1. Refractory pole Limoges - Orléans

2.  Two different engineering colleges (Ecole Nationale Supérieure) located in two different cities Polytech’Orléans ENSCI Limoges (National Engineering College for Industrial Ceramics) Orléans

3. Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Céramique Industrielle Created in 1893 in Limoges since 1979 National College for Engineering in Industrial Ceramics (Ministry of National Education)

4. Created in 1975 National network of university engineering schools (Ministry of National Education)

5.  Three teams affiliated to three different laboratories : - Research Centre for Materials at High Temperature (CRMHT Orléans), - Laboratory for Mechanics of Systems and Processes (LMSP Orléans), - Heterogeneous Materials Research Group (GEMH Limoges) associated by their common interest on refractories

6. The specificity of the French « Ecoles Nationales Supérieures » ( so called « Ecoles d’Ingénieurs ») Historically: - pupils with the best ability in science were selected after Baccalaureat, - after 2 years in specific schools of intensive formation in basic science, mainly Mathematics and Physics, the very best of them went to Ecole Nationale Supérieure after competitive examinations. Today: - the system still exists but is less selective than before because many students are not interested by scientific studies.

7. Position of the French « Ecoles Nationales Supérieures » in the European LMD system 18 years old Baccalauréat (Bac) 20-21 years old 23 -24 years old Engineer +2 +5 +826 -28 years old Doctorat PhD degree 6 semesters L level M level D level

8. 4 themes : General scientific training Materials Science Processing and Engineering Management training Languages (English + another language) ENSCI and Polytech’Orléans Master degree

9. ENSCI and Polytech’Orléans 1 st year : Semester 1 (September to February i.e. 16 weeks) Semester 2 (February to June i.e. 16 weeks) 2 nd year : Semester 3 (September to February i.e. 16 weeks) Semester 4 (February to April-May i.e. 6 weeks ENSCI i.e. 10 weeks Polytech’ Orleans) may to July :1 st Internship in industry : 2-3 months

10. ENSCI Master degree 3 rd year : Semester 5 Two possible options :1) ceramic materials and processing 2) engineering and production systems (beginning of September to end of January i.e. 16 weeks) Semester 6 February to April : research project 3 months May to September : 2 nd internship in industry 5 months

11. Polytech’Orléans Master degree 3 rd year : Semester 5 Two possible options :1) Numerical simulation in mechanics 2) Engineering of industrial materials (beginning of September to end of December i.e. 16 weeks) Semester 6 January to February : research project 2 months Mars to August : 2 nd internship in industry 4-6 months

12. ENSCI Exchanges with foreign Universities and companies (engineering students) Semester 3 - course work - University of Jaume 1 (Castellón, Spain) - University of Alfred (New York, USA) Semester 4 - 3 month internship in industry (May to July) - 40% of 2 nd year class in a foreign company Semesters 5 & 6 - coursework + project - RWTH Aachen Semester 6 - 3 month research project at a foreign University (examples: Keele, Aveiro, Penn State, Aachen, ICT Prague,…) Semester 6 - 4 month internship in a foreign company

13. ENSCI Financial support for student exchanges Outgoing students Universities: Europe: Erasmus + regional contribution, ENSCI travel grant, (MEN bursaries for national scholars) Total  1000 euros for 3 months Outside Europe: ENSCI travel grant + MEN bursaries for national scholars (not available for all students) + Foreign Universities contribution Companies: Europe: Leonardo Outside Europe:ENSCI travel grants, MEN bursaries for national scholars Incoming students - special arrangements for some Universities (ex: paid room or contribution to living expenses)

14. Semester 1 Semester 1 (1 st year) ModuleECTS General scientific training Mathematics Metrology Computing (I)10 Management training Communication3 Materials Science Solid state matter Characterisation of structures and microstructures Reactivity of heterogeneous systems (I) Physical properties of materials17 Languages English German, Italian, Spanish or Russian10 (end of semester 6)

15. Semester 2 Semester 2 (1 st year) ModuleECTS Management training Accounting1 Processing and Engineering Fluid mechanics Thermal treatments Geology and raw materials Grinding Engineering and production systems Visit of industrial sites (I)29 Languages English German, Italian, Spanish or Russian10 (end of semester 6)

16. Semester 3 Semester 3 (2 nd year) ModuleECTS General scientific training Computing (II) Statistics7 Management training Project in processing or materials science13 Materials Science Preparation of raw materials (liquid, paste, solid) Metals, polymers, composites Mechanical properties Visit of industrial sites (II)10 Languages English German, Italian, Spanish or Russian10 (end of semester 6)

17. Semester 4 Semester 4 (2 nd year) ModuleECTS Processing and Engineering Heterogeneous systems (II) Project management Visit of industrial sites15 Languages English German, Italian, Spanish or Russian10 (end of semester 6) Management training 1 st Internship in a company (3 months) 15

18. Semester 5 Semester 5 (3 rd year) ModuleECTS Management training Traineeship debriefing Company law and intellectual property Quality Safety Technological information and innovation search7 Materials Science and Processing Silicates Glass products Building materials Refractories Technical ceramics23 Languages English German, Italian, Spanish or Russian10 (end of semester 6) Option 1 & Option 2

19. Semester 6 Semester 6 (3 rd year) Option 1 : ceramic materials and processing ModuleECTS Materials Science and Processing Processes Simulation Materials Individual research project (3 or 5 months) 15 Languages English German, Italian, Spanish or Russian10 (end of semester 6) 2 nd Internship in a company (5 or 3 months) 15

20. Semester 6 Semester 6 (3 rd year) Option 2 : engineering and production systems ModuleECTS Engineering and production systems Production systems Automatics and industrial computing Group research project (3 months) 15 Languages English German, Italian, Spanish or Russian10 (end of semester 6) 2 nd Internship in a company (5 months) 15

21. Semester 1 Semester 1 (1 st year) ModuleECTS General scientific training Mathematics Electronics, automatism Energetics, thermics Computing16 Languages and communication 4 Materials Science Solid state matter Characterisation of structures and microstructures Mechanical properties4 Management training Management project Knowledge of companies8

22. Semester 2 Semester 2 (1 st year) ModuleECTS General scientific training Electrotechnic Mechanical engineering8 Communication and languages 4 Materials Science solidification Diagrams of phases and microstructures Céramics, Metals, polymers, composites Mechanical properties8 Management training Company law Accounting8

23. Semester 3 and 4 Semester 3 and 4 (2 nd year) ModuleECTS Management training 1 st Internship in a company (3 months) 3,511 Materials Science Simulation Processing and Engineering 17,5714 Languages Languages English German, Spanish7

24. Semesters 5 and 6 Semesters 5 and 6 (3 rd year) Option 1 : Engineering of industrial materials ModuleECTS Materials Science and Processing Processes Simulation Materials Individual research project (2 months) 1410,5 Management training Languages Languages English German, Spanish 93,5 2 nd Internship in a company (4 - 6 months) 23

25. Semesters 5 and 6 Semesters 5 and 6 (3 rd year) Option 2 : Numerical simulation in mechanics ModuleECTS Mechanics and Processing Calcul of structures Simulation and Processes Non linear mechanics Individual research project (2 months) 1410,5 Management training Languages Languages English German, Spanish 93,5 2 nd Internship in a company (4 - 6 months) 23

26. Staff of the refractory pole Permanent staff: - 6 professors - 4 associated professors - 3 associated researchers PhD students: - 11 PhD students

27. Research topics: physico-chemical behaviour of refractories (Jacques POIRIER) Interaction between aggressive products (liquid oxides, liquid metals, gas…) and ceramic refractories: - influence of macro and microstructure - mechanism of corrosion - in situ observation of refractory lining Experimental device Corrosion test Microstructures after corrosion

28. Examples of studies: - corrosion of andalusite and bauxite refractories by Al 2 O 3 – CaO and SiO 2 – CaO liquids - phase evolution with temperatures in andalusite raw material - ceramic protection for carbon fibber fabric for heating element in oxidizing atmosphere - dense SnO 2 based coating for protection of refractory against corrosion by melt glass. Research topics: physico-chemical behaviour of refractories

29. Influence of microstructure and temperature on the Young’s modulus (measured by ultrasonic techniques) and on the tensile and compressive behaviour of industrial refractories (for steel or glass industries) and model materials Research topics: mechanical characterisation of refractories (Marc HUGER) Influence of the in-situ formation of MgAl 2 O 4 on the evolution of Young’s modulus of aluminate castable: (1) without MgAl 2 O 4 ; (2) with preformed MgAl 2 O 4 ; (3) with MgO content (spinel formation at about 1100°C) Damage evolution in an andalousite castable during thermal cycle

30. Example of studies: - high temperature mechanical behaviour of fused cast refractories - mechanical properties at high temperature of alumina spinel low cement castable - elastic behaviour of heterogeneous model materials with spherical inclusions Research topics: mechanical characterisation of refractories

31. Influence of microstructure on thermal properties of heterogeneous materials: - determination of thermal parameters necessary for numerical simulation - influence of grain boundary and pore shape - development of very porous ceramic materials for thermal insulation Research topics: thermal properties (David S. SMITH) Influence of porosity on the thermal conductivity of stabilized zirconia. Influence of the formation of a spinel phase on the dilatometric behaviour of an alumina based concrete. (1) Alumina concrete (2) + spinel (3) + MgO

32. Example of studies: - analysis of grain boundary thermal resistance in polycrystalline oxides (Al 2 O 3, SnO 2, MgO) - heat transfer in porous materials: influence of interface in stable and evolutive microstructures - local heat transfer near pores and grain boundaries in ceramic materials - preparation and characterisation of ceramic foams with very low thermal conductivity for insulating application Research topics: thermal properties

33. Modelling of solid structures and system for the prediction of their behaviour in product design and manufacturing (finite element method): - thermo-mechanical aspects - thermo-chemical aspects Research topics: numerical simulation of refractory behaviour (Alain GASSER) Crack initiation Simulation by finite element method of crack initiation in sliding plate gates during continuous steel casting Steel ladle simulation Mesh Temperatures Plastification Damage

34. Example of studies: - simulation accounting for thermo-mechanical and chemistry effects: application to impregnation of refractory by slag - development of finite element computing tools adapted to complex refractory structure containing thermal expansion joints, anchors, tubes, …: application to steel ladles - numerical analysis of the thermo-elastic behaviour of heterogeneous materials containing phases with difference of thermal expansion coefficient Research topics: numerical simulation of refractory behaviour

35. Free access of the equipments of the different laboratories for: - chemical analysis (ICP, EDX, …) - structural characterization (XRD) - microstructural characterization (mercury porosimetry, granulometer, optical and interferometric microscopes, SEM, TEM, …) - ceramic processing (rheometers, dryer, kilns (< 1800°C)…) - characterization of thermal behaviour (dilatometer, DTA, DTG, DSC, calorimeter, …) - material characterization (acoustic emission facilities, wear and friction tests…) General equipments

36. Specific equipments - For simulation of severe corrosion conditions (1700°C) - High temperature measurement of Young’s modulus by ultrasonic techniques (1700°C, controlled atmosphere) - High temperature tensile-compression equipment (1600°C) - Thermal diffusivity by the Laser Flash technique (1000°C) - Powerful work stations to perform simulation, and finite element software - Thermal shock test bench - IR microscope - High temperature tribometer (1000°C) - High temperature spectroscopies (NMR, EPR, Infrared, Raman, Brillouin, X-Ray absorption) - Contactless devices for analysis applied to molten systems (aerodynamic levitation)

37. Industrial partners Producers - IMERYS - SAINT GOBAIN - VESUVIUS - T.R.B.Users - EDF - TERREAL - ARCELOR - MESSIER BUGATTI - AIR LIQUIDE