About us

Thanks to its high sensitivity, the spectroscopy of electron paramagnetic resonance uses the electron magnetism for probing the matter at the local range, to investigate the structural defects (in C, Si, SiONx, minerals, …), evidence the localized states in the band structure, follow and study the kinetic of oxydoreduction reactions, polymerization, photodegradation etc, quantify impurities in minerals and investigate free radicals in living media (tissues, fluids).
Being one of the oldest services, it involves techniques and expertise to reply for your specific demands (on solids, thin films, in solution of living media (fluids, tissues).

Our services

For internal and external partners:
  • Providing the spectrometer (for formed users only)
  • Analyses with presentation the results
  • Preliminary studies
  • Expertise with report
  • Formation

Facilities / Equipments

An up-grade of the spectrometer Bruker AVANCE allows the highest characteristics to be reached (similar to EMXPlus spectrometer). Moreover, Xenon software as well as SpinCount and SpinFit are available.
The service proposes :
  • in addition to a high sensitivity cavity, a double resonance cavity that allows measurements in the same conditions for both the sample and a reference.
  • In situ UV-visible irradiation with or without optic filters.
  • Temperature units that allow measurement in the 77-400 K range.
Measurements may be carried out with powdered samples, thin films or in solution (dedicated tubes in such a case) in inert atmosphere (sealed tubes or inert gaz flux through the cavity).

Some of our achievements

EPR is an important characterization technique for the Institute of Chemistry of Clermont-Ferrand. Numerous projects take benefits of this technique (ANR SINOCH and CORECAT with the investigation of dangling bonds in SiONx thin films and carbons for fuel cells, respectively), AURA projects such as FLUOPLAST, Common research laboratories with orano (ex-AREVA, studies of mixed-valence in uranium compounds) and with Gilson (LabCom INOMALIS, formation of radicals during the fluorination on polymers).

Training

Course on EPR is proposed for students in the Master of chemistry.