Draft:The Rennes Institute of Chemical Science

The Rennes Institute of Chemical Science
10C building of the Rennes Institute of Chemical Science
Established	1945, current organization since 2012
Affiliation	University of rennes, CNRS, ENSCR, INSA Rennes
Head of department	M. Fourmigué (since 2012)
Academic staff	300
Students	200
Location	Rennes , France 48°06′55″N 1°38′24″W
Campus	Campus de Beaulieu, Campus de Villejean and IUT de Lannion
Website	https://iscr.univ-rennes.fr/

The Rennes Institute of Chemical Science (ISCR) is a joint research unit of the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) (CNRS Chemistry & CNRS Engineering), the University of Rennes, the Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Chimie of Rennes (ENSCR) and the Institut National des Sciences Appliquées of Rennes (INSA).

The institute focuses its research on several areas of chemistry: synthesis of pharmaceutical molecules, research on eco-responsible materials and on new energy-related materials.

ISCR in a nutshell

The ISCR, with more than 500 members among which almost 300 permanents, gathers 8 research teams and 2 shared administrative and scientific resources centres.

The Institute covers a wide range of fields in chemistry, from organic and organometallic molecules with specific properties to materials derived from solid-state chemistry and metallurgy, as well as catalysis, electrochemistry, theoretical chemistry and chemical process engineering.

The ISCR deals with the dissemination of scientific culture to the general public through a wide range of scientific mediation activities. Chemistry at ISCR is organized around the objectives of sustainable development in five main areas:

• Health and well-being,
  1. Active substances
  2. Vectorization and diagnostics
  3. Materials for health
  4. Hygiene, cosmetics and agri-food

• Sustainable chemistry and processes, environment,
  1. Green chemistry
  2. Depollution and remediation processes
  3. Bioresource valorization
• Energy,
  1. Batteries
  2. Hydrogen and fuel cells
  3. Photovoltaïcs
  4. Energy conversion and recovery
• Optics and photonics,
  1. Infrared photonics
  2. Materials,
  3. Light-matter interactions
  4. Optical devices
• Electronics and molecular materials,
  1. Switchable systems
  2. Molecular magnetism
  3. Electronics and molecular conductors

History

The Institut de Chimie of the University of Rennes was founded in 1945 as the result of the merging of the Rennes Faculty of Science, created in 1840, and the chemistry department of the west Institut Polytechnique, created in 1919.

Successive reorganisations (ERA/URA/EA/UMR) led to the creation in 2000 of a federative structure, the Institut de Chimie of Rennes (ICR). At that time, the ICR gathered all together more than 80% of Brittany's chemistry research capacities on Beaulieu and Villejean campuses and at Lannion IUT.

In 2006, all the components of the ICR were merged into a single unit (UMR 6226), Sciences Chimiques de Rennes, with 4 supervisory bodies: CNRS, UR1, ENSCR and INSA.

In 2012, the UMR was renamed Institut des Sciences Chimiques de Rennes (ISCR). This multi-site unit is located across campuses of Beaulieu (buildings 10, ENSCR, INSA), Villejean and Lannion IUT.

Chemistry - Metallurgy team

The Chemistry - Metallurgy (C-Met) team conducts research on the development, characterization and mechanical properties of functional alloys with applications in the aerospace, nuclear and biomedical industries.

Chemistry and Process Engineering team

The Chemistry and Process Engineering (CIP) team studies and develops sustainable processes adapted to pollution treatment and production in various fields such as the environment and the agri-food and chemical industries. The team also develops analytical methods for assessing trace pollutants and characterizing interfaces.

Organic Chemistry and Interfaces team

The Organic Chemistry and Interfaces team (COrInt) develops organic-based molecular tools that answer fundamental and applied questions at the frontier between chemistry and biology and/or physics. The team's activities focus on three areas: methodology and tools for synthesis, natural products and molecules for living organisms, and engineering of molecular assemblies and functional materials.

Solid State Chemistry and Materials team

The Solid State Chemistry and Materials (CSM) team covers a continuum of activities ranging from fundamental research to applied research in the field of new materials (metal clusters, rare earth-based hybrid materials, oxo-anions and oxides) and their integration into devices.

Theoretical Inorganic Chemistry team

The Theoretical Inorganic Chemistry (CTI) team uses the tools of theoretical chemistry to study molecular and solid-state inorganic systems, interpreting their stability, electronic and geometric structures and the resulting physico-chemical properties. Its activities are divided into three major themes: rationalization of complex architectures; materials for energy and information; multifunctional molecular systems.

Condensed Matter and Electroactive Systems team

The Condensed Matter and Electroactive Systems (MaCSE) team works on the design and synthesis of electroactive molecules, based on heterochemistry, coordination and organometallic chemistry, on their physico-chemical studies in homogeneous or heterogeneous phases and on their implementation at different scales, on surfaces (flat or porous, nanoparticles, nanotubes), in condensed phases (crystal, liquid crystal, gel), based on crystal engineering concepts and surface functionalization tools (electrochemical, biochemical, etc.). These original objects or systems find applications in the fields of energy (batteries, electrodes, biopiles, etc.), the environment (sensors) and organic electronics (memories, OFET, OLED, etc.).

Organometallic Materials and Catalysis team

The Organometallic Materials and Catalysis team (OMC) focuses on organometallic chemistry, coordination and heterochemistry for innovative developments in catalysis and green chemistry (fine chemistry, biomass and CO2 recovery, polymers), as well as in the field of molecular materials (optoelectronics, spintronics, OLEDs, molecular memories).

Glass and Ceramics team

The Glass and Ceramics (V&C) team focuses on 4 areas of research: formulation, synthesis and structure; infrared photonics and sensors; energy conversion and storage; biomaterials.

International relationships

The ISCR international research activities involve countries on five continents and are developped via the following supports: Hubert Curien Partnership (PHC), International Emerging Action (IEA), International Research Project (IRP), International Research Laboratory (IRL) and International Training Networks (ITN).

Distinctions

• 2023: Jeanne Crassous, CNRS Silver Medal
• 2020: Thierry Pain, CNRS Crystal Medal
• 2017: Louise-Anne Cariou, CNRS Crystal Medal
• 2014: Jean-François Carpentier, CNRS Silver Medal
• 2014: Fabrice Pointillart, CNRS Bronze Medal
• 2004: Jacques Lucas - Member of the Académie des Sciences

Visual identity

The ISCR logo has changed over the years.