Michelin renews R&D effort at ‘future materials modelling’ centre

Clermont-Ferrand, France – The Simatlab public-private research laboratory by Michelin Group and the Clermont-Ferrand Chemical institute (ICCF), is renewing its works on modelling future materials for another four years. 

Created in May 2017, SimatLab was set up to speed up the design of new materials, the ability to model them and simulate their behaviour.

The lab’s initial goal was to establish a multi-scale approach, from atomic to macroscopic scale, to interpret the properties of polymer materials based on their structure and behaviour at the atomic scale.

In this new phase of partnership, the laboratory is integrating new partners and widening its areas of research to the medical and hydrogen fields, Michelin announced 27 Oct.

As part of the extended project, the CHU de Clermont-Ferrand [university hospital] becomes the laboratory’s new academic partner alongside a new multi-disciplinary team of chemists, physicists, pharmacists, and mathematicians.
 
SimatLab is also implementing a new pilot structure to host associate members from outside the academic world. 

The entity will allow for working on ad-hoc research subjects, carried out by industrial third parties, including SMEs or large groups. 

Michelin expects the unique structure to increase the laboratory’s research capacities by generating “a cross-fertilisation of subjects” and allowing future partners to be identified.
 
The lab will offer a varied range of services including simulation and data-driven technologies to assist the development of innovative materials.