The aim of this research is to fabricate an electrically conducting, smooth, continuous and sensitive nanofiber using tri-block copolymer PS-b-PDMS-b-PS and SWCNTs by electrospinning. The electronic nanofibers may be utilized for effective biosensing applications. The SWCNTs have been of great interest to researchers because of their exceptional electrical, mechanical, and thermal properties. The nanoscale diameter, high aspect ratio, and low density make them an ideal reinforcing candidate for novel nanocomposite material. Electrically conducting fibers are prepared by electrospinning a solution of PS, PS-b- PDMS-b-PS and functionalized SWCNTs using solvent DMF. The fibers formed have an average diameter and height of 5 and 4 μm respectively. These fibers are characterized by SEM, AFM, and optical microscopy. The electrical characterization of a single fiber shows an almost linear graph of current vs. voltage using the Kelvin Sensing method. This linear graph exemplifies the conducting nature of the fiber. Future work includes preparing nanofibers decorated with functional groups and binding with specific type of enzyme or protein to study their I-V behavior. This approach or method can be utilized for bio-sensing activities, especially for the detection of various antibodies and protein molecules.

All biological cell membranes maintain an electric transmembrane potential of around 100 mV, due in part to an asymmetric distribution of charged phospholipids across the membrane. This asymmetry is crucial to cell health and physiological processes such as intracell signaling, receptor-mediated endocytosis, and membrane protein conformation and function as well as active processes involving flippase and floppase proteins. Despite the biological significance, there are limited studies linking the consequences of lipid asymmetry to critical membrane properties and processes involving ion channels. One reason for this is the scarcity of reliable methods to create artificial membrane systems that incorporate both transverse lipid asymmetry and ion channels. Experimental artificial membrane systems incorporate essential cell membrane structures, namely the phospholipid bilayer, in a controllable manner where specific properties and processes can be isolated and examined in an environment much simpler than living systems. It is of particular interest to study asymmetry in transverse lipid composition across the phospholipid bilayer on such a system to probe the effects of the lipid composition and asymmetric arrangement of these lipids on the physicochemical properties of the membrane. By doing so, an understanding of how membrane asymmetry dictates membrane properties and in turn impacts cellular processes will be achieved. The primary goal of this thesis is to develop a platform for fabricating and characterizing compositionally controlled planar, free-standing, asymmetric membranes. This asymmetry was qualitatively demonstrated using a fluorescence quenching assay, and it has been quantified using a combination of anionic and zwitterionic lipids in concert with a patch-clamp amplifier system. Initial measurements of a transmembrane potential on a partially asymmetric bilayer were found to be between 10 and 25 mV. Increasing membrane charge asymmetry increases the offset voltage, as expected, and also modifies the stiffness of the membrane. These initial successes demonstrate a viable pathway to fabricate and quantitatively characterize asymmetric bilayers that can be extended to accommodate more complex membrane processes in the future.

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Ce travail de thèse porte sur l’élaboration de matériaux polymères conjugués absorbants dans le proche infra-rouge. Il est issu du projet TAPIR financé par l’ANR dans lequel nous visons le développement de dispositifs d’interface Homme/Machine (IHM) pour des applications dans le secteur de la santé, afin de limiter la propagation des agents pathogènes. Les IHM étant contrôlées avec la main, sans contact, grâce à la réflectivité de la peau, (gamme spectrale 850-950 nm), il faut développer des matériaux absorbant dans cette gamme. Dans ce projet, notre rôle a été de synthétiser la partie active du photodétecteur infrarouge utilisé pour récupérer l’information. Une étude bibliographique et des calculs préliminaires ont permis une sélection judicieuse de différents monomères afin d’assurer une stabilité intrinsèque et obtenir les propriétés d’absorption requises. Différents monomères donneurs (D) et accepteurs (A) ont été combinés afin de synthétiser des copolymères alternés de types (D-A). Deux familles de copolymères absorbants dans le proche infrarouge ont ainsi été synthétisés Tous les copolymères ont été synthétisés via la polycondensation Stille. Leurs propriétés optiques, électroniques et leurs stabilités thermiques ont été étudiées. Par la suite, après avoir confirmé le rôle prépondérant de la force du monomère accepteur, par rapport à celle du donneur, sur les propriétés d’absorptions et les niveaux électroniques des différents copolymères obtenus, nous avons développé une approche originale très peu rapportée dans la littérature. Elle consiste en l’élaboration de copolymères de type (A-A). Ainsi, nous avons synthétisé six copolymères absorbants dans la gamme de longueurs d’onde souhaitée, et même au-delà. Enfin, certains copolymères ont pu être caractérisés en dispositifs OFET et photodétecteurs. / This thesis work focuses on the development of conjugated polymeric materials which absorb in the near infrared. It is the result of the TAPIR project funded by the ANR in which we aim to develop human-machine interface (HMI) devices for applications in the health sector, in order to limit the spread of pathogens. Since HMIs are controlled by hand, without contact, thanks to the reflectivity of the skin (spectral range 850-950 nm), it is necessary to develop materials which ansorb in this range. In this project, our role was to synthesize the active part of the infrared photodetector used to retrieve the information. A bibliographical study and preliminary calculations have allowed a judicious selection of different monomers to ensure intrinsic stability and obtain the required absorption properties. Different donor monomers (D) and acceptors (A) were combined to synthesize alternating copolymers of types (D-A). Two families of copolymers which absorb in the near infrared have been synthesized. All copolymers have been synthesized via Stille polycondensation. Their optical, electronic and thermal properties have been studied. Subsequently, after confirming the predominant role of the strength of the accepting monomer, compared to that of the donor, on the absorption properties and electronic levels of the various copolymers obtained, we developed an original approach that has been reported very rarely in the literature. It consists of the production of copolymers of the type (A-A). Thus, we have synthesized six copolymers which absorb in the desired wavelength range, and even beyond. Finally, some copolymers have been characterized as OFET devices and photodetectors.

No description available.