Flame retardant coatings constitute one growing branch of the coating industry, with the increasing trend of more stringent fire safety regulations and demands for reduction of fire hazard posed by several combustible materials. To provide durable fire retardancy to a material through its surface, three different coatings with different functional properties (e.g. adhesive, fire retardant and hydrophobic properties) are needed. These multilayered systems usually require complex application and curing procedures. Multiple formulation, application and processing steps not only contribute to environmental waste generation and pollution, they also use excessive amount of energy until a solid film has been produced. It would thus be highly desirable to reduce the number of layers to a minimum, providing the equivalent or better overall performance of the current systems, forming multilayered paint films from a single coat system. The self-stratifying approach allows a one-step formation of complex multi-layer or gradient coating structures directly to plastics and steel, combining optimized top and adhesion properties in one coating composition. These coatings are developing mainly for automotive, self-healing and weather-resistant applications, but the self-stratifying approach has never been considered in the fire retardant and fire protection fields, whatever the substrate involved. This concept thus constitutes a great possible versatile process for a broad range of fire retardant applications and could thus favor an industrial eco-efficient development of products, taking into account the reduction of solvents and labor cost. Flame-retardant self-stratifying coatings thus completely fit the needs of both the finishing industry in general and the flame retardant coating industry in particular, and also perfectly fit the project call orientations, as the aim is to develop an innovative eco-friendly process to stimulate the fire retardant coating industry development. As no academic paper or patent has been written on that specific subject, it opens the door to a real breakthrough and challenge in this industry. The goal of this project is thus to establish a proof-of-concept on formulating a model self-stratifying fire retardant coating showing (i) adhesive properties to a substrate, (ii) intumescent properties when submitted to a fire and (iii) good durability when submitted to accelerated aging tests. Two substrates will be considered: a plastic one (polycarbonate) usually fire retarded in the bulk (addition of additives in the polymeric matrix during its extrusion process), and a steel substrate, usually protected by a three-layers system. The objective is to obtain a type I coating, corresponding to a perfect stratification giving rise to two well distinct and homogeneous layers, or at least a type II coating, in which the phase separation leads to a stratification characterized by an homogeneous concentration gradient more or less pronounced in the film thickness. We aim at designing one thin (< 150µm) self-stratifying system showing good adhesion to PC and resistant to UV and moisture and one thick (1-2 mm) self-stratifying system showing good adhesion to steel and resistant to UV, moisture, water and salted water. In this part of the work, an optimization of the resins composing the formulation will be carried out. In a second step, we will investigate the effect of the incorporation of one or more specific intumescent fillers in one of the “successful” self-stratifying systems developed for each substrate in order to provide (i) a fire retardant effect on the PC substrate and (ii) a fire protective effect on the steel substrate without affecting the self-stratifying process, the adhesive properties and the surface barrier properties. The final goal is to reach better or at least equivalent FR properties than a bulk treated PC or than a commercial thick coating applied on steel.

Due to the growing competition between dairy and plant proteins and the dairy protein industry’s new intents to move towards genuine “clean label” products, manufacturers must diversify and develop their protein ingredients and bioactive molecules. It seems essential for these manufacturers to have a supply of proteins that can be used in a broad spectrum of food applications, but especially the special diet and health food supplement markets, which are on the rise and bring higher profit margins. The experience of the two INRAe units, UMET and UMRt BioEcoAgro, and of INGREDIA (Mid-Caps) show that the main issues concern the development of high-protein applications such as beverages, particularly with regard to protein concentration, their ability to be processed and thermal stabilities but also the biological activity characterization of the ingredients. In addition, the analysis of scientific literature shows that there has been a multitude of recent advances (enzymatic and microbial engineering, colloid physics, in silico molecular modelling, proteomics) which could give strong leverage for reasoning innovation. This industrial ProteinoPepS Chair therefore aims to integrate, generate and mobilize knowledge on dairy proteins by offering a unique place of research and facility developing expertise from field to plate. This Chair also aims to disseminate and communicate to dairy processing industry stakeholders and the general sector respectively, the operating conditions, the nutritional or health benefits and the environmental indicators which guarantee responsible production. Finally, the Chair will offer initial training to students to learn the soft skills required in the company sector.

Food losses is responsible for unnecessary greenhouse emissions and waste of resources such as water, land, energy and inputs. Therefore, limiting food losses is of major interest to limit climate change and ensuring food security and sustainability. Nearly one‐third of all food produced worldwide is estimated to be lost postharvest, and much of this loss can be attributed to microbial spoilage. The spore-forming bacteria of the Bacillus subtilis group (B. subtilis) are among the most commonly identified species in the spoiled heat-treated food such as bakery and dairy products leading to high economic losses for the food and feed industry. The recurrence of Bacillus contamination is largely due to their ability to sustainably contaminate surfaces, particularly because of the spores' ability to strongly adhere to all types of materials and to resist hygiene procedures. To control this food-spoilage agent, it is therefore required to better describe the surface layer of spores interacting with contact materials of processing plant facilities. In B. subtilis, this layer is mainly made of proteins and glycans. While the crust proteins and their interaction network are now well established, the localization, nature and structure of glycans remain almost unknown. The SOGLOSSI project proposes a multidisciplinary approach combining microbiology, genetic, glycobiology and fluid mechanics at laboratory and pilot scale to I/ characterize the structure and the anchoring of the crust glycans of B. subtilis, II/ evaluate the role of each glycan in spore / contact material interactions and III/ evaluate the impact of processing and hygiene procedures on spore surface glycans and their consequences on spore / contact material interactions. To address the first objective, the crust glycans of several B. subtilis strains (including strains isolated from food industry) will be separated by chromatography and the structure of each glycan will be resolved by the combination of mass spectrometry and NMR methods. The putative glycosylation sites of the crust proteins will be defined by directed mutagenesis and glycoproteomic approaches. To address the second objective, the crust glycans structure of several mutant stains (available at PIHM) will be resolved by the methodology described above and the spore / contact material interactions forces will be measured for each mutant by using a flow-cell. These parallel approaches will make it possible to define the role of each glycan in the interactions between spores and contact materials. To address the last objective, a dedicated test rig will be manufactured to submit B. subtilis spores to conditions encountered in food processing (flow rate, temperature, pH) and evaluate the impact of these parameters on spore glycans and the consequences on spore adhesion. This knowledge will be used to develop alternative production and cleaning methods that are more effective in terms of surface hygiene control and more environmentally friendly, such as flow foam cleaning with bio-based surfactants that will be tested on a pilot scale. This project will generate fundamental knowledge about the structure and properties of the surface glycans of B. subtilis spores. It will also have major economic and environmental outcomes. The data obtained through this project could be used to optimize transformation and hygiene procedures in the food processing industries that faced recurrent contamination by spore-forming bacteria of the B. subtilis group. They should also help to develop mild-processing techniques and green hygiene solutions which are essential I/ to reduce the economic and environmental impact of these processes and II/ to improve the organoleptic, nutritional and health quality of processed food while limiting food spoilage.

"Covalent organic frameworks" (COFs) are an emerging class of crystalline organic materials, showing tunable porosity, with a periodic structure over several dimensions. They are based on the formation of dynamic bonds, formed by condensation reactions between their molecular precursors using modular chemistry concepts. No other multi-dimensional polymerization strategy allows for today to predict and adjust the structure of the network to such a level. Although their recent development, almost 650 different chemical structures are now reported, attracting increasing interest from different fields (storage, molecular separation, catalysis, sensing, optoelectronics, encapsulation and delivery of bioactive molecules). However, COFs suffer from significant limitations: they are by nature crosslinked materials, insoluble or even sparingly dispersible in solution and often produced as polycrystalline powders or films. Despite much effort having been devoted towards the design of the physical and/or chemical properties of these materials by selecting their initial building blocks, the importance of processability for their applications has only recently emerged. The COPOCO project proposes an original “win-win” combination of responsive polymers and COFs. It aims at producing well defined COF nanoparticles (NPs) with macromolecular chains covalently attached on their surface. The polymer chains will have several roles: 1) acting as a modulator to chemically control the nucleation and growth of COFs, 2) ensuring colloidal stability of the COF NPs, 3) bringing stimuli-sensitive properties to drive on demand self-assembly between the COFs. Colloidal assembly, dealing with interactions between particles of a few nanometers to a few micrometers, provides an interesting strategy to organize the matter from the molecular level, up to the macroscopic level. Crystalline COF NPs offer a means of organizing the orientation of the polymer chains and will be used as building blocks to form nanostructured materials. Since self-assembling processes of colloidal particles are dependent upon particle size, dispersity, and shape, the organization of the resulting structures should positively correlate with COF NPs uniformity. Such an approach could pave new ways for designing macroscopic materials with oriented and tunable porosity over long distances with sensing and capture properties.

Postoperative adhesions are a significant health issue with major implications on quality of life and health care expenses. In particular, intra-abdominal adhesions arise after 50 to 100% of all abdominal operations, within the 12 months after any type of surgery. The severe consequences of these postoperative adhesions stand in stark contrast to the low level of awareness and knowledge among doctors and their cost is estimated in France between 60 and 600 million € per year. Adhesions may also be coupled to other side effects such as infections, which result in additional treatments and delay patient's recovery. It is then necessary to design anti-adhesive and antimicrobial implants that will be active directly on the surgical site for an extended period. Polypropylene is widely used as implant in the visceral field thanks to its mechanical strength and its biostability, but its inert surface requires functionalisation to become active. The aim of CAPSPIN project is thus to combine and optimise through experimental design two eco-friendly processes for the elaboration of antiadhesive and antimicrobial biodegradable nanofibres coated onto intraperitoneal polypropylene implants. Electrospinning process is an innovative process used to produce biodegradable monolithic and core-sheath nanofibres. Atmospheric cold plasma technology is used for the activation and functionalisation of different polymeric substrates at the extreme surface only. Two pathways will be followed. The first one, in two steps, will first consist in the deposition of biodegradable nanofibres onto polypropylene implants through the electrospinning technique. Then, two bioactive monomers (anti-adhesive and antimicrobial ones) will be grafted and polymerised onto nanofibres coated implants, thanks to cold atmospheric plasma process. The second pathway, in one step, will consist in the deposition of core-sheath nanofibres onto polypropylene implants through co-axial electrospinning, with biodegradable polymer as core and anti-adhesive and/or antimicrobial polymer as sheath. The bioactive monomers/polymers will also be in a second phase grafted separately on each side of the implant, in order to elaborate a bifacial bioactive implant. The chemical, physical and mechanical properties of all biomaterials designed will be fully studied through adequate characterization techniques according to the aimed visceral application. The keys to further industrialisation procedure, i.e. in vitro and in vivo stability of the coatings as well as biological activity of the implants will also be evaluated.