Sébastien FONTANA: Carbon materials for energy and environment: textural analysis contribution

Abstract:
The work that will be presented at the occasion of the defense of my HDR aims to present my main activities. Most of my research topics are devoted to the elaboration and characterization of carbon materials. In a global context of energy transition and environmental protection, carbon materials play a major role, especially in energy conversion and storage devices (fuel cells, batteries). The element carbon can indeed self-associate in different ways and give rise to a wide variety of materials (graphite, graphene, activated carbon, etc.). It is also possible to incorporate in their structure different heteroatoms (N, S, etc.) allowing to modify their stability and their chemical reactivity. Several examples of applications developed over the last 12 years with different academic and industrial partners will be presented: elaboration of three-dimensional graphene structures, development of new supports and catalysts for proton exchange membrane fuel cell electrodes, elaboration of activated carbons derived from biomass, ... The aim is to show the interest of textural analysis by gas adsorption; the texture of these carbonaceous materials (specific surface area, pore volume, pore size distribution) plays a crucial role. The perspectives will concern both the continuation of my current research, in particular on certain barriers to be removed and will open on new horizons.

Composition of the jury:
> Reporters:
- Nathalie JOB, Professor, Université de Liège,
- Frédéric MAILLARD, Senior researcher, Grenoble INP,
- Pascaline PRE, Professor, Ecole des Mines de Nantes,
> Examiners:
- Laurent DUCLAUX, Professor, Université Savoie Mont Blanc,
- Julien PARMENTIER, Associate professor, Université de Haute Alsace,
- François LAPICQUE, Senior researcher, Université de Lorraine.
- Claire HEROLD, Senior researcher, Université de Lorraine