L’objectif de ce travail consiste à développer un nouveau potentiel SMTB-Q, puis à l’incorporer dans un code de dynamique moléculaire (DM) afin d’étudier les premiers stades de l’oxydation de l’aluminium. Le potentiel peut modéliser les différents polymorphes de l’alumine ainsi qu’une transition de la phase amorphe vers une phase cristalline. Notre approche couple un terme covalent avec la charge. Il utilise le schéma de Rappé et Goddard pour la partie électrostatique et le modèle du réseau alterné de C. Noguera pour la partie covalente. Le potentiel SMTB-Q obtenu est validé par une approche Monte Carlo. Nous y présentons les outils utilisés pour l’optimisation du potentiel ou analyser les résultats obtenus pour les situations hétérogènes. Cette étude permet de montrer que le potentiel SMTB-Q donne une description satisfaisante de la liaison Al-O dans différentes configurations atomiques. Cette liaison résulte de la compétition entre trois contributions énergétiques : électrostatique, covalente et répulsion de Pauli entre les oxygènes. Après son incorporation dans le logiciel LAMMPS, le potentiel SMTB-Q est utilisé en DM pour l'étude d'oxydes à stœchiométrie constante. Les transitions de phases de l’alumine sont étudiées sous haute pression et en température. Le problème du changement de stœchiométrie de l’oxyde est traité à partir de l'étude de diverses structures de différentes stœchiométries. Nous introduirons la liaison métallique dans le potentiel. La superposition des liaisons iono-covalentes et métalliques sera étudiée pour des systèmes métal/oxyde. Enfin, nous discuterons du formalisme du potentiel SMTB-Q face au changement de stœchiométrie dans l’oxyde. / The goal of this work is to develop a new SMTB-Q potential in order to study the early stages of the oxidation of aluminium by molecular dynamics (MD).Our potential is able to model different alumina polymorphs as well as transitions from the amorphous state to a crystalline phase. Our approach couples a covalent term with the charge. It uses Rapp_ and Goddard scheme for the electrostatic part and the model of alternating network developed by C. Noguera for the covalent part.The SMTB-Q potential was validated with a Monte Carlo approach. This study shows that the potential SMTB-Q gives satisfactory results for the Al-O bonding in different atomic configurations. The bonding results from the competition between three energy contributions: electrostatic, covalent and Pauli repulsion between the oxygens.After implementation in the LAMMPS software, the potential SMTB-Q is used to study by DM constant stoichiometry oxides. Alumina phase transitions are observed under high pressure and temperature. We also introduce the metallic bonding in the potential. The superposition of the iono-covalent and metallic bonds was investigated for metal / oxide systems. Finally, we discuss the formalism of the SMTB-Q potential to take into account the change of stoichiometry in the oxide.

This dissertation has focused on studying the effect of four glycine derivatives on the solid state properties of mannitol, glycine, and sucrose when freeze dried into blended mixtures. The primary goal was to assess their value for use in the stabilisation of vaccines in the solid state, by examining key physical and chemical characteristics, which have been documented to be beneficial to the stabilisation of biopharmaceutical formulations. The novel excipients; dimethyl glycine, and trimethyl glycine, were shown to retard the crystallisation and increase the overall glass transition temperature, of mannitol, when freeze dried as evidenced by DSC and Powder X-ray diffraction. Mannitol’s glass transition temperature increased from 100C to 12.650C and 13.610C when mixed with methyl-glycine and dimethyl glycine respectively. The glycine derivatives did not show the same effect on sucrose which remained amorphous regardless of the concentration of the other excipient. The different behaviour with the sucrose system was thought to be due to relatively high glass transition temperature of sucrose. Conversely glycine remained highly crystalline due it’s relatively low glass transition temperature. The novel excipient formulations were also assessed for their effect on the aggregation of the adjuvant aluminium hydroxide when freeze dried by Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS).The formulations containing the glycine derivatives all caused a decrease in the aggregation size of the adjuvant from ~26 μm, to 185 nm in the presence of methyl glycine. The effects of lysozyme and viral antigen on the adjuvants were also examined showing that the addition of the virus did not affect the size of the aggregates formed, however lysozyme showed significant decreases in the aggregates formed. Examination of the freezing method were also made showing that faster freezing rates produced smaller aggregates of the adjuvant. When investigating the rate at which the excipients lost water during secondary drying there was evidence of the formation of hydrates of glycine, trimethyl glycine, and mannitol has shown that the glycine derivatives have attributes which would be beneficial in stabilising vaccines in the solid state when freeze dried.

This dissertation has focused on studying the effect of four glycine derivatives on the solid state properties of mannitol, glycine, and sucrose when freeze dried into blended mixtures. The primary goal was to assess their value for use in the stabilisation of vaccines in the solid state, by examining key physical and chemical characteristics, which have been documented to be beneficial to the stabilisation of biopharmaceutical formulations. The novel excipients; dimethyl glycine, and trimethyl glycine, were shown to retard the crystallisation and increase the overall glass transition temperature, of mannitol, when freeze dried as evidenced by DSC and Powder X-ray diffraction. Mannitol’s glass transition temperature increased from 100C to 12.650C and 13.610C when mixed with methyl-glycine and dimethyl glycine respectively. The glycine derivatives did not show the same effect on sucrose which remained amorphous regardless of the concentration of the other excipient. The different behaviour with the sucrose system was thought to be due to relatively high glass transition temperature of sucrose. Conversely glycine remained highly crystalline due it’s relatively low glass transition temperature. The novel excipient formulations were also assessed for their effect on the aggregation of the adjuvant aluminium hydroxide when freeze dried by Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS).The formulations containing the glycine derivatives all caused a decrease in the aggregation size of the adjuvant from ~26 μm, to 185 nm in the presence of methyl glycine. The effects of lysozyme and viral antigen on the adjuvants were also examined showing that the addition of the virus did not affect the size of the aggregates formed, however lysozyme showed significant decreases in the aggregates formed. Examination of the freezing method were also made showing that faster freezing rates produced smaller aggregates of the adjuvant. When investigating the rate at which the excipients lost water during secondary drying there was evidence of the formation of hydrates of glycine, trimethyl glycine, and mannitol has shown that the glycine derivatives have attributes which would be beneficial in stabilising vaccines in the solid state when freeze dried. / Stabilitech Ltd. and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).