MERYT project aims to build an accurate, complex and multi-technical absolute chronological model for the Egyptian Old Kingdom (~3000-2400 BCE), through an integrated approach bringing together all the analytical criteria of Egyptology, Archaeology and Archaeometry. As part of an interdisciplinary approach to integrative archaeology, it addresses two major issues: 1) To develop a definitive chronological framework of the Egyptian Old Kingdom, reign by reign, by building a statistical model reconciling Egyptological and analytical data; 2) To adapt the 14C IntCal calibration curve considering the specific environmental conditions in Egypt in order to make the 14C dating method more competitive for this geographical area. Supported by the Ifao archaeometry department and a consortium of Egyptologists, archaeologists, archaeometers, curators, physicists and statisticians, this project involves seven research units (Ifao, Orient&Méditerranée, Monaris, APC, LAPTH, MNHN, LMC14) and is divided into four investigation axes. Historical: for each of the ca. 30 reigns, we will re-evaluate all available chronometric evidence from archaeological, historical and textual sources in order to identify all the reign certificates and assess their reliability. Confronted with recent archaeological fieldwork, these data will make it possible to establish different possible relative chronological schemes. Archaeometrical: a database of more than hundred 14C dates will be compiled on samples from archaeological sites currently excavated and collected in a closed context. These analyses will be carried out in the only operating dating laboratory in Egypt, for which the project leader is responsible. Beyond "dating", the challenge will also be to ensure that the analyzed sample is consistent with the associated archaeological event. To do this, we will above all focus on sampling "good" specimens and clearly identifying the associated archaeological context. 14C dating will be the main analytical technique involved in the project, but all archaeometrical fields will be mobilized. Methodological: a major challenge will be to check the applicability of the 14C IntCal13 calibration curve to Egypt and, if necessary, to determine regional offsets. Possible observed discrepancies to IntCal could indeed be explained by seasonal variations in the 14CO2 content in the atmosphere, linked to the particular environmental conditions caused by the annual flooding of the Nile before the construction of the High Dam. To identify these possible offsets, we will first assess the residual 14C ratio of botanical specimens conserved in the MNHN Herbarium, collected during the French military expedition in Egypt in 1798-1801, whose year and location of harvest are documented. We will extend this study to Graeco-Roman and Arabic papyri whose year of writing is mentioned in the text, in order to estimate whether the differences observed in the 19th century were constant over time. Statistics: all the heterogeneous constraints (relative and absolute) deduced from the three previous axes will finally be combined in a strong chronological model based on a solid statistical formalism. Entirely produced by the MERYT consortium, this final model will simulate ages densities and precise estimates of their uncertainties for each reign of the Old Kingdom. MERYT will set the first absolute holistic chronology of the Egyptian Old Kingdom, reaching a consensus between Egyptologists and archaeometrists. Its impact will go far beyond Egyptology but will also, in the long term, affect our chronological knowledge of eastern Mediterranean civilizations of the 3rd millennium, largely based on Egyptian chronology, strongly highlighting the contribution of analytical and modelling approaches to archaeological research.

We will build a European research consortium on novel magnetocaloric materials based on self-organized and strongly interacting magnetic nanoparticle (MNP) assemblies; namely, supercrystals. It is an inter-disciplinary and cross-sector R&D project combining concepts and techniques from chemistry, physics and device engineering with active participations from SME partners. Both experimental and theoretical approaches will be employed to build foundational knowledge of the magneto-caloric phenomena in supercrystals and to enhance their performance. Successful building of consortium and the securing of research funding will allow development of radically new magnetocaloric materials that are eco-friendly and abundant, giving head-start advantages to European and French R&D communities working in the energy-efficiency and refrigeration technology sectors. The application possibility of novel magnetic refrigeration technology is large; spanning from micro-electronics, medical (organ) preservation, to air-conditioning efficiency improvements. These targets echo focus areas announced by the European Commission’s H2020 Work Programme of Societal Challenge 3 “Secure, Clean and Efficient Energy.” Our immediate goal is to build a coherent and successful project to be submitted to the next and the only FET-Proactive call (Area 4: New technologies for energy and functional materials) of 2016-2017 Work Programme of Horizon 2020 in April 2016. However, the foundational and interdisciplinary character of MACALONS will allow its submission to subsequent FET-OPEN in September 2016, if necessary.

Magnetic hyperthermia consists in converting electromagnetic power into heat by applying an external AC magnetic field to an assembly of magnetic nanoparticles. A very localized temperature rise is then observed, which can be useful in medicine or chemistry, especially catalysis. However, although very promising, this technique is not mature yet and, in order to be developed and extended, some fundamental aspects must be clarified. In particular, the role of nanoparticle concentration and thereby of the dipolar interaction has to be investigated in a systematic way. The NanoHype project implements a global approach, from multiscale theory to innovative experiments, aiming at understanding how to control and optimize the temperature profile within magnetic nanoparticle assemblies of different shapes and concentrations. To achieve these goals, the consortium gathers the complementary skills of 4 partners from academia and industry. PROMES coordinates the project and is in charge of the theoretical, analytical and semi-analytical developments. MONARIS provides the samples and ensures their high-quality and structural characterization. ICMPE is in charge of the numerical Monte Carlo and micromagnetic simulations as well as the AC magnetic susceptibility measurements. Finally, KAPTEOS SAS, a high-tech company specialized in electromagnetic measurements in extreme environments, provides an original experimental device for this field of application in order to obtain the specific absorption rate of the samples, resolved both time and spatially resolved. By putting together in a synergetic way these fields of expertise, NanoHype brings to the community a fine understanding of magnetic hyperthermia processes, from the nanoscale to the assembly scale, with measurements allowing an unprecedented temporal resolution. Our ultimate goal is to build robust and useful models for future developments in hyperthermia by relying on accurate and original measurement methods.

Photodesorption (photon induced desorption) from ices has been suggested as a major (non-thermal) desorption process explaining the observations of molecules in the cold interstellar medium. The determination of photodesorption yields from interstellar ice analogues has been the subject of many studies in the last decade, however, the mechanisms explaining the desorption are still poorly understood. In this collaborative project, the groups at Sorbonne University (Paris, France) and at Hochschule Hannover University (Hannover, Germany) combine and share their respective expertise to shed new insight onto the photodesorption dynamics of ices. We propose a truly novel experimental approach by using the 3D-velocity map imaging (VMI) method for the analysis of the photodesorption from ices (VMICES: velocity map imaging from ices). Irradiation of condensed CO, N2, NO and H2O ices with photons in the range between 7-14 eV (VUV-laser or synchrotron radiation) will lead to desorption of molecules or fragments for which the velocity and angular distributions will be measured for the first time. This approach will be crucial to explain the photodesorption of many species in space. Covering interest areas such as astrophysics, reaction dynamics, surface science and laser design, the transdisciplinary nature of this proposal is also apparent in the team’s composition, with the French group based in Physics, while the German group consists of chemists based in Mechanical Engineering. The expertise within the two groups in complementary: The Paris group has a highly successful track record of studying photodesorption on ices at temperatures of just a few Kelvin. The Hannover group is one of 5 worldwide to have developed a VMI spectrometer for surface studies, capable of determining the speed of desorbing fragments in 3 dimensions independently, and hence extract angular distributions.It is precisely the capability of measuring angular distributions which, when added to the Paris setup, allows one to make the otherwise challenging distinction between different photodesorption mechanisms from ices. For example, electrostatic repulsion, energetic photochemical channels or momentum transfer channels are all likely to have different angular signatures in their desorption channels, but would otherwise be difficult to disentangle based on the kinetic energy distribution alone. The groups have already collaborated in a previous 2-year French-UK project (PRC CNRS/Royal Society) in which a first velocity map imaging apparatus has been simulated and designed. Crucially, in this project, the so-called SPICES-VMI setup will be completed, tested, and employed for experiments ranging from photodesorption experiments on ices (some grown on graphene) to desorption of small organic chiral molecules using circularly polarised light, which are likely desorbed showing different angular signatures, thus making full use of the VMI capability. This project will hence offer great training in 2 countries for a PhD student who will contribute to our better understanding of the abundance of small molecules observed in interstellar space.

The recent decades have shown that nanocrystals (NCs) can play an important role in a lot of different fields such as biology, catalysis, and magnetism. From a sustainable point of view it is necessary to limit the use of rare metal (platinum, palladium etc..) as catalyst. Due to their low cost and low toxicity, cobalt NCs and their derivatives are appealing materials. However, to gain valuable electronic and chemical properties, a careful design of the nano-object is required, i.e. its shape, size, phase and composition. In several industrial domains, the production of nanomaterials used as catalysts in fuel cells, batteries, etc.. needs to be improved. This calls for a better understanding of their structure at the atomic level in relation with their properties, not only in vacuum, but also in real conditions. Nevertheless, despite important research efforts in the field of colloid chemistry, the understanding of the growth mechanisms of nanomaterials is still incomplete, because of i) the impossibility of directly visualizing dynamical processes at the nanoscale in liquids, ii) the complexity of the chemicals reaction itself due to the number of components and of the role of the chemical byproducts. Therefore, the influence of the physical and chemical parameters (concentration of precursors, time of reaction, temperature, role of organic ligands…) are still in debate. At the same time, modern studies of nanoscale materials are being revolutionized by in-situ and operando characterization. Indeed, it is now possible to follow in real-time the reactivity and evolution of nanomaterials in response to chemical, thermal, mechanical, or electrical stimuli i.e, in operando conditions, but also the growth of NCs in solution or the atomic structure of NCs in liquids. These cutting-edge techniques (E-TEM, NAP-XPS, in situ STM) should lead to advanced understanding of the mechanisms of nanomaterials synthesis with functional properties, e.g. nanoalloys or core-shell nanoparticles. Thus the aim of this project is to study in situ the nucleation and growth process of metallic and bimetallic NCs, and their further reactivity in paradigmatic reactions, starting from a very simple one-pot synthesis of metallic hcp cobalt NCs recently patented.