Ever since their discovery, Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been renowned to be potential candidates for a variety of applications. Nevertheless, the difficulties accompanied with their dispersion and poor solubility in various solvents have hindered CNTs potential applications. As a result, studies have been developed to address the dispersion problem. The solution is in modifying the surfaces of the nanotubes covalently or non-covalently with a desired dispersant. Various materials have been employed for this purpose out of which polymers are the most common. Non-covalent functionalization of CNTs via polymer wrapping represents an attractive method to obtain a stable and homogenous CNTs dispersion. This method is able to change the surface properties of the nanotubes without destroying their intrinsic structure and preserving their properties. This thesis explores and studies the surface modification and solublization of pristine single and multiwalled carbon nanotubes via a simple solution mixing technique through non-covalent interactions of CNTs with various anionic and cationic conjugated polyelectrolytes (CPEs). The work includes studying the interaction of various poly(phenylene ethynylene) electrolytes with MWCNTs and an imidazolium functionalized poly(3-hexylthiophene) with SWCNTs. Our work here focuses on the noncovalent modifications of carbon nanotubes using novel CPEs in order to use these resulting CPE/CNT complexes in various applications. Upon modifying the CNTs with the CPEs, the resulting CPE/CNT complex has been proven to be easily dispersed in various organic and aqueous solution with excellent homogeneity and stability for several months. This complex was then used as a nanofiller and was dispersed in another polymer matrix (poly(methyl methacrylate), PMMA). The PMMA/CPE/CNT composite materials were cast or electrospun depending on their desired application. The presence of the CPE modified CNTs in the polymer matrix has been proven to enhance the composites thermal, mechanical and electrical properties compared to pristine CNTs. Various spectroscopic and microscopic techniques such as UV-vis, fluorescence, TEM, AFM and SEM were used to study and characterize the CPE/CNT complexes. Also, TGA, DSC and DMA were used to study the thermal and mechanical properties of the composite materials. Our current work represents a fundamental study on the non-covalent interactions between CNTs and CPEs on one hand and gives a real life example on the CPE/CNT application in composite materials and electronics.

Escherichia coli changes in Sinking Creek, an impaired water body in the Watauga watershed of northeast Tennessee, were assessed during storm events using water samples collected with ISCO automated samplers during eight storms at two locations. Turbidity and electrical conductivity (EC) data loggers were deployed in the creek, and dissolved oxygen (DO) was measured in situ to test the stream’s water quality and reaction to inclement weather. Cotton fabric was deployed at both locations and sent to an external lab to test for the presence of Optical Brighteners (OB), which are indicators of residential wastewater. E. coli and turbidity at the creek generally increased within 2.5 hours of a rain event, remaining above the single sample standard for several hours during the storm. At the spring, E. coli became elevated within 30 minutes of precipitation onset, but generally decreased below the standard during the event.

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The US navy has a critical need for air independent advanced electric power sources to replace batteries in unmanned undersea vehicles (UUVs). Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are being considered as one potential replacement option. However, SOFCs typically operate using atmospheric air as their oxidant which is not an option for this underwater application. For this application, pure pressurized oxygen would be used as the oxidant which motivates the search for a cathode material which would be optimal for a high oxygen partial pressure environments. Specifically, this research focuses on cathode materials which can exploit the unique operating conditions required for UUVs. The operation in 100% oxygen atmosphere rather than air provides a significant opportunity. This is because oxygen surface exchange and bulk transport through the cathode is mediated through point defects whose concentrations are sensitive to the partial pressure of oxygen in the atmosphere surrounding the cathode. Oxygen bulk transport along with oxygen surface exchange are the rate controlling steps in oxygen reduction and incorporation at the cathode. The focus of this research is to examine the relationship between oxygen partial pressure and its effect on SOFC cathode performance for two different families of cathode materials, namely strontium doped lanthanum manganite, and a relatively new class of cathode materials, rare-earth nickelates. The experimentally measured relationship between cathode polarization and oxygen partial pressure will be correlated with the underlying transport and surface exchange processes in both families of materials.

A greenhouse experiment was conducted to determine the interactive effects of water salinity, volume of water applied at each irrigation, sodium adsorption ratio and rhizobial strain upon 15 plant growth parameters of Phaseolus vulgaris L. Four levels of water salinity (ECW 0.4, 3.0, 6.0, or 9.0 mmho/cm), three levels of water volume (200, 400, or 800 ml per pot), three levels of SAR (4, 16, or 64) and three strains of Rhizobium phaseoli (K-17, K-47, or K-52) were used. The treatments were replicated with all possible combinations. Data were subjected to analysis of variance, multiple comparisons, and path coefficient analysis.

Ces travaux constituent une étude approfondie se focalisant sur l'évolution des propriétés viscoélastique et électrique de composites à matrices thermoplastiques faiblement chargés en nanotubes de carbone. Un ajout suffisant de particules conductrices électriques entraine la formation d'un réseau percolant rendant le matériau conducteur électrique. Lors de l'écoulement du composite, la structure du réseau va fortement évoluer changeant ainsi les propriétés macroscopiques. Par exemple, le thermoformage d'une feuille de composite ayant initialement de bonnes propriétés électriques peut générer une pièce isolante.La majeure partie des études référencées dans la littérature se restreignent à l'analyse rhéologique de ces matériaux dans le domaine linéaire. C'est pourquoi, nous avons mis en place une toute nouvelle expérience. Celle-ci permet de mesurer simultanément la conductivité électrique d'une éprouvette lorsqu'elle est déformée en élongation à l'état fondu. Nous avons ainsi pu mettre évidence le lien étroit entre les variations de conductivité électrique avec la dynamique moléculaire du polymère et la vitesse de déformation. Il est désormais possible de décrire les variations de conductivité par le biais du nombre de Weissenberg, produit du temps de relaxation de la matrice et de la vitesse de déformation. De plus, nous avons montré qu'il était possible de réduire la concentration massique de NTC par ajout de nodules de polybutadiène sans impacter les conditions de mise en forme. Enfin, nous proposons un modèle qui permet de décrire les évolutions de conductivité électrique de composites subissant des déformations à l'état fondu, et ce, pour une gamme très large de conditions expérimentales / In this work we present a complete study of the electrical conductivity evolution of molten nano-composites under extensional deformation. The conductive polymer composites are a pure Polystyrene matrix filled with Carbon Nanotubes. The conductivity properties of the composites rely on the formation of a percolated network through the material. When the composite flows, the filler network can be disrupted, altering the conductivity of the composite. Thus, after a small deformation a moderately conductive composite can turn into an insulating material. From an applied viewpoint, for instance, the thermoforming of a composite sheet with good electrical properties can lead to an insulating finished part. In the literature, the studies mainly focus on the conductivity variation of molten composites under small shear deformation at low shear rates.This study aims at analyzing the microstructure evolution when the molten composite undergoes large deformation and especially in elongation. That is why we developed a new experiment that gives the possibility to monitor the specimen conductivity during its extensional deformation all the while recording the elongation stress. On the one hand, we highlighted a close relationship between the extensional conditions that are the specimen temperature and the extensional rate with the conductivity variation. Indeed, the conductivity variations can be described by means of the Weissenberg number that takes into account the polymer dynamics and the extensional rate. On the other hand, we have shown that the volume confinement of the filler, here achieved by the presence of polybutadiene nodules, gives the possibility to decrease the filler amount without impacting the process-ability of the composites. Finally, we propose a model that describes the conductivity evolution of CPC under extensional and planar flow. It links the structural evolution of the filler network to the macroscopic properties of the composite

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京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(理学) / 甲第18816号 / 理博第4074号 / 新制||理||1586(附属図書館) / 31767 / 京都大学大学院理学研究科化学専攻 / (主査)教授 長谷川 健, 准教授 安藤 耕司, 教授 林 重彦 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Science / Kyoto University / DGAM

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