CRT CATAR
Biomass transformation – Agromolecule Functionnalization – Analytical Engineering – Bio-based Materials – Biomolecules
The Component presentation
The experts at CATAR specialize in the scientific and technological valorization of agricultural and forestry products and co-products, offering tailored studies to support the successful development of your projects.
Affiliated with the Laboratory of Agro-Industrial Chemistry (UMR 1010 – Toulouse INP), CATAR focuses on chemical valorization pathways for agricultural and forestry biomass. Backed by the expertise of more than 60 researchers and equipped with advanced technological resources, the platform conducts trials from laboratory scale to pre-industrial scale.
Fields of expertise
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Plant-based chemistry, fractionation and transformation of plant biomass
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Research and development of products composed of active ingredients and ingredients with controlled biodegradability
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Development of fully plant-based or composite materials and shaping processes
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Fine chemistry, total or partial synthesis of agro-molecules
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Dyes and pigments
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Flavors and lipochemistry
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New raw materials for industrial use, traditional crops
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Development of specific analytical methods
Analytical engineering
Physical, Chemical, Mechanical, and Thermal Characterization of Raw Materials and Agro-products; High-Tech Analytical Platform for Monitoring and Characterizing Agro-products; Sensory Analysis; Environmental Analysis
Agro-refining
The pre-treatment and conditioning of plant material are accessible through numerous high-capacity technological tools. Various equipment allows for the extraction and purification of agro-molecules at the pilot scale. Industrial-scale pilot tools for extraction, transformation, and shaping are available for the production of agro-materials and agro-products.
Reactivity of agro-molecules
Reactivity of Agro-molecules: Development and optimization of innovative chemical transformation processes of agro-molecules for the creation of new building blocks.
Success stories - Graine de pastel
This project focused on the development of fractionation and analysis of woad proteins. The proteins, isolated using an original method, were found to have interesting cosmetic activity for delaying the effects of skin aging. Following protein extraction work carried out on the iconic plant of Midi-Pyrénées, Graine de Pastel filed a patent in 2012 for the anti-aging properties of woad (patent number 1254122). This patent received the INPI Innovation Award in 2012.