SiKÉMIA
Today, technologies are evolving rapidly and there is a growing need to remove technological barriers to facilitate the development of leading-edge products, reduce our environmental impact and limit health and safety risks. This is particularly true in the field of advanced materials and, more specifically, surface treatments. Therefore, since 2009, SiKEMIA’s mission is to enhance the potential of materials and surface properties through the development of innovative chemical ligands and nanocoatings, thanks to its expertise in interfacial science and organic synthesis.
Laboratory Synthesis Equipment
To ensure our products meet the highest purity standards and to support our diverse organic synthesis and advanced surface engineering services, we maintain an extensive and varied inventory of materials and equipment. Our lab is equipped with fume hoods fully equipped with Schlenk-Techniques, classic synthesis glassware up to 10 liters, chromatography equipment, distillation systems, and rotary evaporators (KNF Lab, 3xBuchi). Additionally, we have ventilated ovens (Memmert UF 30 and UF 260), vacuum ovens (France Etuves C3000), a glove box (Sicco), a centrifuge (Beckman Coulter Allegra X-30), and a plasma system (Diener Pico PCCE).
Our in-house analytics capabilities include a 60 MHz NMR for 1H, 13C, and 19F (Magritek Spinsolve 60), an IR spectrometer (Perkin Elmer Spectrum 100), and a contact angle goniometer (GBX Digidrop). We also collaborate with the University of Montpellier for additional services such as 24-hour NMR, GC/LC-MS, BET, TGA, DSC, GPC, and mercury porosimetry.
With our process development and scale-up services, we provide a full-service solution for your bulk projects. By manufacturing commercial quantities at the kilogram scale, we streamline your sourcing process, eliminating the need for project transfers and delivering added value. Our lab is equipped with 20L and 50L reactors (Optimus Instrument, operating between -20°C and 180°C with a pressure range of -1 to +3 bars), a 15L filter (Optimus Instrument) and a 20L rotary evaporator (Heidolph HEi-VAP Industrial).
Our Expertise
Material functionalization involves modifying the surface of materials to impart specific properties or functions. This technique is widely used, from everyday products to advanced technological innovations. SiKÉMIA specializes in the development of linkers, molecular connectors designed to introduce specific surface properties such as hydrophobicity, hydrophilicity or antibacterial effects. These linkers also help improve the biocompatibility of materials, structure nanoparticles into complex assemblies, and enhance the mechanical, thermal, or electrical performance of composites.
With a broad range of linkers and tailored services, SiKÉMIA supports its clients in creating innovative materials with customized functionalities. The company also provides expertise in R&D through technological monitoring technological monitoring, service provision and advice.
Ethics, Sustainability & Quality
At SiKÉMIA, ethics are central to everything we do. Our team is built on gender equality, with an even split between women and men, creating an inclusive and collaborative workplace. We’re actively involved in research projects addressing major environmental challenges like eliminating PFAS, reducing greenhouse gases, and recycling rare earth materials. Over the past five years, we’ve contributed to three European-funded projects focused on these issues.
Sustainability is a cornerstone of our mission. Since 2021, we’ve supported EcoTree, playing a role in forest restoration and biodiversity conservation. So far, we’ve helped finance the planting of over 162 trees, demonstrating our dedication to responsible innovation and long-term environmental impact.
We are deeply committed to quality and continuous improvement. Starting at the end of 2023, we’ve been on a journey towards ISO 9001 certification. We’ve implemented a structured quality management system to optimize our processes, involving rigorous internal audits, process improvements, and compliance reviews to meet international standards. Our goal is to achieve certification by mid-2025, ensuring top-tier reliability and performance for our customers.
Looking ahead, we are dedicated to building on our strengths in ethics, sustainability, and quality. We will continue to push the boundaries in these areas to become even better at what we do. Our goal is to lead the way in sustainable surface engineering solutions, constantly innovating to address the evolving needs of our clients and the environment. We are committed to maintaining the highest ethical standards and ensuring top-tier quality in all our processes. We are eager to take on new challenges and projects that will further our mission and create a lasting positive impact.
