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This thesis aims to produce functional polymer fibres and films using liquid crystal networks or photoembossing. The work focuses on visual effects in fibres, optical sensing properties and, actuation and morphing properties. In the first part we focused on changing the perception of textiles by generating structural colours based on diffraction and/or reflection of light. For the former, a micro-structuring technique is combined with a contactless patterning technique: pulsed holography. The results show that diffractive features could be generated on static or moving polymer films allowing for large area patterning. The use of a contactless patterning technique also suggests its potential application for curved surfaces such as fibres. In the second approach, reflective colours are generated using a self-organising cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) coating. The coating is applied in a one step process though spray coating of a liquid crystal monomer mixture on the polymer substrate followed by photopolymerization. Reflectivity measurements and optical microscopy show that a well-defined liquid crystalline and planar alignment is obtained. In the case of films, a strong angular dependent reflection is obtained. In comparison fibres shown lower reflectivity with an angular dependent colour in a single dimension along the fibre direction which originates from the planar cholesteric alignment on a curved surface. The second part of the project was aimed at detecting strain optically in polymer films and fibres. Here, we used the same process to produce reflective films and studied the optical response to uniaxial deformation. Results showed a colour shift as function of strain that was dependent on the mechanical behaviour of the substrate giving real time information of the deformation in the substrate. In the final part the thesis, we explored shape change in response to light of a bilayer photoresponsive film for adaptive textile applications. Here we showed that bending could be generated by coating a photoresponsive LC layer on an oriented polymer substrate. Bending is attributed to a photo induced contraction that occurs in the coating. The resulting response was strongly dependent on the substrate thickness and stiffness, thermo-mechanical properties and the concentration of chromophore in the LC layer.

The thesis investigates the feasibility of utilising the tensile strength of glass-fibres in the reinforcement of concrete components. It tackles the initial problem of securing adequate bond and ensuring true composite action between the concrete and the glass fibres. Some of the fundamental characteristics of the reinforcement and of concrete members reinforced with it are established.

Thèse doctorat : Electronique,Electrotechnique et Automatique.Optique et laser, Optoélectronique : Strasbourg 1 : 2007. / Titre provenant de l'écran-titre. Bibliogr. 5 p.

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I set about exploring the history of Jambi batik with a view to establishing its nature, characteristics, methods of manufacture and function in its social context. A central aim of the study was to establish an accurate description of batiks from Jambi which could serve as a guide to museum cataloguers. In particular I planned to clarify the position regarding the red batiks. During the course of my investigations, I came across a similar confusion surrounding a group of batiks containing Arabic calligraphy. A further purpose of the study was then to determine which, if any, of these calligraphy batiks were made in Jambi. For those which did, my intention was to discover how they fitted into the social and economic context in which they were produced. This study has challenged a number of assumptions which have been made about batik in Indonesia. I have confronted static models and others which have focussed too narrowly on Javanese techniques and meanings. I have demonstrated the importance of approaching textiles from a perspective which recognises change and diversity. I have tried to emphasise the need to understand the central role of trade and colonial experience in relation to textiles in South-East Asia. I have also shown the need for taking into consideration the wider geographical context, beyond the Indonesian archipelago and beyond the notional boundaries of South-East Asia. Previous studies of Indonesian batik have tended to apply Javanese models to all of Indonesia. Indonesia was viewed with Java as the centre and the other regions as satellites to it: a Java-centric model which has marginalised batiks from Jambi. Finally, I believe I have shown the crucial importance of studying the technical aspects of textiles. Many other studies of textiles in South-East Asia have employed an anthropological perspective focusing almost exclusively on the symbolic to the neglect of the technical. This has resulted in a paucity of information which could help museum curators to identify both how and where the textiles were made. This lack of information made the study of textiles from Jambi, as it must do for many other marginalised places, particularly difficult. I hope that this study has not only revealed this problem, but has gone some way to remedy it.

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