High Throughput Experimentation Center

Accelerating the discovery of photo-induced processes for molecular and materials chemistry

As part of the MatLight project, the University of Haute-Alsace is establishing a cutting-edge high-throughput experimentation (HTE) center dedicated to exploring innovative chemical reactions with applications across diverse fields, including health, advanced materials, and polymers. The HTE center operates under the scientific leadership of the LIMA Laboratory (Dr. Nicolas Blanchard), and is managed by Dr. Laura Marchand, a Research Engineer.

What is high-throughput experimentation?

High-throughput screening (HTE) is a transformative technology widely adopted in the chemical industry and by several academic research centers, particularly in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland. In France, notable HTE laboratories include REALCAT at the École Centrale de Lille and the HTE facility at the CEA in Saclay. HTE enables the parallel exploration of reaction conditions in both heterogeneous and homogeneous phases. By leveraging multi-well plates, researchers can efficiently investigate various combinations of conditions, reagents, additives, catalysts, ligands and solvents within a single plate, significantly reducing the time required for optimization.

What about the HTE center at the University of Haute-Alsace?

In Mulhouse, our platform features an advanced automated solid dispensing robot, the Chronect XPR by Mettler-Toledo, programmed to precisely weigh solid reagents directly into multi-well plates. Automating this step ensures reliable and reproducible data while freeing researchers from repetitive and labor-intensive tasks. The Chronect XPR operates within a dual MBraun glovebox system, maintaining an inert atmosphere and preventing external contamination. Once the solid reagents are dispensed, the multi-well plates are sealed and transferred to a second glovebox for the addition of liquid components, such as reagents and solvents. After securely sealing the plates, they are moved to conventional fume hoods for chemical reactions under a variety of activation methods.

 

The HTE center offers specialized modules for conducting photochemical reactions using LED plates and traditional thermal reactions with vertical stirrers and heating blocks. Reaction mixtures are analyzed using a Waters UPLC/MS single quadrupole system, with results processed by dedicated software for intuitive visualization.

The extensive analytical data generated by the HTE center can be further utilized in collaboration with laboratories specializing in artificial intelligence, enabling rapid optimization of reaction processes.

 

 

Overall, the miniaturization enabled by the HTE center helps researchers save materials, energy, and costs. By generating reliable and robust data, the platform serves as an ideal hub for advancing the integration of chemistry and data science.

This state-of-the-art facility supports research contracts and fosters collaborations with both academic institutions and industrial partners. Furthermore, it provides students with invaluable opportunities to engage with cutting-edge technologies, equipping them with the skills and knowledge to shape the future of scientific research.