The research in our group deals with the reproducible preparation of transition metal nanoparticles of controlled size and their applications in polyphasic catalysis. Metal nanocatalysts, generally defined as particles between 1 and 10 nm in size, are obtained by the bottom-up approach and one of the crucial parameters during their preparation to obtain reproducible properties remains their stabilization.
The originality of our chemistry relies on the synthesis in water of colloidal suspensions which could directly be used in biphasic liquid-liquid systems or to deposit nanoparticles on inorganic, magnetic or mesoporous supports. The catalyst recycling is particularly studied.
Metallic nanoparticles in solution
During the last years, our laboratory has gained an expertise in the preparation and the stabilization of aqueous suspensions of metallic nanoparticles by quaternary ammonium surfactants, modified cyclodextrins or nitrogen ligands. These colloidal suspensions have proved to be active catalysts for various catalytic reactions: arenes hydrogenation (Rh, Ir, Ru), the tandem dehalogenation/hydrogenation reaction (Rh, Pd), the carbon-carbon coupling reaction (Pd) or the asymmetric hydrogenation of activated ketones (Pt).
Deposit of metallic nanoparticles on support
We have also developed a clean and easy methodology based on simple impregnation to deposit metallic nanospecies on inorganic supports (SiO2, TiO2). Two methodologies could be applied: the wet or dry (fluidized bed) impregnations. These materials have proved to be very active for arene hydrogenation and their application to the degradation of organic pollutants from aqueous effluents is under current investigation.
Moreover, we have prepared nanoparticles on mesoporous supports by a surfactant-assisted method and the materials are active catalysts for arene hydrogenation.
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Metal nanoparticles in water, a relevant toolbox for green catalysis in « Nanoparticles in Catalysis: Advances in Synthesis and Applications » (Eds A. Roucoux, K. Philippot), Wiley-VCH ISBN 978-3-527-34607-3 A. Denicourt-Nowicki, N. Mordvinova, A. Roucoux To be published in sept. 2020 |
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Novel and sustainable catalytic ruthenium-doped glass foam for thermocatalytic oxidation of volatile organic compounds: an experimental and modeling study A. Lejeune, A. Cabrol, R. Lebullenger, A. Denicourt-Nowicki, A. Roucoux, A. Couvert, P-F. Biard Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 2020, 59, 33, 14758–14766 (doi: 10.1021/acs.iecr.0c02447) |
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Multigram scale-up of the selective hydrogenation of α-pinene with ruthenium nanoparticles in water M. Duval; S. Navarre, G. Sagorin, A. Denicourt-Nowicki, A. Roucoux ACS Sustainable Chem. Eng., 2020 ,8, 15, 5985-5993 (doi: 10.1021/acssuschemeng.0c00650) |
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Nanoparticules d’oxydes métalliques supportées sur des mousses de verre et/ou de vitrocéramique et leur utilisation en catalyse hétérogène en phases gazeuse et/ou liquide A. Roucoux, A. Denicourt, P. F. Biard, A. Couvert, R. Lebullenger, A. Cabrol, A. Lejeune. Fr Demande, N° 2001127 du 5 feb. 2020. |
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Development of a sustainable heterogeneous catalyst based on an open-cell glass foam support: application in gas-phase ozone decomposition A. Lejeune, A. Cabrol, R. Lebullenger, A. Denicourt-Nowicki, A. Roucoux, A. Szymczyk, A. Couvert, P-F. Biard ACS Sustainable Chem. Eng., 2020, 8, 2854-2864 (doi10.1021/acssuschemeng.9b06950) |
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Catalytic oxidation processes for the upgrading of terpenes: State-of-the-art and future trends A. Denicourt-Nowicki, M. Rauchdi, M. Ait Ali and A. Roucoux Catalysts, 2019, 9 (11), 893 (doi.org/10.3390/catal9110893) |
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Ruthenium trichloride catalyst in water: Ru colloids versus Ru dimer Characterization investigations A. Lebedeva, B. L. Albuquerque, J. B. Domingos, J-F. Lamonier, J-M. Giraudon, P. Lecante, A. Denicourt-Nowicki, A. Roucoux Inorg. Chem. 2019, 58, 4141−4151 (DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.8b03144) |
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Novel access to verbenone via ruthenium nanoparticles-catalyzed oxidation of a-pinene in neat water M. Rauchdi, M. Ait Ali, A. Roucoux and A. Denicourt-Nowicki Appl. Catal. A, General , 2018, 550, 266–273 (Doi.org/10.1016/j.apcata.2017.11.016) |
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Active hydrogenation Rh nanocatalysts protected by new self-assembled supramolecular complexes of cyclodextrins and surfactants in water N.T. T. Chau, S. Menuel, S. Colombel-Rouen, M. Guerrero, E. Monflier, K. Philippot, A. Denicourt-Nowicki and A. Roucoux RSC Adv., 2016, 6, 108125–108131 (DOI: 10.1039/c6ra21851b) |
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Odyssey in polyphasic catalysis by metal nanoparticles A. Denicourt-Nowicki, A. Roucoux The Chemical Record, 2016, 16, 2127-2141 (doi: 10.1002/tcr.201600050) |
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Water Soluble Polymer-Surfactant Complexes-Stabilized Pd(0) Nanocatalysts: Characterization and Structure-Activity Relationships in Biphasic Hydrogenation of Alkenes and α,β-Unsaturated Ketones B.L. Albuquerque, A. Denicourt-Nowicki, C. Mériadec, J. B. Domingos, A. Roucoux J. Catal., 2016, 340, 144–153 (http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jcat.2016.05.015) |
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Magnetically retrievable Rh(0) nanocomposite as relevant catalyst for mild hydrogenation of functionalized arenes in water C-H. Pélisson, A. Denicourt-Nowicki, A. Roucoux ACS Sustainable Chem. Eng.,2016, 4, 1834−1839 (DOI: 10.1021/acssuschemeng.6b00045) |
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Efficient catalytic ozonation by ruthenium nanoparticles supported on SiO2 or TiO2. Towards the use of a non-woven fiber paper as original support. P-F. Biard, B. Werghi, I. Soutrel, R Orhand, A. Couvert, A. Denicourt-Nowicki, A. Roucoux, Chem. Eng. J., 2016, 289, 374-381 (doi:10.1016/j.cej.2015.12.051) Corrigendum Chem.Eng. J., 2017, 315, 639 |
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Toluene total oxidation over Pd and Au nanoparticles supported on hydroxyapatiteD. Chlala, M. Labaki, J-M. Giraudon, O. Gardoll, A. Denicourt-Nowicki, Alain Roucoux, J-F. Lamonier C. R. Chimie, 2016, 19, 525-537 (doi:10.1016/j.crci.2015.07.015) |
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Experimental and theoretical evidences of the influence of hydrogen bonding on the catalytic activity of a series of 2-hydroxy substituted quaternary ammonium salts in the styrene oxide/CO2 coupling reaction. C. Carvalho Rocha, T. Onfroy, J. Pilmé, A. Denicourt-Nowicki, A. Roucoux, F. Launay, J. Catal, 2016, 333, 29–39 (DOI: 10.1016/j.jcat.2015.10.014) |
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Highly selective cycloalkanes oxidation in neat water with Ruthenium nanoparticles |
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Magnetically recoverable Palladium(0) nanocomposite as pertinent catalyst for hydrogenation reactions in water |
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From hydroxycetylammonium salts to their chiral counterparts. A library of efficient stabilizers of Rh(0) nanoparticles for catalytic hydrogenation in water |
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Nanoparticules métalliques supportées sur support en mousse de verre et utilisations pour la catalyse de réactions chimiques |
2014
Simple procedure for vacant POMs-stabilized Palladium (0) nanoparticles in water: structural and dispersive effects of lacunary polyoxometalates
R. Villanneau, A. Roucoux, P. Beaunier, D. Brouri and A. Proust
RSC Adv., 2014, 4, 264591-26498 (DOI: 10.1039/C4RA03104K)
Tunable hydroxylated surfactants: An efficient toolbox towards anisotropic gold nanoparticles
M. G. Angelo da Silva, M. R. Meneghetti, A. Denicourt-Nowicki and A. Roucoux
RSC Adv., 2014, 4, 25875-25879 (DOI: 10.1039/C4RA03550J)
Calcium Trifluoroacetate as an Efficient Catalyst for Ring opening of Epoxides by Amines under Solvent-free Conditions
R. Outouch, M. Rauchdi, B. Boualy, L. El Firdoussi,a A. Roucoux, M. Ait Ali
Acta Chim. Slov., 2014, 61, 67-72
Cyclodextrin-based systems for the stabilization of metallic(0) nanoparticles and their versatile applications in catalysis
S. Noël, B. Léger, A. Ponchel, K. Philippot, A. Denicourt-Nowicki, A. Roucoux, E. Monflier
Catal.Today, 2014, 235, 20-32 (DOI:10.1016/j.cattod.2014.03.030)
Am
monium surfactant-capped Rh(0) nanoparticles for biphasic hydrogenation in Metal Nanoparticles for Catalysis: Advances and Applications
A. Denicourt-Nowicki, A. Roucoux
Franklin (Feng) Tao (Ed.), Royal Society of Chemistry, 2014, 99-111
Asymmetric Allylic Alkylation, O. Baslé, A. Denicourt-Nowicki, C. Crevisy, M. Mauduit in Copper-
catalyzed Asymmetcric Synthesis Chapter 4, p85-125, Eds A. Alexakis, N. Krause, S. Woodward, Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, January 2014
2013
β-Cyclodextrins grafted with chiral amino acids: a promising supramolecular stabilizer of nanoparticles for asymmetric hydrogenation ?
N. T. T. Chau,J.-P. Guégan, S. Menuel, M. Guerrero, F. Hapiot, E. Monflier, K. Philippot, A. Denicourt-Nowicki, Alain Roucoux
Applied Catalysis A: General, 2013, 467, 497-503 (DOI: 10.1016/j.apcata.2013.08.011)
Efficient RutheniumNanocatalysts in Liquid-Liquid Biphasic Hydrogenation Catalysis: towards a Supramolecular Control via a Sulfonated Diphosphine / Cyclodextrin Smart Combination
M. Guerrero, Y. Coppel, N. T. T. Chau, A. Roucoux, A. Denicourt-Nowicki, E. Monflier, H. Bricout, P. Lecante, K. Philippot
ChemCatChem, 2013, 5, 3802-3811(DOI: 10.1002/cctc.201300467)
New and tunable hydroxylated driving agents for the production of tailor-made gold nanorods
M. G. Angelo da Silva, M. R. Meneghetti, A. Denicourt-Nowicki and A. Roucoux
RSC Adv., 2013, 3, 18292-18295 (DOI:10.1039/C3RA42949K)
Advances in methylated β-cyclodextrins-capped ruthenium nanoparticles: synthesis strategies, characterization and application in hydrogenation reactions
N. T. T. Chau, S. Handjani, J.-P. Guegan, M. Guerrero, E. Monflier, K. Philippot, A. Denicourt-Nowicki, A. Roucoux,
ChemCatChem, 2013, 5, 1497-1503 (DOI: 10.1002/cctc.201200718)
From hydroxyalkylammonium salts to protected-Rh(0) nanoparticles for catalysis in water: comparative studies of the polar heads
C-H. Pélisson, C. Hubert, A. Denicourt-Nowicki, A. Roucoux
Topics in catalysis, 2013, 56, 1220-1227 (DOI 10.1007/s11244-013-0088-0)
Special issue « Metal nanocatalysts in solution: characterization and reactivity », B. Chaudret, M. Gomez, K. Philippot (Eds)
About the Use of Rhodium Nanoparticles in Hydrogenation and Hydroformylation reactions
M. Guerrero, N. T. T. Chau, S. Noël, A. Denicourt-Nowicki, F. Hapiot, A. Roucoux, E. Monflier, K. Philippot
Current Organic Chemistry, 2013, 17(4), 364-399 (DOI 10.2174/1385272811317040006)
Special issue « Nanoscale Catalysts as Tools for Synthesis », Martin Prechtl (Ed.)
Metal nanoparticles in neat water for catalytic applications
A. Denicourt-Nowicki, A. Roucoux
in Nanomaterials in Catalysis, 2013, p 55-95
Ph Serp and K. Philippot (Eds.), Wiley-VCH, Weinheim.
2011-2012
Cyclodextrins as growth controlling agents for enhancing the catalytic activity of PVP-stabilized Ru(0) nanoparticles
R. Herbois, S. Noel, B. Leger, L. Bai, A. Roucoux, E. Monflier, A. Ponchel.
Chem. Commun., 2012, 48, 3451-3453 (DOI: 10.1039/C2CC17355G
)PTA-stabilized ruthenium and platinum nanoparticles: characterization and investigation in aqueous biphasic hydrogenation catalysis
P.-J. Debouttière,Y. Coppel, A. Denicourt-Nowicki, A. Roucoux, B. Chaudret, K. Philippot
Eur. J. Org. Chem., 2012, 5301-5306 (DOI: 10.1002/ejoc.201200479)
Chiral Ammonium Capped-Rh(0) nanocatalysts : Synthesis, Characterization, and Advances in Asymmetric Hydrogenation in Neat Water
E. Guyonnet Bilé, E. Cortelazzo-Polisini, A. Denicourt-Nowicki, R. Sassine, F. Launay, A. Roucoux
ChemSusChem, 2012, 5, 91-101 (DOI: 10.1002/cssc.201100364) – Special Issue “Green Chemistry by Nanocatalysis”, V. Polshettiwar; J-M. Basset, D. Astruc (Edts),
Alkyl sulfonated diphosphines-stabilized ruthenium nanoparticles as efficient nanocatalysts in hydrogenation reactions in biphasic media
M. Guerrero, A. Roucoux, A. Denicourt-Nowicki, H. Bricout, E. Monflier, K. Fajerwerg, K. Philippot
Catal.Today, 2012, 183, 34-41 (DOI 10.1016/j.cattod.2011.09.012)
Moving from surfactant-stabilized aqueous rhodium (0) colloidal suspension to heterogeneous magnetite-supported rhodium nanocatalysts: synthesis, characterization and catalytic performance in hydrogenation reactions.
C.-H. Pelisson, L. L. R. Vono, C. Hubert, A. Denicourt-Nowicki, L. M. Rossi, A. Roucoux
Catal.Today, 2012, 183, 124-129 (DOI 10.1016/j.cattod.2011.08.046)
N-donor ligands based on bipyridine and ionic liquids: an efficient partnership to stabilize rhodium colloids. Focus on oxygen-containing compounds hydrogenation
A. Denicourt-Nowicki, B. Léger and A. Roucoux
Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys.,2011, 13, 13510-1351
New ammonium surfactant-stabilized Rh(0) colloidal suspensions : Influence of novel counter-anions on physico-chemical and catalytic properties
E. Guyonnet Bilé, R. Sassine, A. Denicourt-Nowicki, F. Launay and A. Roucoux
Dalton Trans., 2011, 40, 6524-6531
Rh(0) colloids supported on TiO2 : a highly active and pertinent tandem in neat water for the hydrogenation of aromatics
C. Hubert, E. Guyonnet Bilé, A. Denicourt-Nowicki and A. Roucoux
Green Chem., 2011, 13, 1766-1771
Tandem dehalogenation-hydrogenation reaction of halogenoarenes as model substrates of endocrine disruptors in water: Rhodium nanoparticles in suspension vs on silica support
C. Hubert, E. Guyonnet-Bilé, A. Denicourt-Nowicki, A. Roucoux
Applied Catalysis A, 2011, 394, 215-219
Using Click Chemistry to Access Mono- and Ditopic ß-Cyclodextrin Hosts Substituted by Chiral Amino Acids
D. Ngan Tran, C. Blazkiewicz, S. Menuel, A. Roucoux, K. Philippot, F. Hapiot, E. Monflier.
Carbohydrate Research, 2011, 346, 210-218
Chemically modified cyclodextrins as supramolecular tools to generate carbon-supported ruthenium nanoparticles: an application towards gas phase hydrogenation
F. Wyrwalski , B. Léger , C. Lancelot , A. Roucoux, E. Monflier, A. Ponchel
Applied Catalysis A, 2011, 391, 334-341
 Students Office |
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GC/MS West Lab |
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HPLC & GC
orcid.org/0000-0002-3283-8241 Alain Roucoux was born in Valenciennes (North of France) in 1963. He received his Ph.D. degree from the University of Lille in 1992 under the supervision of Professor A. Mortreux in the field of the asymmetric hydrogenation catalysis. In 1993, he joined the teaching staff of the Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Rennes (ENSCR) before becoming Assistant-Professor (Maître de Conférences) in 1994. In 2001, he received his Habilitation and was promoted Professor in 2003. Since 1997, he develops the synthesis of noble metal nanoparticles in water for polyphasic catalysis. He manages the Nanocatalysis group of the Organometallics: Materials & Catalysis Team (UMR CNRS 6226) – He is the author of more 100 international scientific publications (h=33 with one paper in Chem. Rev. 2002 > 1700 times quoted), 7 book chapters and 11 patents. He is co-Editor of the book entitled « Nanoparticles in Catalysis: Advances in Synthesis and Applications » Wiley-VCH, to be published in oct. 2020. (update Scopus 07/2020)
Audrey Denicourt-Nowicki obtained her PhD degree from the University of Lille under the guidance of Dr F. Agbossou-Niedercorn and Pr A. Mortreux (2003). After working as a post-doctoral fellow with Pr C. Moody at the University of Exeter (United Kingdom), she joined the Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Rennes (UMR CNRS 6226, Institut des Sciences Chimiques de Rennes) as a senior lecturer in 2004. Her research interests include the synthesis of metal nanoparticles, either in solution or on support, for applications in polyphasic catalysis. She is author of 61 publications (h=24), 6 book chapters and 2 patents. (update 02/2020)
- Marion DUVAL
Ph.D student 2017-2020 – CIFRE thesis, DRT support
Terpenes chemistry - To be recruited
Post-doc position/Research Engineer – Starting oct. 2020 for 12 months – SOLVAY support
Innovative processes for the oxidation of hydrocarbons - Natalia MORDVINOVA
Post-doc student – November 2018 – May 2020 – SOLVAY support
Innovative processes for the oxidation of hydrocarbons - Clement GEDEON
Master student – January 2020 – July 2020 – SATT Ouest Valorisation support
PhD Students
- Anastaisia LEBEDEVA – Ph.D defense in 2017 dec – French ministry support
- Mariem RAUCHDI – Ph.D defense in 2017 dec – PHC Toubkal support – ENSCR /Univ of Marrakech
- Brunno LANGE ALBUQUERQUE – Ph.D student 2014-2015 in ENSCR – Brasilian mobility support – University of Santa Catarina, Florianopolis
- Monique ANGELO DA SILVA – PhD defense in Brasil July 2014 – CAPES-COFECUB program – UFAL / ENSCR
- Carl-Hugo PELISSON – PhD Defense in 2013 dec – Brittany support
- Elodie BILE-GUYONNET – PhD defense in 2012 Jan – ANR support
- Claudie HUBERT- PhD defense in 2010 – Brittany support
- Bastien LEGER- PhD defense in 2007 – IFPEN support
- Vincent MEVELLEC – PhD defense in 2005 – Brittany support
- Jürgen SCHULZ – PhD defense in 2000 – CNRS support
Post-Doc and Engineer members
- Audrey CABROL & Antoine LEJEUNE
Research Engineers – Maturing project April 2018 – April 2019 – SATT Ouest Valorisation support
Industrial and indoor air treatment by catalytic oxidation over glass foam support
Collaborative project with CIP (PF. Biard, A. Couvert) and V&C (R.Lebullenger) teams (ISCR-UMR 6226) - Zelia VERASTEGUI
Research Engineer – October 2018 – nov. 2019 – SOLVAY support
Selective hydrocarbons oxidation with Manganese species and others - Raïssa RAMSSAMY
Research Engineer – October 2018 – April 2019 – SOLVAY support
Development of new processes for aliphatic nitrile hydrogenation - Kana KUNIHIRO
Research Engineer – november 2017 / may 2018 – SOLVAY support
Development of new processes for the oxidation of hydrocarbons - Caroline GERNEZ
Research Engineer – october 2016 / april 2017 – SOLVAY support
Innovative processes for the oxidation of hydrocarbons - Thanh CHAU
Post-doc position – septembre 2011 /september 2012 – ANR support
Ruthenium and Rhodium nanoparticles stabilized with functional chiral cyclodextrins. Investigation in supramolecular asymmetric catalysis - Soraya HANDJANI
Post-doc position – septembre 2010 /september 2011 – ANR support
Development of Ruthenium nanoparticles stabilized with functional chiral cyclodextrins. Investigation in supramolecular catalysis - Cindy HERMAN
Research Engineer – December 2010 / May 2011 – ONIDOL support
Hydrogenation of fatty compounds in aqueous phase by supported Palladium nanoparticles - Aurélien BELLEC
Post-doc position – May 2010/Novembre 2010 – ONIDOL support
Feasability of the hydrogenation of fatty compounds in aqueous phase by metallic nanoparticles
Masters and others students
- Clement GEDEON (2020) – Univ. Rennes 1 – PhD Univ. Rennes
- Victor DEBOOS (2019) – INSA Rouen – PhD Univ. Lille
- Jason BEAUFREZ (2018) – ENSCR – PhD Univ. Caen
- Rebecca EL KHAWAJA (2017) – Lebanese University (EDST) – Pr M. Boutros collaboration – PhD thesis
- Valentin AUDEBERT (2017) – Univ. Rennes 1 – CIP team collaboration
- Pierre de la MOTTE ROUGE (2015) – Univ. Rennes 1 – ITGA (Environmental Services, Rennes)
- Robin CARDONNET (2014) – Univ. Rennes 1- OPEN group (Nantes)
- Yoann FARRE (2013) – ENSCR – PhD Univ. Nantes
- Clément BELLINI (2013) – ENSCR – R&D, ARKEMA
- Liege OLIVIERA BIESUZ (2012) – UFRGS, Brésil
- Pierre QUATREMARE (2012) – ENSCR – PhD Paris VI
- Elodie CORTELAZZO-POLISINI (2010) – ENSCR – Agrégation studies
- Romain CADIO (2009) – Univ. Rennes 1
- Danièle PRO (2008) – ENSCR – PhD ENSCR
- Yong ZHANG (2005) – Univ. Rennes 1
- Bastien LEGER (2004) – ENSCR – PhD ENSCR – Lecturer, Université d’Artois
- Vincent MEVELLEC (2002) – ENSCR – PhD ENSCR – R&D, ALCHIMER
- Christophe MATTIODA (2002) -ENSCR – PhD ENSCR
- Mathilde MERLO (2001) – Agence Française de Sécurité Sanitaire des Aliments – Maisons-Alfort
- Jean-Marie ORHAND (2000) – ENSCR
- Sébastien LEVIGNE (1999) -ENSCR – PhD Univ Nantes – French painter artist
- Hélène VIALLIS (1996) – Lecturer, Université de Nantes