NMR and inorganic materials

The RM2I team is composed of 6 researchers, assistant-professors and professors, and 6 PhD students and post-doctoral fellows, who develop new methods in solid-state NMR spectroscopy. Our group applies the new methods to characterize materials with applications in catalysis and for energy, and propose new glassy materials by integrating the structural information obtained by NMR. In particular, we participate in the methodological developments of DNP NMR, the application of advanced NMR methods for the structural characterization of supported catalysts and the development of thin-film glasses with self-healing properties for aeronautical and high-temperature applications. Our themes cover a wide field of research with translational expertise allowing us to apply directly our fundamental expertise to industrial problems (SAFRAN for aeronautics, CEA for energy, CORNING for vitro ceramics). Our expertise in NMR has been recognized since 2004 by the installation in Lille of a very high-field NMR platform (18.8 T and 21.15 T), which is part of a national infrastructure, IR-RMN THC, supported financially by the CNRS and the University of Lille. More recently, we have joined the EUSMI, a European research infrastructure. RM2I team is also carrying out a unique project of installing by 2020, a 28 T NMR spectrometer that will allow a considerable increase in resolution and sensitivity for an even finer structural characterization of inorganic materials. All members of the team are also intensively involved in training and teaching activities, notably through the recent launching of a massive open online course (MOOC) on solid-state NMR and its applications, which brings together over 1,000 participants per session.

Olivier Lafon, Professeur Univ. Lille