Biochars (or biological charcoals) derived from the thermochemical conversion of a bioresource are currently primarily used for soil amendment or as decontamination agents. However, these by-products, which sequester biogenic carbon and help reduce CO2 emissions, can exhibit interesting electrical properties, making them ideal materials for applications such as electrostatic dissipation devices, electromagnetic shielding, or in-situ detection of damage caused by mechanical fatigue. Indeed, with the rise of electrification in various uses, more and more devices need to be lightweight, mechanically robust, integrated into the structure, and possess specific electrical conductivity properties, ranging from dissipative materials (to evacuate electrostatic charges) to electromagnetic shielding materials.
The project, for which a postdoctoral researcher will be recruited for 18 months within the PCH team, focuses on the valorization of different sources of biochars (derived from various bioresources and thermochemical conversion processes) as electrically conductive materials, either alone or as fillers in thermoplastic polymer matrices, for antistatic and electromagnetic shielding applications in the transportation sector (automotive and aeronautics).
