Projects Funded in 2025

Bio-based DMSP additives for the decarbonation of building materials

DMSPdecarb

UdeS Dissertation
Principal Investigator: Jérôme Claverie (Faculty of Sciences, UdeS)
Co-Principal Investigator: Jean-Baptiste d'Espinose de Lacaillerie (SIMM ESPCI - UMR 7615, CNRS)
Doctoral Candidate: Pierre-Luc Vallières (Faculty of Sciences, UdeS)

CNRS Dissertation
Principal Investigator: Jean-Baptiste d'Espinose de Lacaillerie (SIMM ESPCI - UMR 7615, CNRS)  
Co-Principal Investigator: Jérôme Claverie (Faculty of Sciences, UdeS)
Ph.D. Candidate: Mathilde Robert (Sorbonne University and SIMM ESPCI - UMR 7615, CNRS)

The project “Bio-based DMSP Additives for the Decarbonation of Construction Materials (DMSPdecarb)” aims to develop new bio-based cationic dispersants for use in cements and earthen construction materials, in order to significantly reduce the carbon footprint of infrastructure. Building on dimethylsulfopropionate (DMSP), a compound that is abundant and naturally present in the sulfur cycle, the project proposes the innovative synthesis of bio-based cationic surfactants, polymers, and latexes capable of ensuring effective dispersion of clays and cementitious additives such as metakaolin, while limiting flocculation and negative effects on mechanical properties. The research program combines polymer chemistry, interfacial physicochemistry, and cementitious materials science to understand adsorption and dispersion mechanisms at the molecular scale and to evaluate their effects at the macroscopic scale of the materials. By promoting the partial replacement of Portland cement and improving the performance of earthen materials, the project aims to make a concrete contribution to the decarbonization of the construction sector, while adhering to a green chemistry and life-cycle analysis approach.

Thematic Area: Sustainable Chemistry and Circularity of Materials - Responsible, Low-Carbon Materials for Sustainable Construction

Eco-Design of Binders and Recycled Materials for Li-ion Batteries

ECO-LIB

UdeS Dissertation
Principal Investigator: Marie-Luc Arpin (School of Management, UdeS)
Co-Principal Investigator: Guillaume Junqua (IMT Mines Alès, Hydrosciences Montpellier - UMR 5151, CNRS)
Doctoral Student: Nauman Shafiq Qureshi (Faculty of Engineering, UdeS)

CNRS Dissertation
Principal Investigator: Laure Monconduit (Charles Gerhardt Institute of Montpellier - UMR 5253, CNRS)
Co-Principal Investigator: Abderraouf Boucherif (Faculty of Engineering, UdeS) 
Ph.D. Candidate: Noé Bouilhaguet (University of Montpellier and Charles Gerhardt Institute of Montpellier - UMR 5253, CNRS)

The “Eco-design of Binders and Recycled Materials for Li-ion Batteries (ECO-LIB)” project aims to develop more sustainable, high-performance, and economically viable lithium-ion batteries by incorporating recycled materials and bio-based binders, in line with the principles of the circular economy and the energy transition. It proposes replacing critical, high-emission materials with silicon from end-of-life photovoltaic panels, recycled germanium from microelectronics waste, and lignin sulfonate-based binders from the paper industry, in anticipation of future restrictions on fluorinated polymers. The project combines the design and characterization of new Li-ion electrodes based on recycled materials with a life-cycle analysis that integrates environmental, economic, geopolitical, and water availability factors in France and Quebec. By bringing together materials science, micro- and nanotechnologies, sustainable chemistry, and the social sciences, ECO-LIB aims to demonstrate the technological feasibility and socio-environmental relevance of new eco-designed battery supply chains, while shedding light on the conditions for their adoption by industrial and regional stakeholders.

Thematic Areas: Responsible innovation, transitions, and biodiversity | Micro- and nanotechnologies | Sustainable chemistry and material circularity - Responsible, low-carbon materials for sustainable construction

Evaluating Aluminum Energy: Performance and Circularity, from Electrons to the Aluminum-Air Battery

EvAlNRJ

UdeS Dissertation
Principal Advisor: Allison Wustrow (Faculty of Sciences, UdeS)
Co-Advisor: Laurent Guillet (Laboratory of Information, Communication, and Knowledge Sciences and Technologies—UMR 6285, CNRS)
Doctoral Candidate: Marc-Olivier Gosselin (Faculty of Sciences, UdeS)

CNRS Thesis
Principal Investigator: Philippe Mandin (IRDL Mechanical Systems Laboratory - UMR 6027, CNRS)
Co-Principal Investigator: Martin Désilets (Faculty of Engineering, UdeS) 
Doctoral Student: Harouna Thiam (University of South Brittany and IRDL Mechanical Systems Laboratory - UMR 6027, CNRS)

The project “Evaluating Aluminum Energy: Performance and Circularity, from Electrons to the Aluminum-Air Battery (EvAlNRJ)” aims to explore aluminum as an alternative energy carrier for energy storage and conversion with a view toward carbon-free mobility. It combines quantum chemistry, electrochemistry, aluminum-air cell prototyping, and technical-economic and societal analyses to identify the best aluminum alloys, optimize anode performance, and design cell prototypes ranging from analytical scale to full-scale devices. The project also focuses on the complete circularity of aluminum, from its electrolytic production to the recovery and reuse of the aluminum hydroxide generated during battery operation, while incorporating considerations of recyclability, societal acceptability, and sustainability. Drawing on the abundance of aluminum, the industrial maturity of its supply chain, and the absence of critical metals, EvAlNRJ aims to rigorously evaluate the potential of aluminum-air batteries compared to lithium-ion and hydrogen batteries as energy solutions for the energy transition.

Thematic Areas: Sustainable Chemistry and Circularity of Materials – Responsible, Low-Carbon Materials for Sustainable Construction | Quantum Sciences and Technologies

Automated Sensors for Environmental Monitoring in Arctic Regions

CAMERA

UdeS Dissertation
Principal Advisor: Paul Charette (Faculty of Engineering, UdeS) 
Co-Advisor: Joël Charrier (Foton Institute—Photonics Systems - UMR 6082, CNRS)

CNRS Dissertation
Principal Investigator: Alexandra Langlais (IODE | Institut de l’Ouest: Law and Europe – UMR 6262, CNRS) 
Co-advisor: Céline Verchère (Faculty of Engineering, UdeS)

The “Automated Sensors for Environmental Monitoring of Arctic Regions (CAMERA)” project aims to develop and deploy miniaturized optical sensors operating in the mid-infrared (MIR) spectrum to detect and quantify in situ climate-active gases (notably CO₂, CH₄, N₂O, DMS) and other molecules associated with environmental disturbances in the Arctic. The project combines, on the one hand, the development of advanced integrated optics and on-chip infrared spectroscopy technologies (micro- and nanotechnology track, CNRS, LN2/3iT) and, on the other hand, their field validation in northern environments subject to permafrost thaw, in close collaboration with the Inuit community of Cambridge Bay (Nunavut). By combining technological innovation, environmental sciences, and responsible innovation, CAMERA aims to provide robust, compact tools with high spatio-temporal resolution to better understand, monitor, and anticipate the rapid transformations of Arctic ecosystems in the context of accelerating climate change.

Thematic Areas: Responsible Innovation, Transitions, and Biodiversity | Micro- and Nanotechnologies

Toward Faster Adoption of Low-Carbon Concrete Made from Activated Local Clays

UdeS Thesis
Principal Investigator: William Wilson (Faculty of Engineering, UdeS) 
Co-Principal Investigator: Dimitri Deneele (Jean Rouxel Institute of Materials in Nantes—UMR 6502, CNRS)

The project “Toward Accelerated Adoption of Low-Carbon Concretes Based on Activated Local Clays” aims to overcome major scientific and technological barriers to the decarbonization of the cement and concrete sector, which is responsible for a significant portion of global CO₂ emissions. The thesis focuses on developing alternative methods for activating local clays (smectites and illites) to maximize their reactivity and improve the fresh-state properties of low-carbon concretes. By combining thermal, mechanochemical, and microwave activation approaches, this thesis aims to reduce dependence on kaolinite, limit the use of fossil fuels, and overcome the workability issues associated with activated clays. Based on a methodology that integrates fundamental characterization, testing in cementitious systems, and implementation at the concrete scale, this research aims to accelerate the industrial integration of these materials and make a concrete contribution to the adoption of low-carbon solutions in sustainable construction.

Thematic Areas: Responsible Innovation, Transitions, and Biodiversity | Sustainable Chemistry and Circularity of Materials – Responsible, Low-Carbon Materials for Sustainable Construction