The Advanced Characterization Platform (PCA), coordinated and hosted by the Michel-Eugène Chevreul Institute, provides the essential characterization techniques for the study of molecules and condensed matter. The platform benefits from the internationally recognized expertise and scientific support of the institute’s research units and staff. It has been officially certified as a University of Lille platform since 2020. The platform is composed of 10 divisions:

Equipped with highly sophisticated instruments, the platform represents a total investment  of more than €47 million and an average annual operating budget of about €800,000. Some of its instruments are certified by national research infrastructures such as Infranalytics (FR 2054 CNRS) for NMR and EPR, the European infrastructure EUSMI (European Soft Matter Infrastructure), and the RéGEF network (French Geochemical and Experimental Network) for the Electron Microscopy Division (PMEL). Since 2024, the Ultrafast Spectroscopy Division and the Magnetism and Electron Magnetic Resonance Division have been part of the ULTRAFAST and OPERANDO/PROTOTYPING infrastructures established within the framework of the PEPR LUMA program.

The platform’s areas of expertise are extremely diverse and include, in particular, the study of molecules and condensed matter, chemical, structural, or microstructural analyses of samples, as well as materials characterization under controlled environments.

The platform is open to academic and collaborative research and offers an environment conducive to developing partnerships and innovative multi-technique studies.

The Advanced Characterization Platform also relies on the support services of the Chevreul Institute.