined IFP New Energy after a thesis in synthesis of materials and heterogeneous catalysis (CP2M, ex-LCOMS 2006-2009), during which she developed new syntheses of mesostructured
Photocatalysis, a lighted pathway for CO2 conversion
News in brief

Photocatalysis, a lighted pathway for CO2 conversion
Although the climate crisis makes the reduction of CO2 emissions a matter of urgency, some industries will have difficulty in avoiding them, such as cement plants (where the core process is currently based on the calcination of CaCO3) or refineries, which are currently highly energy-intensive. Hence the huge potential interest in procedures that could capture the CO2 released directly from the plant (...) then recover it at a fraction of the energy cost...
The premature ageing of oxygen carrier materials: a challenge for CLC
News in brief

The premature ageing of oxygen carrier materials: a challenge for CLC
The increase in the level of atmoshpheric CO2 and the resulting climate change are a global concern. Despite this, the use of fossil fuels continues to grow, in response to high energy demand. Combined with storage and CO2 conversion solutions, Chemical Looping Combustion processes (CLC) offer a medium-term solution to reducing the impact of energy production from fossil fuels, or even biomass...
Issue 45 of Science@ifpen
News in brief

Numerical design based on the analysis of multi-scale porous material microstructures
The design of high-quality porous materials is a major challenge for the energy efficiency of industrial processes in the fields of catalysis and biocatalysis and separation and purification operations. For such applications, these materials derive their properties of interest from their specific microstructure, incorporating a large quantity of empty spaces that are organized and connected on a nanometric scale. IFPEN and Saint Gobain Research Provence (SGRP) joined forces to acquire a tool that will ultimately facilitate the development of porous materials optimized for given usages.
Individual page

Pascal RAYBAUD

Scientific Assistant Director
Researcher in Molecular Modeling applied to Catalysis
___________________ Open PhD Position in Computational Catalysis for Circular Economy (October 2025 - September 2028) : Molecular s imulations of the mechanisms involved in the recycling of
Individual page

Antoine FECANT

Head of Department
Antoine Fécant holds an engineering degree from the Ecole Normale Supérieure de Chimie de Lille (2004) and a DEA (Master degree) from the University of Lille I the same year. He then obtained a PhD
Individual page

Maira ALVES FORTUNATO

Researcher in Complex Fluids / Ph.D. in Chemistry
_ Maira completed her Ph.D. thesis at the Institute for Research on Catalysis and the Environment of the University Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (CNRS) and Saint-Gobain Provence Research on the catalytic