Ce mémoire traite de la synthèse et des propriétés thermiques et mécaniques de polyesteramides statistiques et quasi-alternés obtenus à partir de l’ε-caprolactone et d'acides aminés naturels (β-alanine, glycine et α-alanine). Les polyesteramides statistiques ont été obtenus par ouverture de cycle et polycondensation simultanée des deux monomères par une méthode monotope, tandis que les polyesteramides quasi-alternés ont été élaborés par polyestérification d’un dimère à extrémités hydroxy et ester, préalablement synthétisé par réaction entre ε-caprolactone et ester d'acide aminé. La structure et la microstructure de ces polyesteramides ont été étudiées par spectroscopiques IRTF et RMN 1D et 2D. Les polyesteramides obtenus en deux étapes présentent, comme attendu, une forte tendance à l'alternance, alors que ceux obtenus par synthèse monotope sont complètement statistiques. L’étude des propriétés thermiques par DSC et ATG montre que ces polyesteramides sont semi-cristallins et qu'ils présentent une meilleure stabilité thermique que celle de la poly(ε-caprolactone). Les polyesteramides statistiques contenant des fractions croissantes en β-alanine et supérieures ou égales à 50 mol-% présentent des valeurs de module d’Young et de contrainte à la rupture en traction croissantes et plus élevées que celles de la poly(ε-caprolactone). Les polyesteramides quasi-alternés présentent une cristallinité et des propriétés mécaniques nettement supérieure à celles de leurs homologues statistiques. / This thesis reports the synthesis and thermal and mechanical properties of random or quasi-alternating polyesteramides obtained from ε-caprolactone and natural aminoacids (β-alanine, glycine and α-alanine). The random polyesteramides were obtained by one-pot simultaneous ring-opening and polycondensation of the two monomers, while the alternating ones were prepared by polyesterification of hydroxy- and ester-terminated dimers, previously synthesized by reaction between ε-caprolactone and aminoacid esters. The structure and microstructure of these polyesteramides were studied by FTIR and 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopies. As expected, polyesteramides synthesized by the two-step method present a quasi-alternating structure, while those synthesized by the one-pot method are completely random. The study of their thermal properties by DSC and TGA shows that these polyesteramides are semi-crystalline and present a better thermal stability than poly(ε-caprolactone). For the random polyesteramides with β-alanine fractions greater than or equal to 50 mol-%, increasing β-alanine fractions leads to increasing Young's modulus and tensile strength, larger than those of poly(ε-caprolactone). The quasi-alternating polyesteramides exhibit thermal and mechanical properties well above than those of their random counterparts.

Bakgrund: Användningen av kosttillskott har ökat de senaste åren. Detta leder till att det kontinuerligt produceras nya tillskott som inte har någon evidens för effekt. Ett kosttillskott som har fått ökat intresse de senaste åren är ß-alanin. För aktiviteter där glykolys stimuleras och mjölksyraproduktionen är hög har ß-alanin föreslagits vara ett effektivt tillskott. ß-alanins effekter och funktioner i kroppen är inte helt fastställda. Syfte: Syftet med denna studie var att analysera ß-alanintillskotts effekter på muskelkarnosinkoncentrationen, blodlaktat, muskelstyrka och uthållighet/tid till utmattning.  Metod: Studien är utformad som en systematisk litteraturstudie med meta-analys. Pubmed användes som databas för litteratursökningen. Meta-analyser utfördes för karnosinkoncentration och blodlaktat.  Resultat: Dosering med 3.2g/dag av ß-alanin under 4 veckor visar signifikanta effekter på karnosinkoncentrationen. Effektstorleken på karnosinkoncetration mellan grupperna var 1.255 (p = 0.001) efter 4 veckor av supplementering. Effektstorleken mellan grupperna för 10 veckor var 2.054 (p=0.008). Inga signifikanta effekter på blodlaktat, effektstorleken mellan grupperna var 0.148 (p=0.278). Signifikant effekt av ß-alanin på tid till utmattning (TTE) vid hög-intensitets cykling. ß-alanintillskott visade signifikant effekt på en repetition max (1RM) och helkroppsstyrka (WBS). Slutsats: ß-alanintillskott med en dosering på minst 3.2g/dag i 4 veckor ger en signifikant ökning av muskelkarnosinkoncentrationen. Större dosering än 3.2g visar inte på större effekt. ß-alanin har inte någon signifikant effekt på blodlaktat. Signifikant effekt visades på TTE för hög-intensitetscykling/sprinter. ß-alanintillskotts effekt på muskelstyrka är svår identifierad eftersom det bara var två studier som kunde inkluderas. / Background: The use of dietary supplements has increased in recent years. Which leads to the continuous production of new supplements that have no evidence of effect. A dietary supplement that has gained increased interest in recent years is β-alanine. For activities where glycolysis is stimulated and lactic acid production is high, β-alanine has been suggested to be an effective supplement. The effects and functions of ß-alanine in the body are not fully established. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of ß-alanine supplementation on muscle carnosine concentration, blood lactate, muscle strength and endurance/time to exhaustion. Method: The study is designed as a systematic literature study with meta-analysis. Pubmed was used as a database for the literature search. Meta-assays were performed for carnosine concentration and blood lactate. Result: Dosage at 3.2g / day of β-alanine for 4 weeks shows significant effects on carnosine concentration. The size of the effect on carnosine concentration between the groups after 4 weeks of supplementation was 1,255 (p = 0.001). The effect size between the groups for 8-10 weeks was 2,054 (p = 0.008). No significant effects on blood lactate, the effect size between the groups was 0.148 (p = 0.278). Significant effect of βalanine on time to fatigue (TTE) in high intensity cycling. β-alanine supplementation showed significant effects on a repetition max (1RM) and whole body strength (WBS). 2 Conclusion: β-alanine supplementation with a dosage of at least 3.2g / day for 4 weeks gives a significant increase in muscle carnosine concentration. Larger dosages than 3.2g does not show greater effect. β-alanine does not have a significant effect on blood lactate. Significant effect was shown on TTE for high intensity cycling sprints. The ßalanine supplemental effect on muscle strength is difficult to identify because only two studies could be included.