LabEx MANUTECH-SISE

The LABEX MANUTECH-SISE is a “Laboratoire d’Excellence” focused on science and engineering of surfaces and interfaces. From a joint public-private gathering in the Lyon - Saint-Etienne area, MANUTECH-SISE develops skills and expertise in mechanics, optics, tribology, materials science and technology, surface physicochemistry, and advanced manufacturing processes. The objectives of the LABEX concern the understanding and control of surface phenomena, such as wear, friction, fatigue resistance, chemical reactivity, wettability, visual and tactile aspects, interactions with light. The workforce is about 300 researchers, engineers, technicians, post-docs and PhD. The LABEX MANUTECH-SISE has been created from a academic / company partnership, gathering, within the Lyon – St-Etienne area, four laboratories belonging to university, engineering high schools and CNRS, with two industrial companies soundly involved in research and developments. Between the LABEX partners, the objective is to develop knowledge and know-how through a joint approach of questions, tools and perspectives.

THE PROJECT:

The aims of the LABEX are focused on the creation and control of surface functionalities from the macroscopic to the nanometric scale, in tribology, mechanics, optics and chemistry, as well as on the optimization of advanced processes of surface and interface manufacturing at different scales, including with ultrashort laser micromachining. Four generic application fields are concerned:

1) Mechanical systems and low consumption energy processes, with low friction coatings for thermal engines with low CO2 emission, surface microtexturation in injection and lubrication systems, sintering of powder for low friction parts, power coatings for battery applications.

2) Biomedical devices and materials, with cell integration on textured implants, biochip and wear processes of artificial implants.

3) Lightweight and sustainable structures with high added value, with bonding processes for aeronautic structures, corrosion resistance in nuclear industry, wear by fretting and corrosion, friction steering welding.

4) Interaction surfaces with light radiations, with plasmonic effects (including laser induced submicronic ripples on material surfaces), light induced colour surfaces, effect of surface topography on touch or visual feeling and perception, white light processes.

The surface properties investigated are mainly:

1) Mechanical properties and tribology: friction control, wear reduction, solid and liquid lubricant formulation, optimization of surface microtexturation by mechanical or laser processes, adhesion increase.

2) Physico-chemical properties: wettability ranging from superhydrophily to superhydrophoby, corrosion resistance, tribocorrosion, limitation of embrittlement by hydrogen, surface and interface reactivity.

3) Optical properties of surfaces, including tactile and rendering aspects.

The surface functionnalisation tools developed in the LABEX are mainly laser processes (including ultrashort laser with processing stations and laser beam shaping), mechanical processes and coatings technology (including PVD and PECVD processes, sol gel processes, ink jet, dynamic chemical plating, spray coating, cold spray, detonation gun).

The LABEX is based on a partnership within "CNRS", "Université Jean Monnet", "Ecole Centrale de Lyon", "Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Mines de St-Etienne", "Ecole Nationale Supérieure d'Ingénieurs de St-Etienne", "INSA Lyon", and the companies HEF Groupe and Science et Surfaces.

The LABEX is linked up with the EQUIPEX MANUTECH-USD (Ultra-fast Surface Design) which develops tools for laser surface texturing and surface characterization.