Habilitation à dirger des recherches de Claire Pirm

Habilitation à diriger des recherches de Claire Pirim - laboratory PhLAM

Abstract :

This HDR memoir outlines the scientific trajectory I have developed since my first published work. Since my appointment in 2014 at the University of Lille, my research has focused on interdisciplinary molecular physics with applications in environmental science and the broader universe.

n relation to the environment, my work explores the physical properties, chemical reactions, evolution, and characterization of particles or molecules involved in atmospheric processes from a physico-chemical perspective, utilizing both commercial and custom-built instrumentation. The research aims to understand processes occurring in the condensed phase and at the solid-gas interface. To achieve this, we characterize aerosol surface composition and nanostructure, as well as study the mechanisms by which efficient atmospheric ice nucleators operate and the factors driving their activity. We have developed an extensive integrated approach that combines sample collection methods with multi-technique analyses and advanced statistical treatment of datasets. This robust analytical framework has made a significant contribution to the European PEMs4Nano project and demonstrates how laboratory-based research can support European policy initiatives. The themes of decarbonation and energy transition, are addressed through the lens of gas hydrate technology. We investigate the formation conditions of gas hydrates in natural environments and their potential industrial applications for carbon capture and storage, as a means of recovering natural gas, and to desalinate seawater. We created a novel analytical method that employs micro-Raman spectroscopy, reinforced by a reliable methodology, to extract both qualitative and quantitative parameters crucial for evaluating the performance of gas hydrates in different applications. Within the framework of the European project Interreg2seas: Carbon2Value, we successfully performed experiments and collected performance data on CO₂ capture from a flue gas analog through the Hydrate-Based Separation Process.

Finally, we have expanded our research activities into paleo-environmental applications. We developed a unique setup capable of micrometer-resolution analyses of microfossils using a laser-based, low-fragmentation scheme for organic compound identification (HR-L2MS). This novel instrument holds significant potential for the microanalysis of space-returned samples or microfossils. This instrument has been successfully used to explore sedimentary archives, and gain insights into the organic inventory and biomarkers that help constrain the co-evolution of life and the environment on early Earth. In the meantime, HR-L2MS was used to investigate the organic inventory of carbonaceous chondrite meteorites, while the combined application of HR-L2MS and vibrational spectroscopy yielded valuable insights into their thermal history and the properties of interstellar carbon dust analogs produced by dielectric barrier discharge. This success led to the submission of a collaborative proposal to the France 2030 PEPR program, which was selected for funding (2023-2029). This funding will enable us to design and develop a unique, very high-resolution two-step laser desorption-ionization mass spectrometry instrument (µL2-vHR-MS) to help get key insights into meteorites, space return samples, and sedimentary archives.