Le combustible nucléaire des Réacteurs à Eau sous Pression (REP), sous forme de pastilles d’oxyde d’uranium UO2 (ou MOx), est confiné dans un gainage en alliage de zirconium. Ce gainage est très important car il représente la première barrière de confinement contre la dissémination des produits de fission, générés par la réaction nucléaire, vers le milieu extérieur. La corrosion par le milieu primaire des alliages de zirconium, en particulier l’alliage Zircaloy-4, est un des facteurs limitant le temps de séjour en réacteur des crayons combustibles (pastilles UO2 + gainage). Afin de permettre aux exploitants de centrales d’optimiser la gestion des cœurs et de prolonger la durée de vie des crayons combustibles en réacteur, de nouveaux alliages à base de zirconium-niobium (M5®) ont été développés. Or, les mécanismes de corrosion de ces derniers ne sont, en l’état, pas complètement élucidés du fait notamment de la complexité de ces matériaux, de l’environnement de corrosion et de la présence de l'irradiation venant du combustible nucléaire. De ce fait, cette thèse porte spécifiquement sur l’effet de la radiolyse et des défauts induits par l’irradiation aux ions dans la matrice métallique et dans la couche d’oxyde sur la vitesse de corrosion de l’alliage Zircaloy-4 et M5®. L’objectif est de déconvoluer la part de l’influence des dommages d’irradiation subis par la matrice métallique, de celle relative aux défauts créés dans l’oxyde et de celle liée à la radiolyse du milieu primaire sur la vitesse d’oxydation des alliages de zirconium en réacteur.1) Concernant l’effet de l’irradiation de la matrice métallique sur la vitesse d’oxydation : des boucles de dislocation de type <a> apparaissent et entrainent une augmentation de la vitesse d’oxydation des deux alliages. Pour le M5®, en plus de ce premier effet, une précipitation d’aiguilles fines de niobium diminue la concentration en niobium en solution solide dans la matrice métallique et in fine dans l’oxyde, ce qui réduit fortement la vitesse d’oxydation de l’alliage.2) Concernant l’effet de l’irradiation de la couche d’oxyde sur la vitesse d’oxydation : les défauts générés par les cascades de déplacement dans l’oxyde augmentent la vitesse d’oxydation des matériaux. Pour le M5®, la germination de zones enrichies en niobium par irradiation de l’oxyde entraine une également diminution de la concentration en niobium en solution solide dans l’oxyde, ce qui réduit une nouvelle fois, la vitesse d’oxydation de cet alliage.3) Concernant l’effet de la radiolyse de l’eau : nous n’avons pas relevé d’effet considérable de la radiolyse sur la corrosion de l’alliage Zy4 ou M5® dans nos conditions expérimentales. / The nuclear fuel of pressurized water reactors (PWR) in the form of uranium oxide UO2 pellets (or MOX) is confined in a zirconium alloy cladding. This cladding is very important because it represents the first containment barrier against the release of fission products generated by the nuclear reaction to the external environment. Corrosion by the primary medium of zirconium alloys, particularly the Zircaloy-4, is one of the factors limiting the reactor residence time of the fuel rods (UO2 pellets + cladding). To optimize core management and to extend the lifetime of the fuel rods in reactor, new alloys based on zirconium-niobium (M5®) have been developed. However, the corrosion mechanisms of these are not completely understood because of the complexity of these materials, corrosion environment and the presence of radiation from the nuclear fuel. Therefore, this thesis specifically addresses the effects of radiolysis and defects induced by irradiation with ions in the matrix metal and the oxide layer on the corrosion rate of Zircaloy-4 and M5®. The goal is to separate the influence of radiation damage to the metal, that relating to defects created in the oxide and that linked to radiolysis of the primary medium on the oxidation rate of zirconium alloys in reactor.1) Regarding effect of irradiation of the metal on the oxidation rate: <a> type dislocation loops appear and increase the oxidation rate of the two alloys. For M5®, in addition to the first effect, a precipitation of fines needles of niobium reduced the solid solution of niobium concentration in the metal and ultimately in the oxide, which strongly reduces the oxidation rate of the alloy.2) Regarding the effect of irradiation of the oxide layer on the oxidation rate: defects generated by the nuclear cascades in the oxide increase the oxidation rate of the two materials. For M5®, germination of niobium enriched zones in irradiated oxide also causes a decrease of the niobium concentration in solid solution in the oxide, which once again, reduced the oxidation rate of this alloy.3) Regarding the effect of water radiolysis: We did not identify any significant effect of radiolysis on corrosion of the alloys under our experimental conditions.

Mg-alloys, despite being the lightest structural metallic materials, find limited applications due to their poor workability, which is due to the hcp structure that does not provide sufficient number of independent slip systems for compatible deformation. Workability improves with the increase in the deformation temperature, when non-basal slip starts playing a larger role in deformation. Efforts were made to improve the workability through control of texture, grain refinement and alloying. Alloying activates non-basal slip by decreasing the critical resolved shear stress (CRSS) on non-basal planes or by promoting cross slip through an increase in the stacking fault energy (SFE) on basal planes. In this thesis, the effect of Li addition to the most widely used wrought Mg-alloy AZ31 on its workability is examined. Plastic deformation behaviour of a series of AZ31-Li alloys with temperature, T, and strain rates, ε , as variables was studied, so as to identify the optimum Li content that results in highly workable alloy. The T and ε combinations that are best suited for hot deformation of these alloys were also identified through processing maps and microstructural analysis. First, deformation behaviour of the base AZ31 is examined in detail. Compression tests were carried out, with T ranging between 150 and 400 °C and at ranging from 10-3 to 102 s-1, covering entire hot working range of the alloy. The results suggest that the deformation behaviour of AZ31 could be partitioned into three temperature regimes. In low T regime, twinning played an important role. It changes the orientation and increases hardening rate, θ (given by dσ/dε where σ and ε are true stress and strain respectively); material exhibits macroscopic flow localization and cracking along twin boundaries. The onset of twinning was examined in detail by examining the local maxima before ϵpeak strain in plot between d2σ/dε2 vs. ε. Twinning was found to occur at all the deformation conditions. Dynamic recrystallization (DRX) was observed at temperatures above 250 °C whereas deformation at low T (< 250 °C) led to extensive twinning at all . ε . At intermediate T of 250-300 °C, plastic strains tend to localize near grain/twin boundaries, confining DRX only to these regions. Increase in T promotes non-basal slip, which, in turn, leads to uniform deformation; DRX too becomes uniform. The dependence of critical stress (σc) for the onset of DRX and peak flow stress (σp) on Zener-Hollomon parameter (Z) indicates that these stresses increase with Z. Activation energy (Q) for the deformation of AZ31 was estimated at peak stress and steady state conditions. High values of Q (150-200 kJ/mol) indicate cross slip as the rate controlling mechanism, at the peak, in the stress-strain responses. For steady state, Q corresponds to lattice/grain boundary diffusion (90-150 kJ/mol). Next, the effect of Li on deformation behaviour of AZ31 was examined. In addition to AZ31 without any Li (0Li), three alloys 1 (1Li), 3 (3Li) and 5 (5Li) wt% Li were prepared with the aid of a specially designed set-up for melting and casting of Li containing alloys. Experimental results on homogenized alloys show that 1Li alloy’s overall response is similar to that of 0Li alloy, but 3Li and 5Li alloys exhibit distinctly different deformation behaviour. Li addition facilitates cross slip by increasing SFE on basal planes, thus leading to change in the deformation mechanism of the alloy. Increased softening due to cross slip decreases θ and also the twin density at low ϵ (<10-2 s-1). During deformation at low ϵ and low T, high Li alloys reveal cavities along the grain boundaries in contrast to cracking along twin boundaries that was observed in AZ31. In the intermediate T range, high Li alloys reveal the presence of a small mantle, which can be attributed to the increased cross slip with increasing Li. In fact, Li addition was found to restrict DRX and promote dynamic recovery (DRY). As ϵ increases in this T regime deformation becomes more homogeneous and twinning occurs extensively in high Li alloys. This results in remarkable increase in dσ/dε (θ) in these alloys and DRX was predominantly seen at twinned regions. At high ϵ -T regime, where non-basal slip and twinning occur uniformly, DRX is observed throughout the samples. On the basis of d2σ/dε2 – ε plots, it was found that twinning occurs at almost all -T combinations examined in present study for 0Li and 1Li alloys. In high Li alloys, twinning activity was found to be insignificant at low ε , resulting in low twin density than low Li alloys. Twinning occurs at very early stages of deformation. In the low T and high ε regime, extensive twinning in high Li alloys is noted. In high T regime, presence of twins was not prominent due to the preferential occurrence of DRX at twin boundaries. Estimated values of Q in high Li alloys were found to be very low and correspond to lattice/grain boundary diffusion of Li in Mg, indicating that cross slip is no longer the rate controlling mechanism. Instead, unpinning of kinks from Li atoms appears to control the deformation. Cross slip is promoted by Li through increase in SFE at basal planes. Onset of the DRX was predicted and it was observed that high Li alloys posses lower σc at low ε , but at high ε , σc was either comparable to or higher than low Li alloys. Processing maps were generated for all the alloys using Prasad's as well as Murty's models. Instability predictions of Prasad’s and Murty’s models are similar, except that isoefficiency contours in the latter are slightly shifted to higher ε . These maps indicate to an increase in the workability with the addition of Li to AZ31. Instability predicted by processing maps in the low ε regime in high Li alloys is attributed to underestimation of stress values due to spline interpolation. High sensitivity observed for high Li alloy at intermediate ε (10-1 – 100 s-1) is attributed to the change in the deformation mode i.e. from slip to twinning. Deformation at high T leads to dissolution of Li containing precipitates, which in turn increases the solid solution strengthening in the alloy. Hence, increase in flow stress is observed with increase in T in high Li alloys. This structural change too causes instability predictions in the high -T regime. The 0 Li alloy exhibits peak efficiency of 45% in T = 250-400 °C and ε = 10-1.25 - 100.25 s-1 regime. DRX is observed in this regime and optimum conditions for deformation predicted for this alloys are T = 350 °C and ε = 10-1 s-1. These alloys can be worked at low ε regime too (T = 250-400 °C and ε = 10-2.5 – 10-1 s-1) where the softening mechanism is DRY. Accordingly, it is concluded that the intrinsic workability of AZ31Mg-alloy increases with the addition of 3% and 5% Li.

Des carbones dérivés de carbures à porosité monodisperse et nanocentrée autour de 0,6 nm ont été préparés par fluoration de carbures via l’arrachement sélectif de l’élément métallique et le maintien de l’empreinte carbonée initiale. Les carbures précurseurs ont été choisis parmi deux des classes de carbures à savoir interstitiels pour le carbure de titane et de niobium et covalents pour le carbure de silicium. La fluoration directe procédant sous flux d’une atmosphère de fluor pur apparait comme étant la seule méthode de fluoration apte à déstabiliser les poudres cristallisées. Appliquée au carbure de titane, des matériaux à teneur variable en carbone et en trifluorure de titane ont été obtenus et caractérisés structuralement par Diffraction des Rayons X quantitative, spectroscopies IR et Raman et leur texture sondée par Microscopie Electronique à Balayage et à Transmission et isothermes d’adsorption à l’azote à 77K. Ils ont aussi été évalués comme matériau d’électrode de supercondensateurs. La fluoration du carbure de silicium pour la stabilisation d’une phase carbonée est plus difficile et seule l’abaissement de la cristallinité du carbure par l’utilisation d’une mise en forme de type couche mince combinée à une méthode de fluoration alternative par décomposition de l’agent fluorant XeF2 ont permis d’obtenir une couche mince de carbone nanostructurée valorisable comme lubrifiant solide et aux propriétés de mouillabilité modulables. / Carbide-derived Carbons (CDC) with monodisperse ultramicroporosity have been prepared by carbide fluorination thanks to selective etching of metallic element. The chosen carbides precursors were titanium and niobium carbides, and silicon carbides from interstitial and covalent carbide family, respectively. Direct fluorination proceeding by a pure flow of 1 atm. of molecular fluorine is the only fluorination way which leads to the transformation of the powdered and highly crystallized carbide into some carbons. Materials with different ratio of carbon and solid titanium trifluoride were successfully obtained by direct fluorination of titanium carbide, characterized by quantitative XRD, IR and Raman spectroscopies and Scanning and Transmission Electronic Microscopies and used in supercapacitors. The direct fluorination of silicon carbide in order to form carbon is more difficult because of the competition between carbon formation and its degradation into gaseous carbon fluorides. To success in our goal, thin film morphology was used as precursor. However, an accurate fluorination way is needed and decomposition of XeF2 fluorinating agent was chosen. Thin films with variable thickness of nanostructured carbon at the surface were obtained and used as solid lubricant with tunable wettability properties.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / In this work we have studied the magnetic, optical and structural properties of ZnO nanoparticles pure and doped with different concentrations of Fe and Mn synthesized by three different synthesis methods; co-precipitation (CP), hydrothermal (SH) and thermal decomposition (DT). The samples were characterized by measurements of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and analyzed allied to Rietveld refinement method, absorption in the UV-Vis region, scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM), and magnetization measurements as a function of field and temperature (MvsH, MvsT). Through XRD analysis we have observed a dependence of the nanoparticle size with increasing temperature for both CP and SH methods well as a change in morphology with temperature for the samples system synthesized by SH. XRD analysis through the Williamson-Hall plot and TEM images show that particles obtained by SH and CP methods present an anisotropic growth, different of the particles obtained by DT method, that they present a spherical-like shape. The XRD results for Zn1-xFexO systems obtained by the CP and SH present only one phase but from point of view magnetic properties we have observed that these samples present transition at low temperature (T = 10 K) similar to an antiferromagnetic ordering. However, the Zn1-xFexO samples obtained by DT synthesis we have observed a paramagnetic behavior evidenced by MvsT curves. Therefore, at room temperature the MvsH curves indicated a ferromagnetic behavior. All Mn-doped ZnO samples present a paramagnetic behavior. The UV-Vis results show for all systems a slow increase in gap band with increases of dopant concentration. / Neste trabalho estudamos as propriedades magnéticas, ópticas e estruturais de nanopartículas de ZnO puras e dopadas com diferentes concentrações Fe e Mn sintetizadas por três diferentes métodos de síntese; co-precipitação (CP), hidrotérmico (SH) e decomposição térmica (DT). As amostras foram caracterizadas por medidas de difração de raios X (DRX) e analisadas juntamente ao método de refinamento Rietveld, absorção na região UV-Vis, microscopia eletrônica de varredura e de transmissão (MEV e MET) e medidas de magnetização em função do campo e da temperatura (MvsH, MvsT). Através das análises de DRX, nós temos observado uma dependência do tamanho da nanopartícula com o aumento da temperatura para ambos os métodos CP e SH, bem como uma variação na morfologia com a temperatura para o sistema de amostras sintetizado pela SH. Análises do gráfico de Williamson-Hall e imagens de MET mostram que as partículas obtidas através dos métodos SH e CP apresentam um crescimento anisotrópico, diferentemente das obtidas pelo método de DT, as quais apresentam morfologia esférica. Além disso, os resultados de DRX mostram que os sistemas Zn1-xFexO obtidos pela CP e SH apresentam somente uma fase, porém do ponto de vista das propriedades magnéticas observamos que as amostras apresentam uma transição em baixa temperatura (T = 10 K) similar a um ordenamento antiferromagnético. Por outro lado, as amostras de Zn1-xFexO obtidas pela síntese de DT observamos um comportamento paramagnético evidenciados pelas curvas de MvsT. No entanto, em temperatura ambiente as curvas de MvsH indicaram um comportamento ferromagnético. Todas as amostras de ZnO dopadas com Mn apresentam um comportamento típico de um material paramagnético. Resultados de absorção de UV-Vis para todos os sistemas estudados mostram um leve aumento na energia de gap com o aumento da concentração do dopante.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / In this work we study the structural and magnetic properties of pure and TM-doped CeO2 nanoparticles (TM: Mn, Cr, Co and Fe) obtained by the co-precipitation and hydrothermal methods. X-ray diffraction (XRD) results allied to the Rietveld refinement method indicate that all samples present single-phase with structure isomorphous to the CeO2. Average crystallites size was determined using the full width at half maximum from XRD patterns and their sizes were from of 7 to 13 nm. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images 10% doped samples show the presence of particles with spherical-like morphology and average sizes in good agreement with the estimated by XRD. From ultraviolet–Visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy absorption measurements we estimated the optoelectronic gap of the samples, which vary between 2.87 and 3.44 eV. Analyses from magnetization curves as a function of temperature (MvsT) using Curie-Weiss law show that the number of paramagnetic ions per molecule (n) increases with the increasing of the Mn concentration. Already for 10% doped samples with different ions the (n) obeys the following order Mn ˂ Fe ˂ Cr ˂ Co for samples obtained by co-precipitation and Co ˂ Cr ˂ Mn ˂ Fe for the samples obtained by hydrothermal synthesis. Magnetization curves as a function of the magnetic field (MvsH) show that the the systems present a weak ferromagnetic behavior at 5K and paramagnetic at temperature higher than 200 K. / Neste trabalho estudamos as propriedades estruturais e magnéticas de nanopartículas de CeO2 pura e dopadas com diferentes concentrações de metais de transição (MT: Mn, Cr, Co e Fe) obtidas pelo método de co-precipitação e de síntese hidrotérmica. Resultados de difração de raios X (DRX) aliados ao método de refinamento Rietveld indicam a formação de uma única fase isomorfa ao CeO2, cujos tamanhos médios das nanopartículas variam entre 7 e 13 nm quando sintetizadas por co-precipitação e entre 8 e 12 nm quando obtidas por síntese hidrotérmica. Imagens de microscopia eletrônica de transmissão (MET) das amostras dopadas com 10% dos metais de transição mostram a presença de partículas com morfologia tendendo à esferas e tamanhos médios das partículas em bom acordo com os tamanhos estimados por DRX. Através de medidas de absorção na região do ultravioleta ao visível (UV-vis) estimamos o gap optoeletrônico das amostras, os quais variam entre 2,87 e 3,44 eV. Resultados das medidas de magnetização em função temperatura (MvsT) usando a lei de Curie-Weiss indicam que o número de íons paramagnéticos por molécula cresce de forma sistemática com o aumento da concentração de Mn nos dois métodos de síntese. Já para o caso das amostras dopadas com 10% do MT, esse número obedece a seguinte ordem Mn ˂ Fe ˂ Cr ˂ Co para o sistema obtido por co-precipitação e Co ˂ Cr ˂ Mn ˂ Fe para o sistema obtido por síntese hidrotérmica. Medidas de magnetização em função do campo magnético (MvsH) mostram que as nanopartículas apresentam um possível ordenamento ferromagnético fraco em 5K e um comportamento típico de um material paramagnético acima de 200K. / São Cristóvão, SE

Cette thèse a permis de mettre en évidence les mécanismes de vieillissement de la pile à combustible de type PEM lors de cyclages d'humidité de l'air et suite à la perforation de l'AME (Assemblage Membrane Electrodes). Premièrement, les mécanismes connus de dégradation des divers composants (membrane, catalyseur, support du catalyseur, GDL, plaques bipolaires et joints d'étanchéité) ont été présentés. Ensuite, les outils de diagnostic en-ligne (chronopotentiométrie, spectroscopie d'impédance, gestion de l'eau et analyse chimique de l'eau) et ceux hors-ligne (CV et LSV) ainsi que des analyses post-mortem (RMN, MET, MEB et DRX) ont été décrits. Expérimentalement, le cyclage en humidité de l'air a été effectué en mono-cellule de 25 cm2: le cyclage à forte humidité entraîne une perte significative de la surface électroactive du catalyseur; le cyclage à faible humidité favorise la perméation de l'hydrogène à travers la membrane. Le cyclage à faible humidité réalisé sur une pile de 100 cm2 a montré un mécanisme de dégradation différent de celui de la pile de 25 cm2: la perméation de l'hydrogène reste faible alors que la tension de la pile était de plus en plus fluctuante certainement du fait de la présence de volumes morts et de la rétention d'eau liquide dans la pile. L'effet de la perforation de l'AME a été étudié sur une pile de 100 cm2: la perforation par une punaise de 0,7 mm de diamètre ne génère qu'une légère augmentation de la perméation de l'hydrogène; la perforation par une punaise de 1,2 mm de diamètre entraîne une chute de tension et l'augmentation significative de la résistance de diffusion de l'oxygène due à la perméation importante de l'hydrogène / This thesis highlights the aging mechanisms of PEM Fuel Cell submitted to two main aging conditions: air relative humidity (RH) cycling, and MEA (Membrane Electrode Assembly) pinhole test of operation. First, the aging mechanisms of PEMFC main components (membrane, catalyst, carbon support, GDL, bipolar plates and gaskets), have been reviewed from the literature. Then the on-line diagnostic tools (chronopotentiometry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, water management and water analysis), off-line ones (cyclic voltammetry and linear sweep voltammetry) and post-mortem analyses (nuclear magnetic resonance, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction) have been described. Experimentally, the high and low air RH cycling runs have been carried out with a 25 cm2 single cell: the high air RH cycling run promoted serious loss of the ElectroChemical Surface Area (ECSA); the low air RH cycling run caused significant increase in hydrogen crossover. The low air RH cycling has been also performed with a 100 cm2 single cell and the aging mechanism was different from that of 25 cm2 cell: the hydrogen crossover remained very low but the fuel cell voltage exhibited strong fluctuations at the end of the run: this was attributed to the presence of dead volumes and liquid water retention within the cell. Finally, MEA pinhole effect has been investigated with a 100 cm2 single cell: the perforation by a 0.7 mm diameter pin promoted slight increase in the hydrogen crossover; the perforation by a 1.2 mm diameter pin caused significant cell voltage losses and serious increase in the cathode diffusion resistance due to significant hydrogen crossover

Desde a prospecção do minério bauxita, passando pelo seu beneficiamento até a sua entrada no processo Bayer, tem-se como principais índices de qualidade e de processo os parâmetros químicos: alumina aproveitável (Al2O3Ap) e sílica reativa (SiO2Re), determinados segundo um procedimento que simula a digestão Bayer em escala de laboratório. Uma grande inovação para a indústria da bauxita seria fazer o controle por parâmetros mineralógicos, % gibbsita e % caulinita, via difratometria de raios X, intenção buscada nesse trabalho pela proposta de um método combinado Rietveld-Le Bail-Padrão Interno, cujos resultados são bem promissores para bauxitas gibbsíticas tipo-Paragominas, matriz para qual foi desenvolvido. Tal combinação não só melhorou a qualidade da quantificação de gibbsita e caulinita, como diminuiu o peso de cálculo tornando o procedimento mais prático e rápido. A alta correlação (r2=0,99) entre os resultados mineralógicos pelo método combinado e os resultados químicos pelo método tradicional, os deixam em igual escolha, pois foram iguais estatisticamente. No entanto, ressalta-se que o método tradicional subestima o valor de caulinita pela conversão da SiO2Re, enquanto o método combinado se aproxima mais do valor verdadeiro. Obter um resultado pelo método combinado mostrou ser mais prático e rápido que pelo método tradicional. Enquanto o tempo total estimado pelo combinado é < 3 h, pelo tradicional é de no mínimo 6 h. Como proposta de validação do método combinado, um segundo foi desenvolvido para quantificação de Al-goethita por DSC, o qual mostrou boa precisão. E muito embora o uso da técnica no controle industrial seja pouco provável por questões de praticidade e tempo de análise, usá-la na validação de antigos e novos métodos de quantificação mineralógica de bauxitas pode ser muito útil. A ordem crescente de substituição de Fe por Al pretendida pelas sínteses planejadas (7 variedades) foi confirmada pelos resultados de DRX, FRX, DSC e MEV, e assim um pequeno banco de dados de entalpias padrão de desidroxilação de Al-goethitas foi estabelecido. A produção de padrões complexos, misturas de variedades goethíticas, é tão importante quanto produzir uma só goethita, pois tais misturas são termodinamicamente comuns na natureza e, portanto, comuns em bauxitas. Após uma identificação clara da limitação do método tradicional para estimar caulinita pela conversão de SiO2Re em bauxitas tipo-Paragominas, um estudo de otimização do método Alcan foi realizado com base em um planejamento fatorial completo 23. As variáveis escolhidas foram temperatura, concentração cáustica e tempo para duas situações: bauxita com baixa SiO2Re e bauxita com alta SiO2Re. A temperatura foi a variável mais importante, apresentando um efeito positivo sobre a quantidade de SiO2Re, uma vez que o aumento na temperatura aumentou a taxa de conversão completa de caulinita em sodalita. Modelos empíricos de 1ª ordem foram apropriadamente obtidos para predição da quantidade de SiO2Re como função da temperatura, concentração cáustica e tempo, os quais responderam com as seguintes condições ótimas: (1) sem presença significante de quartzo - temperatura de 180 °C, concentração cáustica de 10 % com tempo de 60 min para baixa SiO2Re e 25 min para alta SiO2Re, e (2) com presença significante de quartzo - temperatura de 150 °C, concentração cáustica de 20 % e tempo de 60 min, para ambas as situações estudadas. / In the bauxite industry - exploration, beneficiation and refinery - two main chemical parameters are used for the quality control: available alumina (AvAl2O3) and reactive silica (RxSiO2). They are determined by a procedure that simulates the Bayer process in laboratory scale. A great innovation for this industry would be to make this control by mineralogical parameters, i.e., the % of gibbsite and % of kaolinite via Powder X-ray Diffraction Analysis. This is one of the main purposes of this work by means of a combined Rietveld-Le Bail-Internal Standard Method, whose results were very promising for the Paragominas-type bauxites. This combination not only improved the quality of gibbsite and kaolinite quantification, as decreased computer processing time, making it a more convenient and fast procedure. The high correlation (r2=0.99) between the mineralogical results from the combined method and chemical results by the traditional method, leave them the same choice, as they were statistically equal. However, it is noteworthy that the traditional method underestimates the kaolinite value obtained from the conversion of RxSiO2, while the combined method is closer to the true value. Obtaining a result by the combined method proved to be more convenient and faster (< 3 hours) than the traditional method (at least 6 hours). As a validation for the proposed combined method, a second method was developed to quantify Al-goethite by DSC, which showed good accuracy. Although the use of DSC technique in industrial control is unlikely for practical reasons and analysis time, its use can be very helpful in the validation of old and new methods for the mineralogical quantification of bauxites. XRD, XRF, DSC and SEM results confirmed the increasing order of Al for Fe replacement intended for the planned synthesis (7 types). Thus, a small database of standard enthalpies of Al-goethites dehydroxylation was built. The production of standards of goethites mixtures is as important as producing a single goethite standard, because these are thermodynamically common in nature and thus bauxites with complex mixtures of goethites are also common. After clearly identifying the limitations of the traditional method to estimate kaolinite from the conversion of RxSiO2 in the Paragominas-type bauxites, an optimization study of the Alcan method was carried out based on a 23 full factorial design. The chosen variables were temperature, caustic concentration and time, for two main situations: bauxite with low RxSiO2 and bauxite with high RxSiO2. The temperature was the most important variable, with a positive effect on the amount of RxSiO2, since the increase in temperature increased the rate of full kaolinite to sodalite conversion. First-order empirical models were properly obtained to predict the amount of RxSiO2 as a function of temperature, caustic concentration and time, which responded to the following optimal conditions: (1) without significant amount of quartz - 180 °C, NaOH 10 % and 60 min for low RxSiO2 and 25 min for high SiO2Re, and (2) with significant amount of quartz - 150 °C, NaOH 20 % and 60 min for both situations.

Dans ce travail de thèse, deux objectifs ont été fixés. Le premier a été de mieux comprendre le mécanisme très complexe qui est en jeu dans les accumulateurs Li/S. Pour cela, les modifications structurales du matériau actif ont été observées in operando et ont permis de valider un modèle clair concernant les réactions de transformations de phases qui contrôlent le lithium/soufre. La cristallisation d’une forme métastable du soufre (bêta-S8 monoclinique) en fin de recharge a ainsi été observée pour la première fois lors d’expériences au synchrotron de l’ESRF. La technique d’impédance électrochimique a également donné d’importantes informations sur les cinétiques deces réactions. Le deuxième objectif visait l’amélioration du système Li/S par l’optimisation des électrodes de soufre afin d’augmenter leurs performances mais également par la fabrication d’électrodes de Li2S efficaces permettant la transition vers le Li-ion/S, plus sécuritaire. / In this work two main aspects has been conducted in parallel. The first one was focused on betterunderstanding the very complex working mechanism of Li/S cell. Structural changes evolution ofactive material upon real time battery operation was explored, giving a clear answer on thesolid/liquid reaction evolution, which govern the electrochemistry of Li/S technology. Formationof another allotropic form of sulfur (monoclinic beta-S8) during recharging the battery have beenreported for the first time ever in Li/S community. Impedance technique applied to such systemprovided additional information concerning the kinetics of these reactions. Apart from that,another aspect targeted rather on improvements of already existing solutions (making better sulfurelectrodes, with significantly improved specific capacities) as well as development the alternativesolutions, i.e. fabrication and test of new Li2S-based positive electrodes, which could be apromising transition from classical Li/S cells into safer Li-ion/S batteries.

Ce travail s'inscrit dans le cadre du développement de matériaux composites nanostructurés à propriétés électriques et magnétiques inédites. Afin de répondre à des besoins technologiques pour, l'électronique de puissance intégrée : le stockage ou la transmission de l'énergie, les télécommunications (antenne intégrée...), le stockage de l'information par enregistrement magnétique et le marquage biologique, le composite doit présenter globalement une polarisation magnétique élevée ainsi qu'un comportement isolant permettant de pousser les limites fréquentielles, minimiser les pertes dynamiques et découpler les grains entre eux. Les matériaux composites élaborés sont constitués d'une matrice d'accueil - magnétique (ferrite spinelle) ou non-magnétique (diélectrique = silice) - dans laquelle sont dispersées des particules métalliques (Fer-Nickel ou Cobalt). Ces matériaux sont novateurs dans la mesure où le matériau final peut bénéficier d'un couplage des propriétés magnétiques des deux phases constitutives. L'holographie électronique en transmission a mis en évidence une ocnfiguration de spins de type « vortex » dans les nanoparticules de Fe30Ni70. Les mesures holographiques ont été comparées au profil de l'aimantation, dans un vortex, modélisé par une approche micromagnétique. Des analyses physico-chimiques approfondies nous ont permis de confirmer les topologies visées : pour le composite métal-diélectrique, l'épaisseur de la couche d'enrobage a pu être contrôlée à l'échelle nanonométrique. Pour le composite métal-oxyde obtenu par croissance directe du ferrite sur la phase métallique, on a démontré une bonne dispersion des particules métalliques. Les propriétés magnétiques et structurales des différents composites, en poudre ou compactés par SPS (compactage-frittage flash), ont été caractérisées et discutées. Les propriétés fonctionnelles ont été aussi étudiées et sont très prometteuses pour les applications visées. L'enrobage des nanoparticules par la silice a permis la préparation de leur surface dans la perspective d'une fonctionnalisation par des entités biologiques.

Dans la perspective de prédire les transformations chimico-minéralogiques possibles d'une bentonite placée en conditions de stockage profond de déchets radioactifs, plusieurs séries d'expériences ont été réalisées utilisant la bentonite MX80 en présence d'une solution chlorurée sodi-calcique, en absence ou en présence de fer (magnétite + hématite ou fer métal + magnétite), à 80 et 300 °C et pour des durées de 1 jour à 9 mois. Les produits de réactions ont fait l'objet de caractérisations multi-échelles et multi-techniques : diffraction des rayons X, microscope électronique à balayage et en transmission (imagerie haute résolution, EDS et EELS), microsonde électronique, spectroscopie Mössbauer et analyse ICP AES et ICP MS des solutions. Le code de calcul EQ3/6 a été utilisé pour simuler les expériences réalisées. Une nouvelle méthode ponctuelle de détermination de la valence du fer dans les argiles au MET par spectroscopie de perte d'énergie des électrons (EELS) a été développée.