Materials

We like the soft feel of a cat’s fur, but we don’t like mud, which is slimy, nearly as much. Why is this? We are told that everyone’s tastes are different. But that does not keep scientists from trying to find answers. Jenny Faucheu, a researcher at Mines Saint-Étienne, has …

Why is an old country farmhouse more pleasant in summer than a modern city building? Traditional building materials and natural stone provide old buildings with better thermal and hygrometric properties. Unfortunately, they often lack the technical characterizations they need to find their place in the construction industry. The European regional …

Producing high-quality raw materials from waste is contingent on effective sorting. Plastics from waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) are no exception. To help solve this problem, researchers at IMT Mines Alès have developed a selective automation algorithm designed for these plastics. It can be integrated in new industrial-scale sorting …

Since 2006, iXblue, a French company based in Lannion, and the Hubert Curien laboratory [1] in Saint-Étienne have partnered to develop cutting-edge fiber optics. This long partnership has established iXblue as a global reference in the use of fiber optics in harsh environments. The scientific and technological advances have enabled …

A team of researchers at IMT Atlantique is developing a new type of medical scanner called XEMIS. To create the device, the team drew on their previous research in fundamental physics and the detection of dark matter, using liquid xenon technology. The first time the device was tested was using …

In partnership with IMT Atlantique, a team of researchers at IMT Lille Douai have developed a device which can measure the level of ammonia in someone’s breath. The aim of the artificial nose is to use this device to create a personalized follow-up care for patients affected by chronic kidney …

In the future, materials will not only need to be more efficient; it will also be essential that they are environmentally friendly. With this in mind, researchers from IMT Mines Alès who specialize in bio-sourced materials are working on this project.  Over the past few decades, they have been trying …

Some microorganisms can seriously damage structures made of concrete or stone, leading to billions of euros in damage. Others, on the contrary, have a positive effect as they are able to heal micro-cracks.   They are microscopic, but can cause billions of euros in damage. Microorganisms, such as bacteria, fungi …

Skin contact products, whether for medical, sanitary or cosmetic purposes, have two major drawbacks: they are neither recyclable nor biodegradable. The Polybioskin H2020 project aims to correct these aspects which are out of step with consumers’ growing environmental awareness and concerns. Launched two years ago, the Polybioskin project brings together …