From carbon nanomaterial surface chemistry to multifunctional catalysts for sustainable chemical transformations

This manuscript, submitted in support of my Habilitation à Diriger des Recherches, presents my research on carbon materials and heterogeneous catalysis, from the control of nanocarbon structure and surface chemistry to the design of multifunctional catalytic systems. The first part examines the influence of dimensionality, defects, and heteroatom localization on the structure and properties of carbon nanotubes, graphene nanoflakes, and graphene quantum dots. The second part focuses on the role of carbon supports and multiscale architectures in controlling metal dispersion, accessibility, active-phase formation, and stability. The third part extends this approach to bifunctional catalysts, whose performance relies on the spatial and kinetic coupling of complementary functions. These studies demonstrate that catalytic behavior depends not only on composition, but also on the location, accessibility, interactions, and evolution of active sites. These principles now provide the basis for my research program on biosourced, platinum-group-metal-free carbon electrocatalysts for sustainable chemical and energy conversion. Finally, this manuscript presents my scientific project for the coming years at the Institut Jean Lamour, together with my current teaching activities and future educational perspectives within the framework of the Junior Professorship (Chaire de Professeur Junior, CPJ) that I hold at the University of Lorraine.

The defense will take place before the following jury:

• Prof Sylvie BEGIN-COLIN, Professor, ICPEES UMR 7515, University of Strasbourg – CNRS (Reviewer)
• Prof Nathalie JOB, Professor, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Liège (Reviewer)
• Dr Nicolas BRUN, CNRS Research Director, ICGM UMR 5253, University of Montpellier – CNRS (Reviewer)
• Dr Alexander SACHSE, CNRS Research Scientist (HDR), IC2MP UMR 7285, University of Poitiers – CNRS (Examiner)
• Prof Alain CELZARD, Professor, IJL UMR 7198, University of Lorraine – CNRS (Examiner)
• Dr Vanessa FIERRO, CNRS Research Director, IJL UMR 7198, University of Lorraine - CNRS (Examiner, Scientific Mentor)

The defense will be followed by an informal reception