Hybrid materials of inorganic-organic or biological character not only represent a new field of fundamental research in which the chemist's creativity can be fully expressed in the development of new materials, but also, thanks to their new and remarkable properties associated with their multifunctionality, they enable the emergence of innovative industrial applications in extremely varied fields.
In terms of applications, some organo-mineral hybrids or nanocomposites are at the prototype development stage, while others are already on the market. The number of hybrids and nanocomposites is growing all the time, and the few examples in this lecture represent only a small part of the field. Hybrid materials are already widely used in the development of functional coatings for anti-corrosion, anti-fouling, anti-scratch, anti-reflective, self-cleaning and decorative applications... Hybrids are flooding the fields of micro-optics, micro-electronics and photonics. Their use as dielectric layers, insulators and nanostructure formers is well underway. Printed circuits, microlenses, waveguides, photonic crystals and laser cavity mirrors are just a few examples. In the automotive sector, hybrid nanocomposites are incorporated in green tires, protection systems, reinforcements and lightweight structures. They help optimize the energy performance of vehicles, thereby reducing fuel consumption. Hybrid materials have also penetrated the fields of textiles, packaging, construction and heat and sound insulation. Some hybrids are also emerging in the energy sector, in the form of flexible batteries, hybrid photovoltaic cells and fuel cell membranes. Environmental sciences are benefiting from the development of hybrid materials in fields such as sensors and biosensors, catalysis and biocatalysis, separation, and selective membranes. In the field of medical and cosmetic applications, hybrids are being developed in dental implants and cements, hair and skin care and protection, prostheses, imaging and therapeutic vectors. Indeed, a scientifically interesting and socially important field is that of nano-probes and nano-vectors for biomedical applications. In particular, intelligent hybrid vectors hold great promise in the fields of magnetic and optical imaging, healthcare and local tumor treatment.
