Un modèle complet permettant de simuler la dynamique d'un nano-aérosol est présenté et discuté. On considère une équation Eulérienne de type « Diffusion-Inertia » réécrite en moments en incluant un terme source de coagulation. Le phénomène de dépôt est pris en compte par l'intermédiaire d'une condition aux limites sur le flux de moments à la paroi. L'expression de la granulométrie en moments permet d'obtenir une très bonne efficacité de calcul et rend ainsi le modèle utilisable pour des applications industrielles ou en santé au travail. L'implémentation de cette approche dans un code de CFD est validée sur des cas simples par comparaison avec une méthode des classes ainsi que des données expérimentales. La méthode des moments n'introduit pas de biais particulier et les résultats numériques sont en accord avec les résultats expérimentaux. Un nouveau dispositif expérimental, qui consiste en une enceinte ventilée, est également proposé afin de maîtriser au mieux l'écoulement et de caractériser la morphologie des agrégats générés. La confrontation entre les résultats numériques et expérimentaux met en évidence le fait que la détermination des paramètres fractals est un élément clé de la modélisation / A complete CFD model for nano-aerosol dynamics is presented and discussed. It consists in an Eulerian "Diffusion-Inertia" equation including a coagulation source term which is rewritten in terms of moments. Deposition phenomenon is taken into account by means of a boundary condition on the flux of moments at walls. The moment transformation allows good computational performances and makes thus the model tractable for industrial and occupational health applications. The implementation of this approach into a CFD code is assessed for simple cases by comparison with sectional approach results and experimental data. These comparisons show that the method of moments does not induce particular bias and that numerical results are in good agreement with available experimental data. An experimental set-up, which consists in a ventilated chamber, is also proposed for allowing a good control of the flow and for allowing the investigation of aggregates morphology. The confrontation between numerical and experimental results highlights that the determination of the fractal parameters is a modelling key point

As advances in thin films are made there is a parallel requirement to develop equipment capable of measuring their properties accurately and consistently. In addition there is a need to understand the parameters that are measured. Typical DPI measurements allow both the refractive index (related to density) and the thickness of the adsorbed layer to be calculated with relatively few assumptions, to a very high precision in real time. This thesis presents the research undertaken to develop multiple path length dual polarisation interferometry (MPL-DPI) and absorption enhanced dual polarisation interferometry (AE-DPI). In addition research is presented that can be used to improve the interpretation of the measured parameters for inhomogeneous films and uniaxial films. The new Interferometric technique MPL-DPI allows the thickness and refractive index of in situ and ex-situ coated ultra-thin films to be measured. The procedures and the mathematics required to calculate the properties of films have been described and the technique verified. The technique was demonstrated using films of PMMA, where good agreement was found with complementary techniques. Furthermore, some key features of MPL-DPI were demonstrated using the measurements of interfacially grafted acrylic acid. The absorption enhanced DPI uses the attenuation of the light within the waveguide, due to the light absorbing properties of a film on its surface. As the composition of a film changed, it was shown that the refractive index and extinction coefficients could be used to separate the mass of the components of the film that absorbed light, from the components of the film that did not. With the use of a semi-uniaxial model, the extra data from the attenuation in two polarisations was used to fit the extraordinary and ordinary extinction coefficients. The extraordinary and ordinary extinction coefficients were used to demonstrate that molecular orientation could be implied. The influence that an inhomogeneous film has on the measured thickness, refractive index and extinction coefficient fitted by homogeneous models were investigated. Formulas are presented to explain the thickness, refractive index and extinction coefficient of the measured film. A formula for the total mass per unit area that uses the refractive index was created to account for films that contain molecules of different refractive index increments (dn/dc's). To separate the mass of the individual molecular species from the total mass per unit area, formulas that use the extinction coefficient were derived so molecules that absorb light could be separated from those that do not. The mass calculated from the refractive index and the mass calculated from the extinction coefficient were also examined for uniaxial films. For uniaxial films both measures of the adsorbed mass were found to be relatively accurate and benefited from a partial cancellation of errors. The accuracy of the measurements made by dual polarisation interferometry technology is systematically examined throughout this thesis. Improvements in the calibration routines are suggested and a procedure for the identification and reduction of errors in the phase and contrast is demonstrated.

Depuis 1973, l’un des objectifs principaux de la France est la diminution de la consommation des énergies de chauffage des bâtiments du résidentiel et du tertiaire qui représentent plus de 40% de la consommation énergétique totale du pays. Le développement des isolants thermiques a été par conséquent un sujet de recherche qui a abouti à de nouveaux matériaux : les super-isolants thermiques de conductivité thermique inférieure à 25 mW.m-1.K-1. Les aérogels organiques de faible densité de Z-Phe-NH-Napht étudiés au LCPM présentent une structure fibrillaire qui leur confère des propriétés thermiques intéressantes malgré une résistance mécanique faible. Une étude fondamentale de l’organisation supramoléculaire nous a permis d’une part de démontrer l’existence de deux modes d’empilement des molécules organogélatrices : tête-à-tête (monocristaux) et tête-à-queue (gels), caractérisées par une signature infrarouge propre à des pseudo-cycles respectivement en C12 et C10/C14. D’autre part, nous avons étudié le mécanisme de formation séquentiel de ces gels et abouti à un modèle complet d’organisation de la molécule isolée à la fibre basé sur une symétrie hexagonale. En vue d’une commercialisation d’un isolant à base d’aérogel organique, nous avons tout d’abord optimisé le protocole d’obtention des aérogels pour ensuite travailler à l’amélioration des propriétés thermiques et mécaniques. Nous sommes parvenus à un nouvel isolant hydrophobe présentant une conductivité thermique de l’ordre de celles des super-isolants et de bonnes propriétés mécaniques compatibles avec les pré-requis industriels pour une application dans le bâtiment / Since 1973, France's main objective in this domain has been to reduce the consumption of energy in heating residential and industrial buildings, which represents more than 40% of the national consumption. Consequently, the development of heat insulators has been the subject of research which has resulted in new materials: super thermal insulators with a thermal conductivity of less than 25 mW.m-1.K-1. Organic aerogels with a low density of Z-Phe-NH-Napht have been studied at LCPM for the past 10 years. Despite their very weak mechanical resistance they present a fibrillar structure which gives them very interesting thermal properties. A fundamental study of the supermolecular self-assembly allowed us to demonstrate the existence of two stacking methods of gelling molecules: head-to-head (monocrystals) and head-to-tail (gels) which are characterized by a specific infrared signature to the pseudo-cycles respectively on C12 and C10/C14. In addition, we also studied the sequential formation mechanism of these gels which resulted in a full model of their molecular organization from the single molecule to the fiber and based on a hexagonal packing symmetry. In aim of commercializing an insulator made from organic aerogels, we firstly optimized the protocol for obtaining aerogels to then work on improving their thermal and mechanical properties. We created a new hydrophobic insulator which has both a thermal conductivity in the range of the super heat insulators' and good mechanical properties that are compatible with industrial prerequisites for the construction of buildings