Institut Charles Sadron
Encyclopedia
The Institut Charles Sadron (ICS) is a research center of the CNRS (National Centre of Scientific Research), associated with the University of Strasbourg
, which was created in 1954 to answer the demand for fundamental research in the emerging field of polymer
science.
(1902–1993), the CNRS grounded the Centre d'Etude de Physique Macromoléculaire (CEPM, Centre for Study of Macromolecular Physics). This multidisciplinary center including physicists, chemists and biologists, was dedicated to research in the field of macromolecular science
.
In 1954, the Centre de Recherche sur les Macromolécules (CRM, Centre for Macromolecular research) derived from CEPM was created and became the first individual CNRS research unit to be installed in a provincial city. Charles Sadron
was appointed director until his departure for Orléans
in 1967. His successor, Professor Henri Benoît led the CRM until 1978.
During the 1970s, after the departure of the biologists, the CRM developed two major topics of research: the study of the solid state of macromolecules and the study of their structure and behavior in solution. The last axis was enhanced by the development of light
and neutron
scattering
and a strong collaboration with Pierre-Gilles de Gennes (collège de France
), Paris
) and the research institut at Saclay
.
In 1985, integrating the research laboratories of the Ecole d'Application des Hauts Polymères (EAHP, School of Application of High polymers), the CRM became the Institut Charles sadron (ICS). The objective was to bring fundamental and applied research
closer.
In 2008, the ICS moved to the Campus of Cronenbourg in order to facilitate collaborations with the Pôle Matériaux Alsace
.
The successive directors were C. Wippler, G. Weill, G. Maret, J.C Wittmann and J.-F. Legrand.
, physics
and material
sciences. In 2011, it was composed of about:
The research activity covers the fields of polymer chemistry
, supramolecular engineering
, physico-chemistry of materials and soft matter
physic. The three main research axes concern: polyelectrolytes, polymers at the interfaces and self-assembly
systems.
Polyelectrolytes are water-soluble natural or synthetic ionic
polymers used in pharmacology
, biology
, cosmetics
etc. In many of the applications, polyelectrolytes are in contact with compounds possessing opposite charges and the complexity introduced in this mixture requires theoretical and experimental studies on model-compounds whatever the system used: polyelectrolyte complexes in solution or alternated multilayer of polyanions and polycations (LbL, Layer by layer
).
In many situations of surface
chemistry
or physics
, grafted polymer
chains are adsorbed or confined in thin films. Conformation and dynanmic of macromolecules on surfaces are different from those observed in solution. This results in differences in physico-chemical and mechanical or structuration properties, which are still not perfectly understood and necessitate theoretical investigations and the use of simulation
programs to complete the experimental observations.
They are due to molecular organization phenomena which result from the association and the reversible
and spontaneous structuration of molecular or macromolecular species into entities with higher complexity. Nature is full of examples of complex systems governed by supramolecular chemistry principles. Despite their complexity, biological systems are an important source of inspiration for the development of new self-assemebly systems. This approach needs converging efforts in organic synthesis and physico-chemistry in order to understand the thermodynamic and kinetic phenomena which allow self-assembly
and self-organization of functional systems.
A fourth transverse axe is dedicated to theoretical studies and simulation
of polymers.
Some members of the institut Charles Sadron were awarded for their research.
Professor Henri Benoît and doctor André Kovacs received the Physics Polymer Prize from the American Physical Society
in 1978 and 1986 respectively.
In 1990, doctor Jean-Miche Guénet received the Dillon medal from the same scientific society, for his research on polymer chains conformation in semi-crystalline polymers and his contribution to the understanding of the nature of gel state.
Professor Gero Decher received the Emilia Valori Prize 2009 attributed by the French Sciences Academie (Académie des sciences) and the prize Rhodia
2010, for his research on the layer by layer
technique.
Moreover, doctor Martin Brinkmann, obtained the prize GFP/SFP 2010, attributed by the French Polymer Society (GFP, Groupe Français d'études et d'applications des Polymères) and the French Physical Society ( SFP, Société Française de Physique), for his work on conjugated polymers.
Two other researchers, Professor Nicolas Giuseppone and doctor Jean-François Lutz were laureates of the ERC
Strating Grant 2010, attributed by the European research Council.
University of Strasbourg
The University of Strasbourg in Strasbourg, Alsace, France, is the largest university in France, with about 43,000 students and over 4,000 researchers....
, which was created in 1954 to answer the demand for fundamental research in the emerging field of polymer
Polymer
A polymer is a large molecule composed of repeating structural units. These subunits are typically connected by covalent chemical bonds...
science.
History
In 1947, following the initiative of Charles SadronCharles Sadron
Charles Sadron , is a French physicist specialized in the study of biological macromolecules.- Biography :Charles Sadron was professor at the university of Strasbourg...
(1902–1993), the CNRS grounded the Centre d'Etude de Physique Macromoléculaire (CEPM, Centre for Study of Macromolecular Physics). This multidisciplinary center including physicists, chemists and biologists, was dedicated to research in the field of macromolecular science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
.
In 1954, the Centre de Recherche sur les Macromolécules (CRM, Centre for Macromolecular research) derived from CEPM was created and became the first individual CNRS research unit to be installed in a provincial city. Charles Sadron
Charles Sadron
Charles Sadron , is a French physicist specialized in the study of biological macromolecules.- Biography :Charles Sadron was professor at the university of Strasbourg...
was appointed director until his departure for Orléans
Orléans
-Prehistory and Roman:Cenabum was a Gallic stronghold, one of the principal towns of the Carnutes tribe where the Druids held their annual assembly. It was conquered and destroyed by Julius Caesar in 52 BC, then rebuilt under the Roman Empire...
in 1967. His successor, Professor Henri Benoît led the CRM until 1978.
During the 1970s, after the departure of the biologists, the CRM developed two major topics of research: the study of the solid state of macromolecules and the study of their structure and behavior in solution. The last axis was enhanced by the development of light
Light
Light or visible light is electromagnetic radiation that is visible to the human eye, and is responsible for the sense of sight. Visible light has wavelength in a range from about 380 nanometres to about 740 nm, with a frequency range of about 405 THz to 790 THz...
and neutron
Neutron
The neutron is a subatomic hadron particle which has the symbol or , no net electric charge and a mass slightly larger than that of a proton. With the exception of hydrogen, nuclei of atoms consist of protons and neutrons, which are therefore collectively referred to as nucleons. The number of...
scattering
Scattering
Scattering is a general physical process where some forms of radiation, such as light, sound, or moving particles, are forced to deviate from a straight trajectory by one or more localized non-uniformities in the medium through which they pass. In conventional use, this also includes deviation of...
and a strong collaboration with Pierre-Gilles de Gennes (collège de France
Collège de France
The Collège de France is a higher education and research establishment located in Paris, France, in the 5th arrondissement, or Latin Quarter, across the street from the historical campus of La Sorbonne at the intersection of Rue Saint-Jacques and Rue des Écoles...
), Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
) and the research institut at Saclay
Saclay
Saclay is a commune in the southwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.It is best known for the large scientific facility CEA Saclay, mostly dealing with nuclear and particle physics....
.
In 1985, integrating the research laboratories of the Ecole d'Application des Hauts Polymères (EAHP, School of Application of High polymers), the CRM became the Institut Charles sadron (ICS). The objective was to bring fundamental and applied research
Research
Research can be defined as the scientific search for knowledge, or as any systematic investigation, to establish novel facts, solve new or existing problems, prove new ideas, or develop new theories, usually using a scientific method...
closer.
In 2008, the ICS moved to the Campus of Cronenbourg in order to facilitate collaborations with the Pôle Matériaux Alsace
Alsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
.
The successive directors were C. Wippler, G. Weill, G. Maret, J.C Wittmann and J.-F. Legrand.
Research topics
The Institut Charles Sadron (ICS) is a multidisciplinary laboratory performing research at the interface of chemistryChemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
, physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
and material
Material
Material is anything made of matter, constituted of one or more substances. Wood, cement, hydrogen, air and water are all examples of materials. Sometimes the term "material" is used more narrowly to refer to substances or components with certain physical properties that are used as inputs to...
sciences. In 2011, it was composed of about:
- 54 Researchers, lecturers and professors,
- 44 engineers, technicians, and administrative staff,
- 70 PhDPHDPHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
students, postdoctoral researchers, research associates and students.
The research activity covers the fields of polymer chemistry
Polymer chemistry
Polymer chemistry or macromolecular chemistry is a multidisciplinary science that deals with the chemical synthesis and chemical properties of polymers or macromolecules. According to IUPAC recommendations, macromolecules refer to the individual molecular chains and are the domain of chemistry...
, supramolecular engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
, physico-chemistry of materials and soft matter
Soft matter
Soft matter is a subfield of condensed matter comprising a variety of physical states that are easily deformed by thermal stresses or thermal fluctuations. They include liquids, colloids, polymers, foams, gels, granular materials, and a number of biological materials...
physic. The three main research axes concern: polyelectrolytes, polymers at the interfaces and self-assembly
Self-assembly
Self-assembly is a term used to describe processes in which a disordered system of pre-existing components forms an organized structure or pattern as a consequence of specific, local interactions among the components themselves, without external direction...
systems.
- Polyelectrolytes
Polyelectrolytes are water-soluble natural or synthetic ionic
Ionic compound
In chemistry, an ionic compound is a chemical compound in which ions are held together in a lattice structure by ionic bonds. Usually, the positively charged portion consists of metal cations and the negatively charged portion is an anion or polyatomic ion. Ions in ionic compounds are held together...
polymers used in pharmacology
Pharmacology
Pharmacology is the branch of medicine and biology concerned with the study of drug action. More specifically, it is the study of the interactions that occur between a living organism and chemicals that affect normal or abnormal biochemical function...
, biology
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
, cosmetics
Cosmetics
Cosmetics are substances used to enhance the appearance or odor of the human body. Cosmetics include skin-care creams, lotions, powders, perfumes, lipsticks, fingernail and toe nail polish, eye and facial makeup, towelettes, permanent waves, colored contact lenses, hair colors, hair sprays and...
etc. In many of the applications, polyelectrolytes are in contact with compounds possessing opposite charges and the complexity introduced in this mixture requires theoretical and experimental studies on model-compounds whatever the system used: polyelectrolyte complexes in solution or alternated multilayer of polyanions and polycations (LbL, Layer by layer
Layer by layer
Layer-by-Layer deposition is a thin film fabrication technique. The films are formed by depositing alternating layers of oppositely charged materials with wash steps in between. A simple representation can be made by defining two oppositely charged polyions as + and -, and defining the wash step...
).
- Research teams: Macromolecular Engineering at Interfaces, Polyelectrolyte Multilayers and Nano-Organized Multimaterials, Mixed systems based on polymers.
- Polymer at interfaces
In many situations of surface
Surface
In mathematics, specifically in topology, a surface is a two-dimensional topological manifold. The most familiar examples are those that arise as the boundaries of solid objects in ordinary three-dimensional Euclidean space R3 — for example, the surface of a ball...
chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
or physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
, grafted polymer
Polymer
A polymer is a large molecule composed of repeating structural units. These subunits are typically connected by covalent chemical bonds...
chains are adsorbed or confined in thin films. Conformation and dynanmic of macromolecules on surfaces are different from those observed in solution. This results in differences in physico-chemical and mechanical or structuration properties, which are still not perfectly understood and necessitate theoretical investigations and the use of simulation
Simulation
Simulation is the imitation of some real thing available, state of affairs, or process. The act of simulating something generally entails representing certain key characteristics or behaviours of a selected physical or abstract system....
programs to complete the experimental observations.
- Research teams: Mechanics and physics of solid polymers, Physics and Biophysics of Macromolecules at interfaces, Precision Macromolecular Chemistry.
- Self-assembly systems
They are due to molecular organization phenomena which result from the association and the reversible
Reversible reaction
A reversible reaction is a chemical reaction that results in an equilibrium mixture of reactants and products. For a reaction involving two reactants and two products this can be expressed symbolically as...
and spontaneous structuration of molecular or macromolecular species into entities with higher complexity. Nature is full of examples of complex systems governed by supramolecular chemistry principles. Despite their complexity, biological systems are an important source of inspiration for the development of new self-assemebly systems. This approach needs converging efforts in organic synthesis and physico-chemistry in order to understand the thermodynamic and kinetic phenomena which allow self-assembly
Self-assembly
Self-assembly is a term used to describe processes in which a disordered system of pre-existing components forms an organized structure or pattern as a consequence of specific, local interactions among the components themselves, without external direction...
and self-organization of functional systems.
- Research teams: Supramolecular Chemistry and Self-Assemblies, Membranes and microforces, Fluorinated Self-assemblies for Biomedical Applications, Organized molecular and macromolecular complex systems.
A fourth transverse axe is dedicated to theoretical studies and simulation
Simulation
Simulation is the imitation of some real thing available, state of affairs, or process. The act of simulating something generally entails representing certain key characteristics or behaviours of a selected physical or abstract system....
of polymers.
- Research team: Theory and simulation
- Awards
Some members of the institut Charles Sadron were awarded for their research.
Professor Henri Benoît and doctor André Kovacs received the Physics Polymer Prize from the American Physical Society
American Physical Society
The American Physical Society is the world's second largest organization of physicists, behind the Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft. The Society publishes more than a dozen scientific journals, including the world renowned Physical Review and Physical Review Letters, and organizes more than 20...
in 1978 and 1986 respectively.
In 1990, doctor Jean-Miche Guénet received the Dillon medal from the same scientific society, for his research on polymer chains conformation in semi-crystalline polymers and his contribution to the understanding of the nature of gel state.
Professor Gero Decher received the Emilia Valori Prize 2009 attributed by the French Sciences Academie (Académie des sciences) and the prize Rhodia
Rhodia (company)
Rhodia is a group specialized in fine chemistry, synthetic fibers and polymers. Rhodia is listed on the Paris Stock Exchange on NYSE Euronext. The company services the consumer goods, automotive, energy, manufacturing and processes and electronics markets...
2010, for his research on the layer by layer
Layer by layer
Layer-by-Layer deposition is a thin film fabrication technique. The films are formed by depositing alternating layers of oppositely charged materials with wash steps in between. A simple representation can be made by defining two oppositely charged polyions as + and -, and defining the wash step...
technique.
Moreover, doctor Martin Brinkmann, obtained the prize GFP/SFP 2010, attributed by the French Polymer Society (GFP, Groupe Français d'études et d'applications des Polymères) and the French Physical Society ( SFP, Société Française de Physique), for his work on conjugated polymers.
Two other researchers, Professor Nicolas Giuseppone and doctor Jean-François Lutz were laureates of the ERC
ERC
ERC is Northeast Ohio's largest organization providing Human Resources and workplace programs, practices, training and consulting. ERC also hosts the NorthCoast 99 program and sponsors the ERC Health insurance program. It is not uncommon for the media to quote ERC consultants in their stories when...
Strating Grant 2010, attributed by the European research Council.
Most relevant publications
- N. Giuseppone, J.-F. Lutz, Nature (2011), vol.473, pp 40–41.
- L. Tauk, A. Schröder, G., N. Giuseppone, Nature Chemistry (2009), vol.1, pp 649–656.
- D. Mertz, C. Vogt, J. Hemmerle, J. Mutterer, V. Ball, J.-C. Voegel, P. Schaaf, P. Lavalle, Nature Materials (2009), vol. 8, pp 731–735.
- J.-M. Guenet, Polymer-solvent Molecular Compounds, Elsevier Ed. 2008.
- G. Decher, Science (1997),vol. 277, pp 1232–1237.
- J.-F. Joanny, Science (1997), vol. 275, pp 1751–1752.
- A. Thess, R. Lee, P. Nikolaev, H. Dai, P. Petit, J. Robert, C. Xu, Y. H. Lee, S. G. Kim, D. T. Colbert, G. Seuseria, D. Tomanek, J. E. Fisher, R. E Smalley, Science (1996), vol. 273, pp 483–487.
- D. Danino, Y. Talmon, H. Levy, G. Beinert, R. Zana, Science (1995), vol. 269, pp 1420–1421.
- G. Widawski, M. Rawiso, B. François, Nature (1994), vol. 369, pp 387–389.
- J.-S. Higgins, H. Benoît, Polymer and neutron Scatterings, Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1994.
- J.-M. Guenet, Thermoreversible Gelation of Polymers and Biopolymers, Academic Press, 1992.
- J.-C. Wittmann, P. Smith, Nature (1991), vol. 352, pp 414–417.