Our know-how and business model
Oxide sol-gel stable precursors
Conductive oxides and semi-conductors: SnO2 dopé, ITO, ZnO, Nd2CuO4, YBaCuO…
High temperature protective oxides: CeO2, SiO2,Fe2O3, Re2O3, Al2O3, Al2O3-Cr2O3…
Oxides against wet corrosion: Al2O3, ZrO2, CeO2…
Dielectric, ferroelectric et piezoelectric: TiO2, SrTiO3, BaTiO3, BaTiO3 dopé Re, PZT…
Catalyst et photo-catalyst: TiO2 anatase, brookite, La2Zr2O7, La2Sn2O7…
IR reflective oxides: SnO2 dopé, ITO…
Magnetic oxides: Fe2O3, Fe3O4, CoFe2O4, NiFe2O4, Y3Fe5O12, BaFe12O19…
Refractory: Re2O3, ZrO2, Al2O3, CuAl2O4…
Oxides with optical properties: Al2O3, SiO2, BiFeO3…
Rare earth oxides: La2O3, Nd2O3, Eu2O3, Y2O3…
Photosensitives precursors (lithography)
Silica spherical particles in aqueous suspension
Silver and copper nanowires
Ceramic foam
Chemical protective coating
Mechanical properties
Specific physical properties
Special coatings
A professional tool manufacturer for carpenters wants to find an alternative solution to the hard chromium coating in the projection cylinders.
The tools are made of aluminum cylinders in which a segmented piston slides. The aluminum cylinders emerging from the foundry are nickel-plated and then chromium-plated, before undergoing a final boring. The project is to develop a dry-lubricating (sol-gel) coating that replaces metallic coatings.
To develop a sprayable composite sol-gel coating bonded to aluminum or magnesium foundry. This coating must withstand a temperature of about 150-200 °C and must lubricate the piston rings in the cylinder for 200 000 uses.
A composite sol-gel based on organosilanes and a lamellar material has been developed. Spray deposition allows to obtain micronic layers perfectly adherent on aluminum or on magnesium with a controlled thickness. The technology meets the requirements with a simplest process and at lower costs. It allows a weight gain of the tools when aluminum is substitute by magnesium.
An industrialist wants to evaluate alternatives to alodine 1200 for light aluminum alloys.
To develop a thin uniform colored coating with similar performance to alodine 1200 in terms of adhesion, corrosion resistance and conduction. The solution must be Chromium free.
Develop a conductive, highly-adhesive sol-gel coating on 2024 alloys, applicable by spray or brush, and effectively protect against corrosion (180 to 500 h of BS)
We developed a hybrid composite coating with anti-corrosion properties (BS 500h), with transverse electrical resistance meeting the MIL-DTL-81706 standard. The work focused on mastering the synthesis of the conductive elements and the hybrid matrix, from the laboratory scale to the pre-industrialization.