Custom Syntheses

If your company has special requirements that are not met by our products, we offer professional services for product customization :

• Bibliographic survey
• Research & Development for a molecule or a synthesis route
• Development and Optimization of the Process
• Characterization of the synthesized molecule

Functionalized Surfaces

• In the field of decontamination, surface treatment by chemical way allows to functionalize materials possessing a large specific area such as mesoporous silica. The free terminal function of the coupling agent grafted to the surface is chosen to react with the contaminant element. SiKÉMIA has already performed surface functionalization of silica particles for a French Institute in the context of their research project on decontamination.
• SiKÉMIA has also developed an antibacterial coating for the health sector. The objective of the project was to protect medical devices as hip joint prosthesis from bacterial attack. The functionalization of the metal alloys has improved their bacterial resistance.
• Making the right diagnosis in the case of cancer is a crucial task, but generally, relies on invasive medical testing (biopsy). SiKÉMIA has functionalized substrates in order to immobilize cancer marker samples. The functionalized substrates have been integrated into devices for in situ medical testing.
• To enhance the performance of wet cement, a major construction company puts its trust in SiKÉMIA expertise to functionalize inorganic particles to control their wettability.

Analyses

SiKÉMIA surface functionalization process does not alter the transparency nor the appearance of the materials. Indeed, these layers are not visible with naked eye, this is why we also propose our services, to carry out a study according to your wishes. Thanks to a well-equipped technical platform we can quickly characterize :

• The chemical composition of the outermost layer, using X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS)
• The change in thermal properties of the material, using Thermal Analysis (DSC, TGA, DTA)
• The nature of grafted molecules, using ¹H, ¹⁹F, ²⁹Si, or ³¹P NMR
• The amount and type of chemicals, using Mass spectroscopy
• The Morphology, size, nature of a nanomaterial, using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM)/ Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)/ Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM)
• The specific surface area of materials, using Brunauer, Emett and Teller (BET)
• The size distribution profile of small particles in suspension, using Dynamic light scattering (DLS)
• The structure of compounds, using X-ray diffraction (XRD)
• The wettability of a surface, using Contact angle measurements
• The absorption or emission spectrum at different wavelengths, using UV-visible- Infrared spectroscopy

R&D Projects

• Watch Industry : SiKÉMIA has developed, in collaboration with a major Swiss watch company, a new epilame product. For the watch company, the epilame process limits the oil creeping in watch movement.Our new epilame product avoids the use of fluorinated solvents and resists to the washing conditions of watch industry.
• Cosmetic Industry : Silkéo is a research project of SiKÉMIA dedicated to the surface functionalization of pigments. Our surface treatments and other services fill the needs of cosmetics companies, whatever their size. The Silkéo surface treatment provides new properties to sublime formulation thanks to pigments performance.


• Public Funded Projects :
• MetRecycle

The main objective of the MetRecycle project work will be therefore oriented to design different pre-treatment steps, in order to improve REE’s dissolution rates in the aqueous phase, followed by specific and selective recovery of different REE’s by using novel adsorbent nanomaterials containing precisely selected functional ligands according to Pearson`s HSAB theory (-SH, -NH2, –P=O, -COOH, etc.), which will have a high tendency to remove REE’s metal ions (Neodymium, Europium, Terbium, Dysprosium, Yttrium). In this project, SiKÉMIA design and synthesizes coupling agents for surface functionalization of nanoparticles. The dedicated website is cooming soon...

• PROMIS

The aim of the « Initial Training Network » PROMIS is to train young researcher in the field of photonics.
The domains of investigation are 4 very promising photonic sectors : semiconductors based plasmonics, nanostructured semiconductors, hydrogenated semiconductors and metamorphism structures. Visit the dedicated website www.physics.lancs.ac.uk/promis/

• EIROS

The EIROS project will develop self-renewing, erosion resistant and anti-icing composite materials for use in extreme environments (high erosion and very low temperature). Potential end user applications are numerous and the initial focus will be on wind turbine blades, aerospace leading edges and cryogenic storage tanks for space applications. Visit the dedicated website www.eirosproject.com

• H-CCAT

The H-CCAT project devises solid hybrid materials that are superior catalysts for C-H activation on aromatic compounds, and develops innovative procedures to produce and shape these catalytic materials in an economically and environmentally beneficial way. The catalysts will allow sustainable production of pharmaceutically relevant compounds or other specialty chemicals. Visit the dedicated website www.h-ccat.eu