Reactivity of divided solids and high-temperature corrosion

We study the chemical transformations of solids under the effect of heat in a given environment, generally gaseous. These transformations are of major interest in many industrial fields such as additive manufacturing processes, chemistry, the nuclear energy industry, metallurgy, cement manufacturing, mining production, aeronautics, the automotive industry, gas and energy capture and storage, etc., which gives rise to critical environmental and economic challenges.

Solids may be bulk materials or divided solids, and the chemical transformations include thermal decompositions, high-temperature corrosion reactions (oxidation, nitriding), or solid–gas reactions such as hydrofluorination, carbonation, sulfidation, etc. In all cases, our objective is to understand the elementary mechanisms and to develop predictive kinetic modelling of the reaction.

  • For bulk solids, this approach provides avenues for improvement relating to composition, processing routes, or the conditions of use of materials.
  • For divided solids, it is an essential ingredient for the design, implementation and control of reactors and industrial processes, via digital twins.
Observation of internal isotropic nucleation-and-growth during the decomposition of calcium sulfate dihydrate (gypsum) into calcium sulfate hemihydrate (Joao Preturlan PhD thesis)

Facilities

  • Thermal analysis and calorimetry (ESMAT platform): TGA, DTA, DSC, calorimetry, thermodesorption
  • Characterisation by gas adsorption, Hg porosimetry, SEM-EDX, TEM, FTIR, Raman, Auger/XPS, X-ray diffraction and tomography,
  • Modelling in heterogeneous kinetics
  • Simulation through multiscale coupling
Cross-sectional observation of a partially oxidised TA6V alloy powder (Mohamad Siblani PhD thesis)

PhD thesis

Mechanism and kinetics of the reaction between liquid sodium and the nuclear fuel of future fast neutron reactors, Concettina Andrello, 2020, coll. CEA Cadarache, JRC Karlsruhe

Zr oxidation under water vapour, Roland Zino, 2021, coll. Framatome, EDF, CEA

Study and phenomenological modelling of the conversion of uranium oxalate into oxide, Lénaïc Desfougères, 2021, coll. CEA Marcoule, ICSM

Thermo-kinetic modelling of the high-temperature oxidation of a TA6V powder, Mohamad Mahdi Siblani, 2022, coll. Polytech Montreal

Role of irradiation on the kinetics of the reaction between sodium and MOX fuel, Tristan Bossert, 2020-2023, coll. CEA Cadarache, JRC Karlsruhe

Behaviour of new aluminium alloys for additive manufacturing, Maxence Buttard, 2020-2023, coll. SIMAP, Constellium

Development of high-performance NdFeB permanent magnets by Powder Injection Moulding, Thomas Bioud, 2021-2024, coll. CEA Grenoble

Study of the kinetics and mechanisms of over-oxidation of mixed oxides (U,Pu)O2 – impact on their dissolution behaviour, Priscilla Berenguer-Besnard, 2021-2024, coll. CEA Marcoule

Academic and industrial partners

Univ. Hiroshima, Polytech Montreal, CEA, JRC Karlsruhe, CETHIL/INSA Lyon, SIMAP/Univ. Grenoble Alpes, UMET Univ. Lille, UCCS/ENS Chimie Lille, Orano, Framatome, Constellium, Eramet, Saint-Gobain

Contact

Loïc Favergeon
loic.favergeon@mines-stetienne.fr
+33 4 77 42 02 93

Back To Top