Ce travail de thèse a été réalisé dans le cadre du projet de l'ANR DEMETHER lancé en 2011. L'objectif du projet était d'élaborer un matériau composite d'origine bio-sourcée pour l'isolation thermique des bâtiments existants. Ces biocomposites sont constitués de broyats de tiges de tournesol liés par une biomatrice à base de chitosane. Mon travail s'est concentré essentiellement sur la caractérisation et la modélisation des propriétés mécaniques des broyats et du biocomposite. La première phase du travail a permis de mettre en évidence l'influence de la zone de prélèvement des échantillons dans la tige ainsi que celle de l'humidité relative sur le module d'Young. Une approche statistique a également permis de prendre en considération le caractère diffus des tiges sur leurs propriétés mécaniques. Par la suite, un travail d'homogénéisation basé sur la morphologie et les caractéristiques des constituants de l'écorce a conduit à une estimation des propriétés élastiques globales de celle-ci. La deuxième phase du travail a permis de caractériser mécaniquement le biocomposite en compression par une méthode de mesures de champs sans contact développée au laboratoire. Le caractère hétérogène des champs de déformation a ainsi été directement relié aux constituants et au taux de chitosane.

The tradition of using naturally occurring plant fibers is still alive in Africa. In the Uíge province of northern Angola, bast fibers from Triumfetta cordifolia serve as the basis for everyday objects, such as baskets, mats, fishing nets, and traditional clothing. The fibers exhibit a Young’s modulus of 53.4 GPa and average tensile strength of 916.3 MPa, which are comparable to those of commercial kenaf fibers. These values indicate a high potential for use as a reinforcement in biocomposites. Based on this promising mechanical and physical profile of individual fibers, different biocomposites were produced with polylactide (PLA) as a matrix. The obtained composites were analyzed mechanically, physically, and visually. Unidirectionally arranged PLA/33% T. cordifolia composites with continuous fibers showed the highest Young’s modulus (10.79 GPa ± 1.52 GPa) and tensile strength (79.37 MPa ± 14.01 MPa). These composites were comparable to those of PLA/30% hemp composites (10.9 GPa and 82.9 MPa, respectively) and therefore have economic potential.

While composite structures exhibit exceptional strength and weight saving possibilities for engineering applications, sometimes their overall cost and/or material performance can limit their usage when compared to conventional structural materials. Meanwhile ‘biocomposites’, composite structures consisting of natural fibers (i.e. bamboo fibers), display higher cost efficiency and unique structural benefits such as ‘sustainability’. This analysis will determine if the integration of these two different types of composites are beneficial to the overall structure. Specifically, the structure will consist of a one internal bamboo veneer biocomposite ply; and two external carbon fiber weave composite plies surrounding the bamboo biocomposite. To acquire results of this study, the hypothesized composite structure will consist of varied trapezoidal corrugated specimens and tested in uniaxial compression loading. Thereafter, this test data will be used to ultimately design, manufacture, and test a structural biocomposite/composite box, intended to carry extremely high compressive loads; relative to its own weight. A finite element analysis of this test will be used to validate experimental data. After running the experiment, the carbon fiber with bamboo test sample results were compared to that of only carbon fiber test sample. The carbon fiber samples resulted in a maximum compressive load difference of only 23% higher loads when compared to the carbon fiber with bamboo, on average. These findings are discussed throughout.

Solution combustion synthesis (SCS) with its origin at IPC department of IISc has been widely practiced for synthesis of oxide materials. It is simple and low cost process, with energy and time savings that can be used to produce homogeneous, high purity, uniformly doped, nano crystalline ceramic powders. The powders characteristics such as crystallite size and surface area are primarily governed by enthalpy, flame temperature of combustion, fuel and fuel to oxidizer ratio ( F/O). In the present work an attempt has been made to investigate the process in order to exercise a control over the phase formation and nature of the product. Initial part of the work deals with the effect of fuel to oxidizer ratio on the powder properties of binary oxides with urea as fuel. The variation of adiabatic flame temperatures are calculated theoretically for different F/O ratios according to thermodynamic concept and correlated with the observed flame temperatures. Difference in the measured flame temperature and theoretical flame temperature in the fuel rich region is explained on the basis of incomplete combustion model. The effect of decomposition temperature difference of fuel and oxidizer, solubility of reactants on exothermicity of combustion reaction taking aluminiumnitrate system for various fuels is investigated. The effect of mixed fuel approach is studied by using the urea-glycine mixed fuel system using aluminium nitrate as oxidizer and employed for successful synthesis of the gamma alumina. Further Compaction behavior of SCS nano ceramic powders is studied by using Universal testing machine and the effect of F/O ratio, on agglomeration strength, aggregation strength of powder is investigated. Very few reports can be found on usage of SCS ceramic powder for biomaterial applications. By using these investigations a pyroxene series Diopside (CaMgSi2O6) silicate material is synthesized by SCS. Effect of different fuels on Diopside (DP) phase formation is investigated. Finally the DP and DP-ZnO composites, made by using Uniaxial hot pressing are investigated for their antibacterial, cytocompatibility properties. Antibacterial activity of E.Coli bacterium of Diopside powders was dose dependent type. Results of the bioactivity investigations shown flattened MC3T3 mouse osteoblast cells and MC C2C12 Myoblast cells and linkage bridges formed between them on Diopside and DP-ZnO surfaces show cyto compatibility and MTT results showed that percentage of ZnO needs to be tailored between 0-10 in order to achieve maximum cytocompatibility coupled with antibacterial property.

Tesis por compendio / [ES] Es evidente cómo el aumento de la concienciación medioambiental respecto al uso de materiales poliméricos de origen petroquímico o plásticos de un único uso ha cambiado por completo el panorama de los materiales poliméricos, desde el punto de vista de su concepción o de su uso. Durante el desarrollo de esta tesis doctoral se ha abarcado varias alternativas con el fin de obtener materiales nuevos, que no tengan solo un bajo impacto ambiental, sino también que posean propiedades competitivas al compararlos con materiales convencionales, además de que su elaboración no conlleve un cambio drástico con respecto a las tecnologías existentes en la actualidad. Es por eso por lo que el objetivo principal de esta tesis doctoral se centra en el desarrollo y caracterización de nuevos materiales con un alto rendimiento medioambiental a partir de matrices termoplásticas como el poli(ácido láctico) (PLA) y matrices termoestables como resinas epoxi con un contenido parcial o total de origen natural. Además del uso de rellenos y fibras de origen natural. / [CA] És evident com l'augment de la conscienciació mediambiental respecte a l'ús de materials polimèrics d'origen petroquímic o plàstics d'un únic ús ha canviat per complet el panorama dels materials polimèrics, des del punt de vista de la seua concepció o del seu ús. Durant el desenvolupament d'aquesta tesi doctoral s'han tingut en compte diverses alternatives amb la finalitat d'obtindre materials nous, que no tinguen només un baix impacte ambiental, sinó també que posseïsquen propietats competitives en comparar-los amb materials convencionals, a més de que la seua elaboració no comporte un canvi dràstic respecte a les tecnologies existents en l'actualitat. És per això, per la qual cosa l'objectiu principal d'aquesta tesi doctoral se centra en el desenvolupament i caracterització de nous materials amb un alt rendiment mediambiental a partir de matrius termoplàstiques com el àcid polilàctic (PLA) i matrius termoestables com a resines epoxi amb un contingut parcial o total d'origen natural. A més de l'ús de reforços i fibres d'origen natural. / [EN] It is remarkable how the increase in environmental awareness regarding the use of polymeric materials of petrochemical origin or single-use plastics has completely changed the scenario of polymeric materials development and use. This doctoral thesis has proposed several alternatives in order to obtain new materials with low environmental impact and competitive properties to conventional materials. In addition to the fact that their elaboration does not entail a drastic change respect to existing technologies. Therefore, the main objective of this doctoral thesis focuses on developing and characterizing new materials with a high environmental performance from thermoplastic matrices such as poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and thermosetting matrices such as epoxy resins with a partial or total content of natural origin. In addition to the use of fillers and fibers of natural origin. / This research work was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (MICIU) project numbers RTI2018-097249-B-C21 and MAT2017-84909-C2-2-R. D.L. thanks Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) for the grant received through the PAID-01-18 program. / Lascano Aimacaña, DS. (2022). Fabricación y caracterización de materiales compuestos de alto rendimiento medioambiental derivados de resinas ecológicas y refuerzos de fibras naturales y estructuras híbridas [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/185886 / TESIS / Compendio