CNRS Chemistry on the international stage
CNRS Chemistry aims to conduct research in chemistry at the highest international level around extremely competitive topics, mainly related to energy, materials, health and the environment. To that end, it initiates different forms of collaborations with large academic institutions or emblematic industrial groups from certain countries.
An international presence around competitive themes
Both internationally and in France, the strongest and most competitive themes for the INC remain energy (Japan and Russia), materials (Canada, India, Japan, USA, Russia, etc.), health (India, China, Vietnam, Malaysia) and sustainable development (Singapore, Russia, Japan, Canada).
Until recently, CNRS Chemistry's international activities focused mainly on the BRICS countries, especially Brazil, Russia, India and China. Now the Institute's efforts also focus on strengthening relationships with the USA, Canada, Japan and Korea.
These partnerships are carried out with Universities or foreign academic research organizations and/or with industrial chemical players such as the Solvay group in China in the field of catalysis and in the USA in the field of soft materials and polymers, or with Saint-Gobain in Japan in the field of materials.
CNRS Chemistry has established contractual relationships in Europe beyond its actions under the Horizon 2020 programme. These are with laboratories based in Germany, Spain, Great Britain, Slovenia and very recently in the Ukraine.
E2P2L, towards an alternative to oil
CNRS Chemistry joined Solvay in China thanks to its research in green chemistry and sustainable development. This is a long-standing partner that is already well-developed in China. In 2011, the two partners founded the "Eco-efficient products & process" IRL laboratory (E2P2L). This involved the East China normal university "Laboratory of green chemistry and chemical process," which is classed amongst the Chinese laboratories of excellence. E2P2L aims to deliver new products and processes that are eco-efficient and able to reduce dependency on oil. Fudan University joined this collaboration in 2013 and two mirror sites at Lyon ENS and Lille University participate actively in the research programmes.
Structured collaborations
CNRS Chemistry and its partners abroad (Universities, research organizations, industry) formalize their collaborations by giving them international visibility through structures of various legal forms.
IRP, IRN, IEA
CNRS Chemistry thus counts:
- 33 International Research Projects. These associate a CNRS laboratory and a laboratory in another country around a jointly defined project,
- 8 International Research Networks that federate networks of researchers around major themes (energy, biomass, etc.),
- 44 International Emerging Actions based on pre-existing joint research projects that have resulted in one or more joint publications.
International Research Laboratories
To these are added:
- 3 IRLs in partnership with industry: in the USA with Solvay and the University of Pennsylvania, in China with Solvay, East China Normal University and Fudan University and in Japan with Saint-Gobain and the National Institute for Material Science;
- 1 IRL in academic partnerships: in the USA with the University of California San Diego.
A IRL is similar to a laboratory, like those found at the national level (UMR) in Universities or research organizations. They are located on a single site, either in France or abroad and bring together researchers, students, post-docs and technicians belonging to the CNRS and those of the foreign partner institution.
Rise in power
CNRS Chemistry has been at the origin of many creations in the last two years:
- 2017: 11 creations namely 9 IRPs with the Ukraine, Japan, China (2), the USA, India (2), Chile and Brazil; 1 IRN in Canada; 1 IRL in Korea.
- 2018: 4 creations i.e. 3 IRPs with the USA and Japan (2); 1 IRN in China
Focus on IRPs
CNRS Chemistry has set up IRPs with prestigious partners, especially in China, India and Japan.
In China, an IRP was established with the Dalian State Key Laboratory for Catalysis, to study zeolites. These are crystalline structures naturally formed in alkaline waters or sediments, which are catalysts in many chemical reactions.
In India, an IRP was set up with the Pune National Chemical Laboratory, to convert fossil fuels and biomass, and to protect the environment.
In Japan, CNRS Chemistry is a partner of the Osaka and Kyoto Universities in the frame of an international associated laboratory studying the action of light on switchable molecular systems at the nanoscale.
In recent years, CNRS Chemistry has especially developed its partnerships with major research organizations in Germany (3 IRPs): with the Ludwig Maximilians-Universtät in organic and organometallic chemistry in the field of catalysis and new synthesis processes; with the Max Planck Institut für Kolloid in the field of nano-ions interacting with fluid interfaces; with the Leibniz Institut für Katalyse in the field of homogeneous catalysis in green chemistry.