THE WALLONIA CONNECTION
- Passive solar electrical generation via nano-treated flat glass
- Software to help understand polymer composites on the nano-scale
- Polymer films with true nanopores
- Plasma coatings onto commercial metal rolls over 5 meters in length
- Multi-wall carbon nanotubes for commercial applications with multi-ton production
This is just a sampling of the current innovative industrial R&D and commercial production work being carried-out in the areas of advanced and nano-materials in Wallonia. In this innovation race, Wallonia, the French-speaking region of Belgium, is one of the international leaders in the development and manufacture of new materials. Further, Wallonia has been successful in creating close cooperation between businesses, research centers and universities. Whether in the field of metallic foams, high-performance polymers, glass coatings, neo-ceramics or nano-composites reinforced with carbon nano-tubes – Wallonia is leading in the area of advanced materials.
YOU SAID ADVANCED MATERIALS. DO YOU MEAN NANO-MATERIALS?
For over a decade, research has mainly focused on the seemingly magical and ultra-tiny nano-particles that will make it possible to produce ultra-light, ultra-resistant, ultra-conductive and ultra-promising new materials for which applications can be found throughout virtually all sectors of industry. Wallonia is already a recognized participant in this area. In fact, several research institutes and leading European companies, such as Total Petrochemicals and Solvay, have been busy developing new materials, taking advantage of the extraordinary pool of competences in chemistry and material science located in Wallonia.WALLONIA: BIG IN NANO!
Research and Development
Several leading universities and research centers are currently involved in cutting-edge studies on advanced materials:
- Louvain Catholic University (UCL)
- University of Mons (UMH)
- Namur University Faculties (FUNDP)
- University of Liège (ULg)
- Free University of Brussels (ULB)
- Nanotoxico Consortium
- Materia Nova
- SIRRIS (Collective centre of the Belgian technological industry)
- Belgian Ceramic Research Center
- Centre of Technological Resources in Chemistry (Certech)
- Coatings Research Institute
Leading Companies
- Advanced Coatings (Plasma and HVOF spraying of metals, ceramics and mechanical parts)
- AGC Flat Glass Europe (CVD and PVD thin film on glass)
- Cissoid (High-temperature semiconductor, silicon-on-insulator products)
- Diagam (Colloidal gold nanotechnology)
- e-Xstream (Software for the micromechanical modeling of polymer nano-composites)
- Isomatex (Volcanic rocks fibers)
- IT4IP (Polycarbonate and polyester films with true nano-pores)
- Kabelwerk Eupen AG (High-tech cables and pipes)
- Nanocyl (Single to multi-walled nanotubes by means of CCVD)
- Matrio (Organic-inorganic hybrid nano-coatings)
- Open Engineering (Multi-physics modeling software)
- Solvay (Advanced materials, pharmaceuticals)
- Total Petrochemicals (Nano-structured polymers)
- Diarotech (Metallurgy of powders)
