Actuellement produit à partir du pétrole, une voie de synthèse de l'acide acrylique (AA) à partir du glycérol est envisagée. Cependant, cet AA bio-sourcé contient davantage d'acide propionique (AP) que l'AA issu du propylène. Les techniques classiques de purification ne permettent pas de séparer les deux acides. Le diagramme de phases liquide-solide du binaire AA + AP est déterminé. Il présente un point eutectique à 25,65 % (mol) d'AA, un point péritectique à 50,00 % (mol) d'AA et donc, un large domaine dans lequel l'AA cristallise thermodynamiquement de façon pure. Les essais de purification en mode statique sur paroi froide affichent des résultats prometteurs, une efficacité de séparation correcte pour un rendement de 60 %. Afin d'améliorer les transferts de matière et de chaleur, des dispositifs en mode dynamique sont mis au point dont un cristallisoir en film tombant. Ce dispositif permet de multiplier par 2,8 la productivité, tout en conservant une bonne efficacité de séparation. Afin de diminuer la surfusion et de maintenir un bon transfert thermique malgré une couche cristalline relativement isolante, des surfaces de cristallisation micro- et milli-structurées sont envisagées. La productivité est encore améliorée et la modélisation du transfert thermique confirme ces résultats expérimentaux. Afin de se rapprocher des conditions industrielles, un brut synthétique de bio-AA est purifié. La cristallisation en milieu fondu permet de séparer toutes les impuretés testées. Enfin, un modèle de cascade de cristallisoirs fermés, avec recyclage des différentes phases, est proposé afin de dimensionner le procédé global. Les essais en conditions presque réelles et l'intensification du procédé de cristallisation permettent d'envisager sereinement la mise en oeuvre du procédé industriel / With a global market exceeding four million tons per year, acrylic acid (AA) is a major intermediate chemical. The current AA synthesis is based on propylene, which is produced from oil. Thus, a novel production route is envisioned, based on glycerol, a green byproduct of oleochemistry and biodiesel production. However, current crude biobased AA contains a higher proportion of PA than AA from petrochemical origin. Classical purification techniques of AA cannot efficiently separate these two chemicals. In a first part, liquid-solid phase diagram of the binary system AA + PA is determined. This liquid-solid equilibrium exhibits an peritectic behavior at 50.0% (mol) of AA, a eutectic point at 25.65% (mol) of AA and thus, this diagram is favorable to the purification of AA. First purification tests by static solid layer melt crystallization show promising results: a correct separation efficiency for a yield varying between 60 et 70 %. To improve heat and mass transfer, dynamic crystallization set-up are developed, including a falling film crystallizer. This set-up multiplies by 2.8 the productivity of purification, while keeping a good separation efficiency. To reduce supercooling and to keep a good heat transfer despite the crystalline layer which is a thermal insulator, micro-and milli-structured crystallization surface are considered. Productivity is further improved and heat transfer modeling confirms the experimental results. To be nearer to industrial conditions, synthetic crude bio-AA is purified. Melt crystallization can separate all the impurities which are present in the medium. To scale-up the overall process a cascade model of batch crystallizers with recycling of the differents phases, is proposed. The intensification of the melt crystallization process permits to consider the implementation of the industrial process

This thesis work deals with the volume changes during the solidification of cast irons and peritectic steels. The volume changes in casting metals are related to the expansion and/or contraction of the molten metal during solidification. Often, different types of shrinkage, namely macro- and micro-shrinkage, affect the casting quality. In addition to that, exposure of the metal casting to higher contraction or expansion during the solidification might also be related to internal strain development in samples, which eventually leads to surface crack propagation in some types of steel alloys during continuous casting. In consequence, a deep understanding of the mechanisms and control of the solidification will improve casting quality and production. All of the experiments during the entire work were carried out on laboratory scale samples. Displacement changes during solidification were measured with the help of a Linear Variable Displacement Transformer (LVDT). All of the LVDT experiments were performed on samples inside a sand mould. Simultaneously, the cooling curves of the respective samples during solidification were recorded with a thermocouple. By combining the displacement and cooling curves, the volume changes was evaluated and later used to explain the influence of inoculants, carbon and cooling rates on volume shrinkages of the casting. Hypoeutectic grey cast iron (GCI) and nodular cast iron (NCI) with hypo-, hyper- and eutectic carbon compositions were considered in the experiments from cast iron group. High nickel alloy steel (Sandvik Sanbar 64) was also used from peritectic steel type. These materials were melted inside an induction furnace and treated with different types of inoculants before and during pouring in order to modify the composition. Samples that were taken from the LVDT experiments were investigated using a number of different  methods in order to support the observations from the displacement measurements:  Differential Thermal Analysis (DTA), to evaluate the different phase present; Dilatometry, to see the effect of cooling rates on contraction for the various types of alloys; metallographic studies with optical microscopy; Backscattered electrons (BSE) analysis on SEM S-3700N, to investigate the different types of oxide and sulphide nuclei; and bulk density measurements  by applying Archimedes' principle. Furthermore, the experimental volume expansion during solidification was compared with the theoretically calculated values for GCI and NCI. It was found that the casting shows hardly any shrinkage during early solidification in GCI, but in the eutectic region the casting expands until the end of solidification. The measured and the calculated volume changes are close to one another, but the former shows more expansion. The addition of MBZCAS (Si, Ca, Zr, Ba, Mn and Al) promotes more flake graphite, and ASSC (Si, Ca, Sr and Al) does not increase the number of eutectic cells by much. In addition to that, it lowers the primary austenite fraction, promotes more eutectic growth and decreases undercooled graphite and secondary dendritic arm spacing (SDAS). As a result, the volume expansion changes in the eutectic region. The expansion during the eutectic growth increase with an increase in the inoculant weight percentage. At the same time, the eutectic cells become smaller and increase in number. The effect of the inoculant and the superheat temperature shows a variation in the degree of expansion/contraction and the cooling rates for the experiments. Effective inoculation tends to homogenize the eutectic structure, reducing the undercooled and interdendritic graphite throughout the structure. In NCI experiments, it was found that the samples showed no expansion in the transversal direction due to higher micro-shrinkages in the centre, whereas in the longitudinal direction the samples shows expansion until solidification was complete.   The theoretical and measured volume changes agreed with each other. The austenite fraction and number of micro-shrinkage pores decreased with increase in carbon content. The nodule count and distribution changes with carbon content. The thermal contraction of NCI is not influenced by the variation in carbon content at lower cooling rates. The structural analysis and solidification simulation results for NCI show that the nodule size and count distribution along the cross-sections at various locations are different due to the variation in cooling rates and carbon concentration. Finer nodule graphite appears in the thinner sections and close to the mold walls. A coarser structure is distributed mostly in the last solidified location. The simulation result indicates that finer nodules are associated with higher cooling rate and a lower degree of microsegregation, whereas the coarser nodules are related to lower cooling rate and a higher degree of microsegregation. As a result, this structural variation influences the micro-shrinkage in different parts. The displacement change measurements show that the peritectic steel expands and/or contracts during the solidification. The primary austenite precipitation during the solidification in the metastable region is accompanied by gradual expansion on the casting sides. Primary δ-ferrite precipitation under stable phase diagram is complemented by a severe contraction during solidification. The microstructural analysis reveals that the only difference between the samples is grain refinement with Ti addition. Moreover, the severe contraction in solidification region might be the source for the crack formation due to strain development, and further theoretical analysis is required in the future to verify this observation. / <p>QC 20170228</p>

Au cours de cette thèse, nous étudions la compétition entre les états onde de densité de charge (ODC) et supraconducteur dans le composé multi-bandes à deux chaines TTF[Ni(dmit)2]2. Nous avons réalisé des mesures de résistivité, de pouvoir thermoélectrique et de conductivité thermique sous pression hydrostatique jusqu’aux basses températures. A basse pression, deux ondes de densité de charge détectées par mesures de rayons X et observées par nos mesures de résistivité transverse sont associées aux bandes 1D LUMO et HOMOI de la chaine Ni(dmit)2. A 12kbar, la fusion de ces deux instabilités est associée à l’emboîtement des bandes LUMO avec les bandes HOMOI à travers le point Γ de la première zone de Brillouin. A 18kbar et sur un intervalle de 5-6kbar, on observe un pic de commensurabilité attribué au vecteur d’emboîtement commensurable 2kF = 1/3b*.La supraconductivité est observée à partir de 2kbar et jusqu’à 22kbar avec une température critique 0.6K qui augmente avec la pression et est corrélée à la variation des températures de transition ODC. La supraconductivité est associée à la bande 2D HOMOII du Ni(dmit)2. Les mesures de champ magnétique critique ont permis de donner des informations sur l’évolution de la texture de coexistence métal- ODC en fonction de la pression. Elles mettent aussi en évidence une supraconductivité non conventionnelle avec des nœuds dans le gap.Ces résultats nous ont permis de revisiter le diagramme de phase Température-Pression de ce composé qui s'est révélé beaucoup plus riche que ce qui avait été rapporté jusqu’à maintenant. / In this thesis, we studied the competition between charge density wave (CDW) and superconductivity in the 1D multiband compound TTF[Ni(dmit)2]2. Resistivity, thermoelectric power and thermal conductivity measurements have been performed under pressure and down to very low temperatures.At low pressure, two charge density waves, detected by X ray measurements and observed in our transverse resistivity measurements, are associated to the 1D bands LUMO and HOMO of the Ni(dmit)2 chains. At 12kbar, the fusion of those two CDWs is associated to the nesting of the LUMO bands with the HOMO ones through the Γ point of the Brillouin zone. At 18 and around 5-6kbar, we observe a commensurability pic due to the commensurate wave vector 2kF=1/3b*.From 2 to 22kbar, we observe a superconductive transition at a critical temperature 0.6K which grow with pressure and is correlated to critical temperature of CDW transition. The superconductivity is associated to the 2D band HOMOII of the Ni(dmit)2 chains. Measurements of the upper critical field gave information about the evolution with pressure of metal-charge density wave regions. They bring out the unconventional nature of the superconductivity and the presence of node in the gap.Thanks to those results, we obtained a more rich Temperature – Pressure phase diagram of the TTF[Ni(dmit)2]2 than the existing one.

A otimização de sistemas do tipo Ti-Si-X requer que os sistemas binários estejam constantemente atualizados. O sistema Ti-Si foi investigado experimentalmente desde a década de 50 e poucos estudos usaram os dados experimentais para calcular o diagrama de fases Ti-Si usando modelamento termodinâmico. A otimização mais recente do sistema Ti-Si foi realizada em 1998, descrevendo a fase Ti5Si3 como um intermetálico não estequiométrico contendo três sub-redes e mostrando a presença da fase intermetálica estequiométrica Ti3Si. Dada a recente disputa sobre a cinética de precipitação e a estabilidade das fases Ti3Si e Ti5Si3 nos sistemas Ti-Si e Ti-Si-X, o canto rico em titânio do sistema Ti-Si (estável e metaestável) foi otimizado no presente trabalho. Os limites de estabilidade de fases, os valores dos erros pelo método dos mínimos quadrados do procedimento de otimização e os desvios padrões relativos das variáveis calculadas foram discutidos para inspirar a realização de mais trabalhos experimentais para investigar as reações eutetóides estáveis e/ou metaestáveis, ?->? + Ti3Si e ?->? + + Ti5Si3; e para melhorar cada vez mais as otimizações termodinâmicas do diagrama de fases do sistema Ti-Si. / The thermodynamic optimization of Ti-Si-X systems requires that the binary systems are constantly updated. The Ti-Si system has been experimentally investigated since the 1950\'s and few investigations have used this experimental data to calculate the Ti-Si phase diagram using thermodynamic modeling. The most recent assessment of the Ti-Si system was performed in 1998, describing the Ti5Si3 phase as a non-stoichiometric intermetallic containing three sublattices and showing the presence of the stoichiometric Ti3Si phase. In the light of the dispute over the precipitation kinetics and stability of Ti3Si and Ti5Si3 phases in Ti-Si and Ti-X-Si systems, the present work assessed the Ti-rich corner of the stable (featuring Ti3Si phase) and metastable Ti-Si phase diagrams. The phase boundaries, the values of the error of the least-square method of the optimization procedure and the relative standard deviation of the calculated variables were discussed in order to inspire further experimental work to investigate the stable and/or metastable eutectoid reactions, ?->? + Ti3Si e ?->? +Ti5Si3, and to improve the thermodynamic assessments of the Ti-Si phase diagram.

Der erste Teil dieser Arbeit ist dem Kondogittermodell gewidmet. Für ein Elektron, das in einen ferromagnetisch gesättigten Hintergrund aus lokalen Spinmomenten eingebracht wird (ferromagnetisches Polaron), wird die stationäre Schrödingergleichung gelöst und das vollständige Eigenwertspektrum im endlichen und unendlichen Gitter abgeleitet. Danach wird die zeitabhängige Schrödingergleichung für beliebige Anfangsbedingungen gelöst und eine detaillierte Analyse des Down-Elektron-Zerfalls vorgenommen. Für endliche Bandfüllungen wird im Anschluss das magnetische Grundzustandsphasendiagramm mit Hilfe einer Molekularfeldtheorie bestimmt. Der Einfluss von Verdünnung/Unordnung im lokalen Momentensystem auf die auftretenden Phasen wird analysiert. Im zweiten Teil der Arbeit wird das Hubbardmodell untersucht. Für dieses wird mit Hilfe einer modifizierten Störungstheorie (englisch: modified perturbation theory, MPT) eine wellenzahlabhängige (nicht-lokale) Selbstenergie abgeleitet, die sowohl für schwache als auch für starke Coulombwechselwirkungen gute Ergebnisse liefert. Mit dieser werden dann Spektraldichten und Quasiteilchenzustandsdichten berechnet, wobei insbesondere die nicht-lokalen Korrelationseffekte im Fokus stehen. Daneben werden Ergebnisse für die optische Leitfähigkeit, die in einer renormierten diagrammatischen Ein-Schleifen-Näherung berechnet wurden, besprochen. Es wird dann gezeigt, dass nur unter Beachtung der nicht-lokalen Korrelationseffekte ein ferromagnetisches Phasendiagramm konstruiert werden kann, das in Einklang mit dem Mermin-Wagner-Theorem steht. / The first part of this work deals with the Kondo-lattice model. The stationary Schrödinger equation is solved for the case of one electron in a ferromagnetically saturated local moment system (the magnetic polaron). The complete eigensystem is derived for the finite and infinite lattice. The time-dependent Schrödinger equation is then solved for arbitrary initial conditions and a detailed analysis of the down-electron decay dynamics is given. For finite band occupations the magnetic ground-state phase diagram is constructed within a mean-field theory. The effect of disorder/dilution in the local moment system on the phase diagram is discussed. The second part concentrates on the investigation of the Hubbard model. A nonlocal self-energy is derived within a modified perturbation theory that interpolates between weak and strong Coulomb repulsion. Results for the spectral density and quasiparticle density of states are shown with special attention to the effects of nonlocal correlations. Results for the optical conductivity within a renormalized one-loop approximation are also discussed. The main result of this section is the importance of nonlocal correlations for the fulfillment of the Mermin-Wagner theorem. A phase diagram that shows regions of ferromagnetic order is calculated for the simple cubic lattice.

A otimização de sistemas do tipo Ti-Si-X requer que os sistemas binários estejam constantemente atualizados. O sistema Ti-Si foi investigado experimentalmente desde a década de 50 e poucos estudos usaram os dados experimentais para calcular o diagrama de fases Ti-Si usando modelamento termodinâmico. A otimização mais recente do sistema Ti-Si foi realizada em 1998, descrevendo a fase Ti5Si3 como um intermetálico não estequiométrico contendo três sub-redes e mostrando a presença da fase intermetálica estequiométrica Ti3Si. Dada a recente disputa sobre a cinética de precipitação e a estabilidade das fases Ti3Si e Ti5Si3 nos sistemas Ti-Si e Ti-Si-X, o canto rico em titânio do sistema Ti-Si (estável e metaestável) foi otimizado no presente trabalho. Os limites de estabilidade de fases, os valores dos erros pelo método dos mínimos quadrados do procedimento de otimização e os desvios padrões relativos das variáveis calculadas foram discutidos para inspirar a realização de mais trabalhos experimentais para investigar as reações eutetóides estáveis e/ou metaestáveis, ?->? + Ti3Si e ?->? + + Ti5Si3; e para melhorar cada vez mais as otimizações termodinâmicas do diagrama de fases do sistema Ti-Si. / The thermodynamic optimization of Ti-Si-X systems requires that the binary systems are constantly updated. The Ti-Si system has been experimentally investigated since the 1950\'s and few investigations have used this experimental data to calculate the Ti-Si phase diagram using thermodynamic modeling. The most recent assessment of the Ti-Si system was performed in 1998, describing the Ti5Si3 phase as a non-stoichiometric intermetallic containing three sublattices and showing the presence of the stoichiometric Ti3Si phase. In the light of the dispute over the precipitation kinetics and stability of Ti3Si and Ti5Si3 phases in Ti-Si and Ti-X-Si systems, the present work assessed the Ti-rich corner of the stable (featuring Ti3Si phase) and metastable Ti-Si phase diagrams. The phase boundaries, the values of the error of the least-square method of the optimization procedure and the relative standard deviation of the calculated variables were discussed in order to inspire further experimental work to investigate the stable and/or metastable eutectoid reactions, ?->? + Ti3Si e ?->? +Ti5Si3, and to improve the thermodynamic assessments of the Ti-Si phase diagram.

A teoria de campo médio para o modelo de Ashkin-Teller com interações ferromagnéticas de longo alcance na presença de campos magnéticos aleatórios foi desenvolvida. Isso foi conseguido através do uso do truque de réplicas para a obtenção da energia livre e do estudo analítico das equações integrais acopladas dos parâmetros de ordem, da estabilidade de suas soluções e das suas expansões para T &#8804 Tc. Inicialmente, foram determinadas as expressões gerais das funções termodinâmicas do modelo no caso em que existiam três campos magnéticos aleatórios com distribuições gaussianas. Em seguida, foi examinado o caso particular do modelo com um só campo magnético aleatório na direção de Z = &#8249 &#948 S &#8250. A estratégia adotada se mostrou poderosa pois possibilitou a caracterização detalhada do diagrama de fases com várias superfícies de coexistência e das linhas de pontos críticos. As equações integrais das funções termodinâmicas desse caso particular foram discutidas e resolvidas numericamente para valores especiais das constantes de interação e da variância. Para o caso particular do modelo na presença de campos magnéticos aleatórios nas direções &#8249 S &#8250 e &#8249 &#948 &#8250, foram determinadas e discutidas as expressões das funções termodinâmicas. Foram também obtidas as equações das superfícies de instabilidade da solução paramagnética. Foi provado que a transição entre as fases paramagnética e de Baxter é sempre de primeira ordem. Outro resultado original da tese foi a verificação da existência da simetria de dilatação e contração do modelo de Potts na presença de campos magnéticos aleatórios. Essa simetria permite que o estudo da energia livre no intervalo q&#8712 (1,2) forneça o comportamento termodinâmico do sistema para todo q>2. / The meanfield theory of the long range Ashkin-Teller model in random fields was developed. This was obtained by using the replica trick and the study of the coupled integral equations for the order parameters, the stability of their solutions, and their expansions for T &#8804 Tc. Inicially, the expressions of the thermodynamic functions for the model in three random fields with Gaussian distributiuons were determined. After this, it was examined the particular case of the model with only one random field in the Z = &#8249 &#948 S &#8250 direction. The strategy revealed itself powerful by the detailed characterization of the phase diagram with several coexistence surfaces and lines of critical points. The integral equations of the thermodynamic functions for this particular case were discussed and numerically solved for special values of the interaction constants and field distribution variance. For the particular case of the model with random fields in the &#8249 S &#8250 and &#8249 &#948 &#8250, directions, the expressions were also determined and discussed. The equations of the instability surfaces for the paramagnetic solution were obtained, and it was proved that the para-Baxter transition line is always of first order. Another original result of the thesis was the verification of the the existence of the dilatation and contration symmetry in the Potts model with random fields. This symmetry permits that the study of the free energy in the q&#8712(1,2) interval supplies the thermodynamics behavior of the system for q>2.

Ce travail se focalise sur l’étude de cellules solaires organiques modèles basées sur le mélange de poly(3-hexylthiophène) (P3HT) et de l'ester méthylique de l'acide [6,6]-phényl C61 butyrique (PCBM). La corrélation entre la morphologie de la couche active, les paramètres de mises en œuvre et le rendement photovoltaïque a été soigneusement étudiée afin d’obtenir l’optimisation de l’efficacité de tels dispositifs. Une méthode originale pour contrôler la séparation de phases dans ces mélanges a été proposée et consiste à l'intégration de copolymères blocs comme additifs. Trois copolymères séquencés ont été utilisés en tant qu’agents de nanostructuration et/ou d'agents de nucléation. Il a notamment été montré que l'incorporation de P3HT-b-PI permet l'augmentation du nombre de cristallites de P3HT tout en limitant l’agglomération du PCBM. D'autre part, l'incorporation de P3HT-b-P4VP dans les mélanges de P3HT:PCBM a permis de contrôler l'orientation des cristallites de P3HT, améliorant par ce fait le transport de charge dans les dispositifs. / This work investigates organic solar cells made of a blend of polymeric materials based on poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) as model system. The correlation between the photovoltaic active layer morphology and the performance of the organic solar cell is thoroughly investigated. The chosen method for controlling phase separation in the polymeric blends is to incorporate block copolymers as additives. Three systematically selected block copolymers were used as nanostructuring and/or nucleating agents. Indeed, the incorporation of P3HT-b-PI induces the increase in the number of P3HT crystallites as well as suppresses the growth of PCBM aggregates. On the other hand, the incorporation of P3HT-b-P4VP into P3HT:PCBM decreases the crystallization of P3HT but increases its face-on orientation, a requirement for an enhanced charge transport in organic PV devices.

Ce manuscrit de thèse est consacré aux condensats de polaritons dans deux semi-conducteurs à grand gap : GaN et ZnO. La première partie de ce travail se concentre sur l’étude par spectroscopie optique de deux microcavités planaires (une de GaN, l’autre de ZnO) présentant des structures et des propriétés photoniques identiques. Le régime de couplage fort lumière-matière et l’effet laser à polaritons ont pu être observés de 5 K à 300 K pour les deux microcavités. La réalisation de diagrammes de phase a mis en évidence l’impact variable des résonances avec les phonons LO sur l’abaissement du seuil laser. L’étude de la microcavité GaN a été poussée jusqu’à 350 K et nous avons pu démontrer, pour la première fois à cette température, la persistance du couplage fort et du laser à polaritons pour des conditions d’excitations optimales. La deuxième partie de ce travail est focalisée sur des guides d’onde de ZnO. Outre l’observation du régime de couplage fort de 5 K à 300 K, notre étude a pu mettre en exergue un phénomène laser inédit dans cette géométrie : le laser à polaritons horizontal. / This manuscript is devoted to polariton condensates in two wide band gap semiconductors: GaN and ZnO. The first part of this work focuses on the study by optical spectroscopy of two planar microcavities (one of GaN, the other of ZnO) sharing the same structure and the same photonic properties. The strong coupling and polariton lasing regime have been observed from 5 K to 300 K in both microcavities. The realization of phase diagrams has pointed out the inconstant impact of resonances with LO phonons on the lowering of the laser threshold. The study of the GaN microcavity has been pushed to 350 K and we have demonstrated, for the first time at this temperature, the persistence of the strong coupling regime and the polariton laser under optimal excitation conditions. The second part of this work is focused on ZnO waveguides. Besides the observation of strong coupling regime from 5 K to 300 K, our study has highlighted a new lasing effect in this geometry: the horizontal polariton laser.

<p>Cellulose ethers and polyethylene glycols are used in drug formulations as water swelling or water soluble matrices. Polar lipids, for example monoglycerides, and surfactants can be used to solubilise hydrophobic or amphiphilic drugs and to formulate potential drug delivery vehicles such as emulsions, liposomes and cubic phases. In this thesis mixtures of these excipients are characterised in various environments, from dilute aqueous solutions to solid dispersions. Special focus has been on the understanding of the associating processes involved.</p><p>Detailed understanding of the association of cellulose ethers, of varying hydrophobicity, and amphiphilic substances is presented. The hydrophobicity of the polymer was found to have an impact on the interaction scheme. The amphiphiles were found to bind at lower amphiphile concentrations to a more hydrophobic polymer thus influencing both micro- and macroscopic structure of the aggregates. </p><p>The choice of counterion to the amphiphile has a small but significant effect on the interaction and the structure of the aggregates. Also amphiphilic drug molecules can interact with nonionic polymers in a similar way as surfactants in aqueous solution. Due to the higher cmc of the drug ibuprofen the interaction is largely influenced by the ionic strength of the solution. The type of amphiphile also influences the cooperativity of the amphiphile-polymer binding.</p><p>In more concentrated systems liquid crystals are formed into which the polymer interact with the amphiphiles. Both cubic and sponge phases were found with relatively large polymers interacting with polar lipids. These phases were found to swell and shrink mainly controlled by the amount of polymer inside them. Also membrane interacting substances added to the sponge phase could influence the size of the water channels in the phase. </p><p>In water free systems polymers and polar lipids were found to interact as well as forming solid dispersions. The behaviour of the phase separation between polymer and lipid depended on the concentration of the dispersed phase. The polar lipid was found to be distributed in the lamellar part of the semicrystalline polymer influencing the polymer folding.</p>