Groupe des Ecoles des Mines - Polymers and Composites Technology Department

Polymers and composites materials

 Polymer blends (compatibilizing agents, contamination)
 Smart polymers, barrier films, nanocomposites
 Thermoplastic and thermosetting smart composites (integrated sensors)
 Design of fabric reinforcements adapted to RTM process
 Sandwich structures
 Damaging / durability / long term mechanical behavior under coupled thermo-mechanical loading and environmental conditions as a function of structural parameters and process

Processing (machines and tools)

 Production optimization (injection, extrusion, film coextrusion, RTM, BMC, filament winding...) using material/process/product relationships and process coupling (injection-compression, low pressure injection...)
 Auto-adaptive process control (thermoplastic and thermoset injection, RTM), intelligent process
 Use of micro-electronic components in the material/process coupling (extrusion)
 Process instrumentation (machine tools and devices)

Product quality and performances

 Knowledge of phenomena generating quality and/or defects (dimensional accuracy and stability, surface quality, thermo-mechanical properties): fiber/polymer interfaces, voids, orientation, internal stresses, flow heterogeneity (in the mold cavity, on the mold surface, at the die exit), welding lines
 Short and long term thermo-mechanical behavior of full-scale industrial parts under complex loads with appropriate apparatus development
 3D metrology with and without contact
 Development of technical films (multi-layered films using blow film extrusion, biaxial stretching)

Recycling/Valorization

 Valorization of recycled materials (PET, composites, multi-layered films...)
 Blends (effect of compatibilizing agents, low concentration of contaminent polymers, additives)
 Development of applications based on recycled materials

Head of Department : Patricia KRAWCZAK, Pr.

 Faculty: 12 (incl. 2 HDR)
 Technical & administrative staff : 7
 PhD students : 5

The laboratories contain all the equipment necessary for rheological, thermo-mechanical and physico-chemical characterization of polymers and composites, for processing (injection, extrusion, compression, RTM, BMC, filament winding, rotational molding...), and for long or short term mechanical behavior analysis of industrial parts and high pressure vessels in particular.