Science at UM [S03-ep28]: A New Recyclable Material Developed at UM
This week on "Science at the UM": Sylvain Caillol, a researcher at the Charles Gerhardt Institute in Montpellier, talks to us about a new material that could revolutionize the plastics industry. In the second half of the program, we return to Cemipai with Aymeric Neyret, who discusses exotic viruses. Finally, Jean-Louis Respaud, a researcher at Licem, presents the Market Law Day conference. A program co-produced with Divergence FM and broadcast every Wednesday at 6 p.m. on 93.9.
To kick off the week, here’s a little riddle for you. What do a skateboard, a wind turbine blade, certain types of industrial flooring, an airplane, and even costume jewelry have in common?
- Similarity #1: They are made of composite plastic. As the name suggests, composite materials consist of at least two different types of materials. In the case of plastics, this most often—though not exclusively—involves epoxy resin combined with fiberglass.
- Similarity number 2: composite plastics perform better than non-composite plastics.
- Similarity number 3: Unlike plastics, they are not recyclable.
- Commonality number 4: They capture the full attention of our guest today, who has taken on a huge challenge: turning their commonality number 3 into commonality number 5.
Plastics, and more specifically epoxy thermosets, are now recyclable.
Joining us in the studio is Sylvain Caillol, a researcher at ICGM ( the Charles Gerhardt Institute of Montpellier ), whose work was published on April 12 in the prestigious journal *Science*.
Read the article:
In the second half of the program, we return to Cemipai, the Center for Infectious Diseases and Anti-Infective Pharmacology, once again with Sébastien Lyonnais, who is joined this week by virologist Aymeric Neyret.
Our guest for the final three minutes is Jean-Louis Respaud, an associate professor of private law at the School of Law and Political Science, director of the Master’s 2 program in Private Economic Law, and a researcher at Licem. He is organizing the “Market Law Day” conference on June 7 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the School of Law and Political Science.
At UM Science, you’ve got the program—let’s get started!
Co-production: Divergence FM / University of Montpellier
Host: Lucie Lecherbonnier
Interview: Aline Périault / Lucie Lecherbonnier
Reporting and editing: Lucie Lecherbonnier / Aline Périault
Directed by: Tom Chevalier / Alice Rollet
Tune in to the show “A l’UM la science” on Divergence FM 93.9
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