Application and partnerships

The research conducted by the teams of the LabEx LIO contributes to the advancement of our society in diverse fields: health, climatology, pollution treatment, safety. Additionally, cooperation with the industrial sector supports innovation and the economic development of partner companies.

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The teams at LIO work with companies on scientific research or technological development projects. These collaborations can take different forms, ranging from simple services to long-term partnerships, which are a source of mutual development and generate economic, technological and scientific value.

This is precisely the case with Winlight System, who worked closely with our researchers and engineers for several years in manufacturing the high-performance optics for the MUSE spectrograph (Very Large Telescope, Chile). Similarly, our teams also provided services to Winlight System, making anti-reflection coatings on high-curvature lenses. This long-lasting cooperation has helped the company to develop its know-how and establish its development.

Collaborations are also established on targeted R&D projects in the fields of health, the environment or the development of innovative materials.

Finally, our teams also undertake analyses and counter-expertise for companies wishing to verify or reinforce their results.


Plateforms : IADC  |  Integration Equipment  |  TIMS - MC-ICPMS  |  URAMAN

A scientific study conducted by geochemists at LGL-TPE and oncologists at INSERM on the isotopic fractionation of copper in certain cancer processes has shown that copper isotopes in blood are excellent biomarkers for monitoring the development of certain cancers. This research resulted in a patented technique and the creation of the start-up company Delta Biomarkers.
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Since 1st of January 2016, the start-up Delta-Biomarkers, led by Amélie Pastorek, has been hosted at ENS Lyon. Delta-Biomarkers specialises in the high-precision isotopic analysis of metallic elements such as copper, zinc, iron or strontium. Its core business is to master the chemical preparation and analysis of these metals for their application in the fields of human and veterinary medicine, tracing or geochemistry in the broad sense.

Plateforms : TIMS - MC-ICPMS

Organic inspired ceramics

A collaboration with the LSFC, UMR CNRS/Saint-Gobain, has enabled the development of crack-resistant ceramics inspired in particular by the lamellar structure of (abalone) nacre (a bio-inspired material). This artificial mother-of-pearl, which is 10 times more tenacious than a conventional ceramic composed of alumina, could find numerous applications in industry and make it possible to lighten or reduce the size of ceramic elements in engines or energy production devices.
 

Hip replacements - ZTA Composite

ZTA composites, formed from a zirconia-reinforced aluminium matrix, are optimised to offer the best possible combination of hardness, chemical stability, durability and mechanical stability. Using our Raman micro-spectroscopy platform, a doctoral project has made it possible to characterise the wear of these ceramics used in hip prostheses and improve their durability. This work contributes to responding to societal issues related to the extension of life expectancy by offering the possibility of more durable prostheses.
 

Lubrication additives

The URAMAN platform teams participated in a research project on lubrication additives with the aim of obtaining low coefficients of friction in lubricated contacts under severe lubrication conditions (MoST 2016 project - Molybdenum Sulfide Tribology). This work opens up avenues for achieving higher engine efficiency and contributes to meeting important industrial challenges in the context of necessary energy savings.

Plateforms : URAMAN

Certain research requires specialized expertise, which our teams can provide. This is why they are called upon to carry out analyses for the courts or to trace pollution.

In a collaboration with the company Enoveo, researchers from the TIMS - MC-ICPMS platform were involved in a study to trace chromium pollution. This element - carcinogenic when present in water - is still used in the manufacturing of leather in India. Mass spectrometry was used to study the behaviour of various chromium isotopes, with the aim of reconstructing the path taken and the transformations undergone to arrive at a dissolved form, and to identify solutions for curbing this type of pollution.

The teams at our Raman micro-spectroscopy platform are regularly consulted to carry out the analyses required for investigations within the framework of legal proceedings.
 
Plateforms : TIMS - MC-ICPMS  |  URAMAN