The most publicized part of chemical research today concerns energy production and storage, development of biomass and CO2 or the design of new tools for health and the environment. However, a strong exploratory activity ensures the discovery of concepts and fields likely to supply the applications of the future.
In the fields of energy, materials, environment and health, the CNRS Institute of Chemistry (INC) promotes the advancement of research in all its aspects, at the interface of all disciplines.
The work of the CNRS Institute of Chemistry (INC) laboratories is the link between modelling and the synthesis of compounds, fundamental research and industrial processes, the atom and materials. The results have a direct impact on society and are the subject of concrete applications in many sectors: transport, construction, electronics, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics etc. The INC also supports preliminary research that brings out new subjects and break-through discoveries.
Chemistry laboratories think about concepts and technologies that will allow both the production and storage of renewable energies: photovoltaic and solar cells, batteries and supercapacitors, hydrogen as a new fuel, biomass development etc.
Chemistry is involved in the development of nanomaterials and their transformation into components for microelectronics, with the aim of optimizing production and limiting waste. Particularly, the CNRS Institute of Chemistry (INC) has made advances in research into conductive polymers and flexible electronic devices.
The INC contributes to the development of virtuous and ecological chemical cycles by "green chemistry," low-impact processes, bio-inspired chemistry, waste management and life cycles or micro-fluidic systems.
Therapeutic chemistry contributes to the development of novel treatments, for cancer or Alzheimer's disease, for example by MRI contrast agents. Also, materials for implants and grafts are being improved.
The CNRS created a Mission for interdisciplinary (MI) whose role is to reinforce links and cooperation between disciplines. This approach encourages the emergence of new concepts and methodologies between chemistry and principally biology, physics, ecology, engineering, social sciences etc. Chemists manipulate matter, and therefore work naturally with all these disciplines.
The staff of the CNRS Institute of Chemistry (INC) laboratories are the ambassadors of French chemistry of which they enhance the prestige on an international level. Their proposals for projects and publications are evaluated daily by their peers to the highest level.
Researchers of INC laboratories are regularly distinguished by major awards in both basic and applied research.
Four Nobel Prizes in Chemistry (since 1987)
Innovation: some awards
(source: DASTRE – CNRS 2014-2015)
The different scientific communities can share their knowledge, skills and equipment through networks and research infrastructures. The CNRS Institute of Chemistry (INC) steers these tools or contributes to them on both national and international levels.
In 2011 the INC rolled out the RS2E research network that is dedicated to electrochemical energy storage technologies: rechargeable batteries, supercapacitors etc. In this it was supported by the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation. The RS2E network currently includes 17 INC research units, 15 industrial partners and 3 public institutions (including the CEA).
The Increase network with the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region was launched in May 2016. It is dedicated to green chemistry: eco-design, renewable resources, etc. It brings together nearly 200 researchers from 8 research laboratories as well as people from the chemical industry.
FedPV, the federation on photovoltaics brings together 5 laboratories. Its objective is to coordinate R&D activity in France on photovoltaic energy.
The national chemical library was created in 2003, at the initiative of the INC. It offers a collection of 45,000 samples of natural or synthetic original products from the laboratories of approximately 60 French public research institutions. These samples are made available to public or private scientific groups who wish to assess novel molecules in specific biological tests.
The CNRS Institute of Chemistry (INC) represents the CNRS within very large research infrastructures (TGIR) and steers certain research infrastructures (IR). These are equipped with exceptional equipment that is generally expensive and needs sophisticated scientific and technical skills. These infrastructures benefit different scientific communities.
The CNRS has created four research infrastructures in analytical techniques. They are steered by the organization via the INC in conjunction with its academic partners. This provides these networks, whose sites are spread over the whole country, with a national consistency and visibility.
This research infrastructure is made up of very high field NMR spectrometers located in seven laboratories. This is at the origin of the first 1 GHz spectrometer in Europe – still the most powerful in the world – and is currently piloting the installation of a 1.2 GHz spectrometer expected for 2020 in Lille. The latter will enable the IR to retain its place at the forefront of the world. This IR contributes strongly to advances in research in health and the environment, but also information and nanotechnologies. It is involved in partnerships with competitiveness clusters such as the Elastopole, Cosmetic Valley and Maud, as well as with Carnot institutes and industrial firms (Michelin, Alcan, Cephalon etc.).
This research infrastructure is based on a technique related to NMR. It networks the advanced electronic paramagnetic resonance equipment (imaging, pulsed EPR, etc.) of French laboratories and the expert teams in this technique to accommodate users. The research carried out within the IR allows the study of complex systems (materials, environments, biomolecular systems, rocks and natural environments etc.) in the fields of energy, environment, life, health, ICTs, but also cultural heritage. The IR platforms demonstrate academic openness, but have also forged links with industrial companies such as Total, Hutchinson, Sanofi, l’Oréal. They also maintain collaborative projects with the Cnes and IRSN.
The high magnetic fields generated by the available instruments allow users to measure molecular masses at extremely high resolution. Due to this IR, users can study complex mixtures, for example in the fields of fuel, environment metabolomics or molecular imaging. But in addition they can study rare or unique samples, such as cultural heritage materials. The IR sites have established industrial collaborations with companies such as Total, EDF, Véolia, Sanofi, etc. Furthermore, the IR is involved in regional projects such as the Verbilor project (Energy development in a high-temperature biomass reactor in Lorraine) in Metz or the iInstitute of energy transition IfmasFMAS (French Institute of agro-sourced materials) in Lille. Two IR sites are at the origin of the creation of a European network of mass spectrometry platforms modelled on the French system and steered by France.
The ChemBioFrance research infrastructure offers modern technologies for the discovery of biologically active molecules to understand the living, cure rare or emerging pathologies, target resistance phenomena and address the question of the quality of life throughout one's existence.
ChemBioFrance relies on four structures to support its services:
This set of resources is accessible to researchers in the public and private sectors as either services or collaborations.
The chemists' communities are also major users of the platforms of the network of electronic microscopy and atomic probing (Metsa), steered by the CNRS Institute of Physics, and of the accelerator network for studies of materials under irradiation (Emir) steered by the CNRS National Institute of Nuclear and Particle Physics (IN2P3).
These research infrastructures are closely linked. They provide a continuum of high performance characterisation techniques that are very complimentary to users from a variety of scientific communities: biologists, physicists, chemists, researchers in sciences of the environment, etc.
France 2030 est une action de l'État depuis 2021 qui accompagne les acteurs innovants partout en France avec l'ambition de dénicher, supporter et développer pour « rapprocher le futur ». Pour CNRS Chimie, ces financements se traduisent par le pilotage ou co-pilotage de cinq programmes nationaux et par la sélection de deux projets Recherche à risque.
Les Programmes et équipements prioritaires de recherche (PEPR) visent à renforcer la place de la recherche française dans des domaines scientifiques cruciaux pour les transformations technologique, économique, sociétale, sanitaire et environnementale. Ils se déclinent en deux catégories : les PEPR d’accélération, qui soutiennent des transformations déjà en cours comme l'hydrogène décarboné ou l'intelligence artificielle, avec un budget de 2 milliards d’euros sur dix ans, et les PEPR exploratoires, dédiés à des secteurs émergents tels que le stockage de données sur ADN ou l'interaction lumière-matière, avec une enveloppe de 1 milliard d’euros.
Le CNRS est pilote ou co-pilote de la majorité des PEPR lancés dans le cadre du plan France 2030. Parmi ceux-ci, CNRS Chimie en pilote ou co-pilote cinq.
Ce PEPR d’accélération vise à développer de nouvelles générations de batteries, plus performantes, plus sûres, à moindre coût et à durée de vie plus longue que celles commercialisées actuellement.
En savoir plus : https://www.pepr-batteries.fr/
Ce PEPR exploratoire a pour objectif d’impacter chaque étape de la chaîne de l’innovation « de l’idée à l’objet » et de transformer durablement et en profondeur la manière d’aborder la science des matériaux grâce à l’intelligence artificielle.
En savoir plus : https://www.pepr-diadem.fr/
Ce PEPR exploratoire vise à comprendre, façonner et exploiter la lumière pour explorer et contrôler la matière, en croisant physique, chimie, ingénierie, sciences de la vie, de la santé, du patrimoine et de l’environnement.
En savoir plus : https://www.inc.cnrs.fr/fr/pepr-luma-valoriser-les-interactions-lumiere-matiere
Ce PEPR d’accélération a pour objectif l’émergence d’un modèle français dans le domaine des matières premières de recyclage (MPR) et leur réincorporation dans de nouveaux produits.
En savoir plus : https://www.inc.cnrs.fr/fr/pepr-recyclage-recyclabilite-et-re-utilisation-des-matieres
Ce PEPR d’accélération vise à favoriser le développement d’une industrie française des nouvelles technologies de l’énergie, capable de répondre à la demande globale actuelle et future de développement croissant des énergies renouvelables et de l’électrification des usages.
En savoir plus : https://www.inc.cnrs.fr/fr/pepr-systemes-energetiques-et-energies-renouvelables
Le programme « Recherche à risque et à impact » est la réponse du CNRS à l’initiative « Recherche à risque » de l’État, financée par France 2030. Le programme du CNRS vise à encourager des projets de recherche audacieux susceptibles d'aboutir à des percées scientifiques, technologiques et sociétales majeures. Contrairement aux financements classiques, il se concentre sur des projets à haut risque dont l’issue est incertaine. Le processus de sélection repose sur l'expertise interne du CNRS et son réseau de plus de 1 000 laboratoires. Par ce programme, le CNRS affirme ainsi sa position comme leader dans la recherche à risque en France et en Europe.
Les équipes de CNRS Chimie coordonnent deux des douze projets sélectionnés dans le cadre de la première vague de financement, en 2025.
Explorer l’impact du couplage vibratoire fort sur la réactivité chimique et les propriétés des matériaux, offrant un nouveau moyen de transformer les propriétés fondamentales des matériaux.
Porteurs : Thomas Ebbesen, Cristiano Ciuti, Cyriaque Genet.
En savoir plus : https://www.cnrs.fr/fr/nos-recherches/france-2030/projet-ri2/polaritonic
Développer des fluides complexes (mousses, émulsions) fonctionnalisés par des enzymes, afin de tirer profit de la synergie entre les propriétés physiques de tels fluides et l’activité (bio)chimique des enzymes. Il s’agit de varier les caractéristiques du couple fluide complexe/enzyme pour éliminer des biofilms bactériens ou dégrader/valoriser des microplastiques.
Porteurs : Wiebke Drenckhan, Christophe Chassenieux, Fouzia Boulmedais, Jean Farago.
En savoir plus : https://www.cnrs.fr/fr/nos-recherches/france-2030/ri2-catfoam
En 2023, CNRS Chimie a démarré une vaste étude pour préparer sa prospective scientifique et nourrir sa réflexion sur l’évolution de la chimie à l’horizon 2030.
Cet exercice collectif s'appuie sur l’ensemble de la communauté des chimistes français et est structuré autour de huit groupes thématiques. Chaque groupe thématique est animé par deux pilotes mandatés par l’Institut et constitué d'experts et d'expertes choisis par les pilotes.
Pilotes : Frédéric Leroux (LIMA, Strasbourg) et Laurent Bouteiller (IPCM, Paris)
Pilotes : Valérie Pichon (CBI, Paris) et Anne Milet (DCM, Grenoble)
Pilotes : Aline Rougier (ICMCB, Bordeaux) et Thomas Devic (IMN, Nantes)
Pilotes : Christine Blanc (CIRIMAT, Toulouse) et Françoise Maugé (LCS, Caen)
Pilotes : Maria Duca (ICN, Nice) et Laurent Micouin (LCPBT, Paris)
Pilotes : Karine Vigier (IC2MP, Poitiers) et Jacques Lalevée (IS2M, Mulhouse)
Pilotes : Dorothée Laurenti (IRCELYON, Lyon) et Damien Voiry (IEM, Montpellier)
Pilotes : Encarnacion Raymundo (CEMHTI, Orléans) et Christian George (IRCELYON, Lyon)
The international movement for open science, initiated more than 30 years ago, has been growing at an unprecedented rate since the web made it possible on a global scale with reasonable costs. The dissemination of scientific production on the Internet, its identification and its archiving remove the barriers of sustainable access without questioning the protection of personal data, nor the protection of intellectual property. It is about being "open as much as possible, closed as much as necessary". Open science does not only promote a cross-cutting approach to sharing science results. By opening up data, processes, codes, methods or protocols, it also offers a new way of doing science.
The implementation of the CNRS roadmap for open science aims to accelerate the process towards open science through concrete action.
The CNRS ethics committee (COMETS) is an advisory and independent body whose opinions are public.
The COMETS was created in 1994. It works alongside the CNRS Board of Directors and deals with issues that are referred to the Board of Directors, the Scientific Council or the Director of the CNRS. It also has the possibility of self-referral. Its independence allows it to freely address the ethical scope of major issues involving research.
The COMETS engages in think-tanks of general ethical questions raised by the practice of research and related to: 1. the social and moral consequences of the development of science and its practical applications, 2. the principles that govern the individual behaviour of researchers and the functioning of the CNRS authoritative bodies, 3. the actual practice of science.
As a result of these thought processes, it is up to the COMETS to formulate recommendations for the definition, justification and application of rules relating to the ethics and deontology of research. The COMETS draws the attention of research and management personnel to the ethical and societal dimensions of any research through its advice and the training actions it conducts or in which it participates. In this way, it aims to clarify the exercise of freedom of research with respect to the duties and responsibilities that these personnel have vis-à-vis the CNRS and more generally society.
COMETS is a body for reflection; it is neither an operational ethics committee responsible for giving accreditation to projects, nor a deontological body dealing with violations of the procedures of scientific integrity. It does not rule on individual cases, whether these be scientific projects or a researcher's violation of ethics.
Nouvelles publications scientifiques, créations de laboratoires, annonces de prix, brevets... Retrouvez des informations issues des laboratoires de CNRS Chimie, complémentaires des communiqués de presse.
New scientific publications, laboratory creations, price announcements, patents... Find information from the laboratories of CNRS Chemistry, complementary to press releases.
