After obtaining a DEA in Instrumentation and Advanced Analysis and starting his career in the French Ministry of Education, François Delattre defended his doctoral thesis in 2003, entitled “New fluorescent sensors based on β-cyclodextrin incorporating the pyridinoindolizinic unit. Synthesis, characterisation and inclusion study”. He joined the Organic Synthesis and Environment Laboratory (now the CS team at UCEIV) in 2006 as a Assistant Professor. In 2017, he defended his HDR entitled “Contributions to the development and study of supramolecular systems. Applications of fluorescence spectroscopy to environmental analysis” and became Professor in 2019.

He was Director of Studies for the Master 1 ACCIE from 2006 to 2016 and Director of the ULCO Chemistry Department from 2014 to 2022. He is currently Deputy Director of the MTE research cluster. His research activities focus on the following themes :

• Fluorimetric analysis of analytes of environmental interest

    Since 2006, he has been working with the Analytical Photochemistry Laboratory at Cheik Anta Diop University in Dakar, analysing fluorescent plant protection products using spectrometry and molecular modelling. The experience gained has been extended to the Flemish region with the PEPPAZU project (Perception et Evaluation des Produits Phytosanitaires dans l’Air en Zone périUrbaine – Perception and Evaluation of Plant Protection Products in the Air in Peri-urban Areas), which involved determining plant protection products in the air in cultivation sites located close to homes, as well as a societal study of the perception of agricultural activities by the residents of these residential areas.

• Biomass recovery and sonochemical processes

This theme is at the service of applied and territorial research in line with the objectives of the bioeconomy and Rev3 targets. In this context, François Delattre is working in collaboration with the Flandre Maritime flax industry, with the support of the HdF region and the CCHF. The work focuses on the development of new bio-based composite materials incorporating flax fibres, flax gum and an isosorbide-based resin. In addition to the introduction of polysaccharides as reinforcement, the originality of the work carried out also lies in the use of acoustic cavitation (ultrasound) for both organic synthesis and fibre processing. The development of ultrasonic processes has been scaled up with the design of two semi-pilot reactors dedicated to refining flax fibres and extracting flax gum. In terms of funding, this work is strongly supported by the HdF region and by local authorities, which has led to the signing of a framework agreement between ULCO and the Communauté de Communes des Hauts de Flandre.

It is also working on the ultrasonic synthesis of catalysts for the catalytic reforming and methanation of carbon dioxide, as well as the synthesis of MXenes for the development of hydride battery systems.