En raison de leurs propriétés mécaniques, électriques et thermiques exceptionnelles, les nanotubes de carbone (NTC) ont reçu une importante attention mondiale. Les NTC ont un grand potentiel dans différents domaines d'applications tels que le stockage d'énergie et la microélectronique. Grâce à leur structure unidimensionnelle, leur important facteur d'aspect et leur faible densité, les NTC servent comme charges dans les composites. Par contre, en raison des fortes interactions entre eux, il est difficile de les disperser et de les aligner dans une matrice de polymère.Il est connu qu'une bonne conception d'hybrides, constitués de NTC verticalement lignés sur des substrats, améliore de manière significative la dispersion de ces derniers dans la matrice. Ces hybrides sont préparés par le procédé de dépôt chimique en phase vapeur (CVD). Une fois, ces hybrides sont dispersés dans la matrice du composite cela conduit à une nette amélioration des propriétés multifonctionnelles de ce composite. Les substrats utilisés dans cette thèse sont les nanoplaquettes de graphite (NPG) pour donner des hybrides NPG-NTC que nous appellerons par la suite GCHs. Les GCHs ont l'avantage d'avoir une faible densité et une structure totalement conductrice qui améliore les propriétés diélectriques et électriques des composites.Dans l'état de l'art, les relations entre l'organisation des GCHs et les conditions de synthèse par CVD et entre l'ajout des GCHs dans les composites et les réseaux conducteur interne dans les composites n'ont jamais été étudiées. Pour cela, dans cette thèse, nous allons soigneusement étudier et discuter ces problèmes mentionnés.Dans le premier chapitre, nous présentons une revue générale de la structure, des propriétés, des applications et de la synthèse des NTC et des NPG. Nous présentons aussi les procédures de l'intégration des nanoparticules dans des matrices polymères et les méthodes de fonctionnalisation des NTC. Nous discutons aussi des états électriques et les caractéristiques (di)électriques des composites en fonction de la quantité de la charge conductrice.Le deuxième chapitre présente tout d'abord la synthèse des NTC sur les NPG par CVD. Ensuite, l'influence des paramètres de la CVD, la température, la composition du gaz et le temps de la réaction, ont été étudié. Les résultats qualitatifs et quantitatifs obtenus d'après les caractérisations des ces hybrides peuvent servir comme base de données pour l'intégration et l'influence des ces hybrides dans les composites.Le troisième chapitre présente les composites binaires polyvinylidene fluoride/GCHs et leurs propriétés diélectriques qui sont nettement améliorées par rapport aux composites ternaires composés de polyvinylidene fluoride/NPG/NTC. Les composites obtenus par dispersion des GCHs dans la matrice à l'aide du procédé d'extrusion-injection, présentent un seuil de percolation fortement réduit (5,53 vol%) et une stabilité thermique relativement élevée. Leurs propriétés diélectriques améliorées peuvent être attribuées à des réseaux sous forme de micro-condensateurs et le changement de la cristallinité de la matrice peut être attribué à la bonne conception des hybrides.Le quatrième chapitre étudie les composites GCHs/polydiméthylsiloxane (PDMS) avec la haute performance piézo-résistive dans une large gamme de température. Le composite présente un seuil de percolation ultra-bas et une grande sensibilité piézo-résistive. En particulier, les autres améliorations des propriétés électriques obtenues dans les composites GCHs/PDMS par rapport à celles des composites à base de NTC/PDMS, de NPG/PDMS ou encore de NTC-NPG/PDMS. Les légers mouvements des doigts peuvent être détectés grâce à l'usage de ces films composites en tant que capteurs de mouvement. / Due to the outstanding mechanical electrical and thermal properties, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) received worldwide attentions and intensive investigations in last decades. CNTs are greatly potential in applications such as energy storage and microelectronics. The one dimensional structure, high aspect ratio and low density, promote CNTs serving as the excellent fillers in composites field. However, due to the strong interactions, CNTs are usually difficult to be dispersed and aligned in a polymer matrix. Designing the CNTs construction reasonably is an effective way to ameliorate the dispersion states of CNTs in matrix. These specific hybrid constructions allowed CNTs arrays synthesized vertically onto the substrates through catalyst chemical vapor deposition method. These CNT arrays effectively overcome the problem of CNTs aggregation and promote the interconnection among CNTs, leading to a considerable improvement of multi-functional properties of composites. Graphite nanoplatelets (GNPs) served as substrate make their synthesizing products-GNP-CNTs hybrids (GCHs) possess distinct merits of all-carbon composition, totally-conductive coupling structure and the low intrinsic density. These GCHs constructions provide a great improvement in the dielectric and electrical properties of composites. However, the relationship between GCHs organization and synthesizing conditions during CVD process and the influence of the addition of GCHs to internal conductive networks have not been reported in detail. These mentioned issues will be investigated and discussed in this thesis, which is divided into four chapters:The first chapter makes a general review of the structure, properties, application and synthesis of CNTs and GNP substrates, and the main procedures of fabricating composites and surface functionalization of CNTs. Moreover, a short introduction of the development of micro-nano hybrids applied to the functional composites is made. Most importantly, the developing electrical states and (di) electrical characteristics of composites with ever-increasing conducting filler loading are reviewed in detail at the last part.The second chapter discusses firstly the synthesis process through the CCVD approach and the relationship between CVD parameters and the corresponding construction of GCHs, where the temperature, gas composition and reaction time were controlled. The constructions CNT arrays are dependent on the synthesis conditions. Furthermore, the results obtained from analysis can provide a structural foundation for the huge application potential of GCHs constructions. The third chapter introduces the poly(vinylidene fluoride)-based nanocomposites containing GCH particles, the dielectric properties of which are improved more greatly than the ternary composites loading equivalent mixture of GNPs and CNTs. The composites achieved by dispersing GCH particles into matrix using the mechanical melt-mixing process, showing a strongly reduced percolation threshold (5.53 vol %) and the relatively high thermal stability. Their improved dielectric properties can be attributed to the formed microcapacitor networks and the change of crystalline formation of matrix, caused by well-designed CNT arrays constructions. The fourth chapter investigates the advanced GCHs/ polydimethylsilicone (PDMS) composites with high piezo-resistive performance at wide temperature range. The synthesized GCHs can be well dispersed in the matrix through the mechanical blending process. The flexible composite shows an ultra-low percolation threshold (0.64 vol%) and high piezo-resistive sensitivity (gauge factor ~103 and pressure sensitivity ~ 0.6 kPa-1). Particularly, the much improvements of electrical properties achieved in GCHs/PDMS composites compared with composites filled with equivalent CNT, GNP or mixture of CNTs/GNPs. Slight motions of finger can be detected and distinguished accurately using the composites film as typical wearable sensor.

My doctoral research has focused on the development of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) reflectance imaging technique to detect near-field transport properties such as concentration, temperature, and salinity in micro/nano fluidic phenomena in label-free, real-time, and full-field manner. A label-free visualization technique based on surface plasmon resonance (SPR) reflectance sensing is presented for real-time and full-field mapping of microscale concentration and temperature fields. The key idea is that the SPR reflectance sensitivity varies with the refractive index of the near-wall region of the test mixture fluid. The Fresnel equation, based on Kretschmann’s theory, correlates the SPR reflectance with the refractive index of the test medium, and then, the refractive index correlates with the mixture concentration or temperature. The basic operation principle is summarized and the laboratory-developed SPR imaging/analyzing system is described with the measurement sensitivity, uncertainties and detection limitations of the implemented SPR reflectance imaging. Total five proposed uses of SPR reflectance imaging technique are presented: (1) micromixing concentration field development of ethanol penetrating into water contained in a micro-channel, (2) full-field detection of the near-wall salinity profiles for convective/diffusion of saline droplet into water, (3) full-field and real-time surface plasmon resonance imaging thermometry, (4) correlation of near-field refractive index of nanofluids with surface plasmon resonance reflectance, and (5) unveiling hidden complex cavities formed during nanocrystalline self-assembly.

In this thesis, the tunneling between individual atomic layers in structures of Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+x based high-temperature superconductors are experimentally studied employing the intrinsic Josephson effect. A special attention is paid to the fabrication of small mesa structures using micro and nanofabrication techniques. In the first part of the thesis, the periodic Fraunhofer-like modulation of the critical current of the junctions as a function of in-plane magnetic field is investigated. A transition from a modulation with a half flux quantum to a flux quantum periodicity is demonstrated with increasing field and decreasing junction length. It is interpreted in terms of the transformation of the static fluxon lattice of stacked, strongly coupled intrinsic Josephson junctions and compared with theoretical predictions. A fluxon phase diagram is constructed.Numerical simulations have been carried out to complement the experimental data. In the second part of the thesis, different resonant phenomena are studied in the dynamic flux-flow state at high magnetic fields, including Eck-resonances and Fiske steps. Different resonant modes and their velocities, including superluminal modes, are identified. In the third part, different experiments attempting to detect radiation from small mesa structures using different setups based on hot-electron bolometer mixers and calorimeters are described. No distinct radiation with emission powers higher than about 500pW could be detected. Furthermore, the interaction with external GHz-radiation is studied. Resonances attributed to an induced flux-flow are observed, and the reflectivity of the sample can be tuned by switching mesas between the superconducting and quasiparticle state. In the last part, the resistive switching of mesas at high bias is studied. It is attributed to a persistent electrical doping of the crystal. Superconducting properties such as the critical current and temperature and the tunneling spectra are analyzed at different doping states of the same sample. The dynamics of the doping is studied, and attributed to two mechanisms; a charge-transfer effect and oxygen reordering

Le champ d'application des microsystèmes n'a cessé de s'élargir pendant les quinze dernières années en particulier vers la communication ou vers les biotechnologies. Pour augmenter les fonctionnalités des microsystèmes, l'utilisation de nano-objets semble devenir une voie incontournable, mais qui butte souvent sur des problèmes mes de manipulation spatiale visant à les intégrer dans une architecture fonctionnelle. Pour résoudre ces problèmes d'intégration, l'utilisation de phénomènes d'assemblage dirigé, c'est à dire des phénomènes physiques permettant de manipuler collectivement des nano-objets semble très prometteuse. Dans ce contexte, l'objectif de notre thèse a été de concevoir des outils fluidiques innovants capables de réaliser des opérations de manipulation spatiale ou conformationnelle de nano-objets ou de molécules. Il s'agit d'une recherche pluridisciplinaire à la frontière entre la micro- et nano-fabrication, la micro- et nano-fluidique, la biologie moléculaire, l'imagerie de molécules individuelles, et la biophysique. La thèse est composée de deux projets assez indépendants : une étude de nanofluidique pour le contrôle conformationnel de chromosomes issus de cellules vivantes, et un travail de microfluidique sur un phénomène d'assemblage spontané sur gel hydrophile. Dans un premier temps, nous décrivons un procédé de fabrication d'hydrogels structurés, et nous montrons que ces hydrogels constituent un support efficace pour organiser spatialement des nano-objets. Ce phénomène d'organisation est spontané, et il se produit lors du séchage du liquide. Nous avons donc voulu comprendre les mécanismes fluidiques ayant lieu au cours du séchage en utilisant des traceurs fluorescents. Nous identifions plusieurs phénomènes expliquant les phénomènes d'organisation spatiale de particules, et nous proposons des applications pour ce procédé innovant. Grâce aux dispositifs nanofluidiques que nous avons fabriqués, nous menons des expériences de manipula tion de molécules d'ADN individuelles en milieu confiné. Nous analysons le comportement de l'ADN - son élongation, sa mobilité, l'effet de la salinité, le rôle du matériau dans lesquels le nanocanaux sont inscrits - en utilisant deux modes d'actionnement, à savoir l'électrophorèse et l'hydrodynamique, et nous montrons, pour la première fois, l'intérêt de l'hydrodynamique pour la manipulation d'ADN dans des nanostructures. Nous proposons enfin quelques applications pour ce procédé de manipulation d'ADN innovant.

The work is focused on research and development of a suitable method for creating a selective emitter for the visible and near infrared region so that they are able to work optimally together with silicon photovoltaic cells in a thermophotovoltaic system. The aim of the work was to develop a new method of creating very fine structures outside the current standard, which will increase the emissivity of the base material to meet the needs of a selective emitter for the VID and NIR region. The methods available to us for the creation of structures were chosen, from which we eliminated all unsuitable ones and we introduced the optimal procedure and parameters for their creation for the selected method. In this work, we focused on both ceramic and metallic materials, whose heat resistance and selective properties are key to this work. Part of the development of the emitter structures was also the need for pretreatment of the substrate itself, where great emphasis was placed on the purity of materials and surface roughness. Since ceramic materials cannot achieve a surface roughness so low that the desired structures can be formed, these materials have been purposefully used primarily for the purpose of combining the base material with thin layers of other high temperature material. Their compatibility and suitability were verified in terms of adhesion and subsequent heat resistance. The main material for the formation of fine structures was purposefully chosen tungsten, for which we verified the influence of the formed structure on the emissivity as well as the thermal stability during long-term exposure to high temperatures. The work thus represents not only a new method of creating very fine structures, which are not normally formed in such subtlety, but also opens the way to new possibilities of combining more materials to achieve the required selectivity of the thermophotovoltaic emitter.

This semestral thesis focuses on the description of specific renewable resources in the form of thermophotovoltaic cells using selective radiators with micro/nano structures. This work deals with an introduction of renewable resources and specifically focuses on thermophotovoltaic. Thesis describes basic principles, but also influences affecting the proper functioning of these systems. It also focuses on selective radiators, which are created by mikro/nano structures, and factors that can affect their implementation or simulation. Part of the work are also examples of calculations of basic parameters of the structures, which will be used in the simulations. Next chapters are dealing with simulations which are analyzing thermal effects on termophotovoltaic system. Except the analysis itself there is also partial optimalization solving some of the negative thermal effects.

De nos jours, les systèmes intègrent de plus en plus de fonctionnalités dans des volumes de plus en plus petits grâce aux microcomposants intégrés. L'assemblage de ces microcomposants nécessite des systèmes de manipulation précis et reproductibles. Un nombre considérable de recherches ont été menées afin de mettre au point des actionneurs et des microrobots capables d'effectuer des tâches de positionnement ou de manipulation avec des précisions microniques voire submicroniques. Les technologies piézoélectriques jouent un rôle fondamental dans les applications de positionnement à résolution nanométrique ou même inférieure. Ces matériaux permettent la conception et le développement de systèmes de positionnement avec résolution et bande passante élevées. Cependant, des effets non linéaires tels que l'hystérésis et la dérive lente affectent la précision de la position des systèmes à base piézoélectrique s'ils ne sont pas contrôlés. Souvent, des capteurs de position sont montés sur ces systèmes pour permettre un contrôle en boucle fermée et l'élimination des effets d'hystérésis et de dérive lente. Néanmoins, l'intégration de capteurs permettant un asservissement robuste et de qualité pose des problèmes spécifiques aux microrobots. Cela est particulièrement vrai lorsque le nombre de degrés de liberté augmente. En effet, les capteurs de position qui jouissent d'une bonne résolution et précision sont généralement très volumineux et coûteux. Les solutions alternatives à l’intégration de capteurs de position externes peuvent être regroupées en deux catégories: soit par contrôle en boucle ouverte, également appelé schémas de contrôle prédictifs, soit par des techniques basées sur le contrôle par auto-détection (Self-Sensing Actuation - SSA), c’est-à-dire un contrôle en boucle fermée utilisant l'actionneur piézoélectrique comme son propre capteur.Dans cette thèse, l'objectif est de concevoir et de contrôler un système de positionnement basé sur la technologie piézoélectrique avec une méthode de mesure intégrée par SSA et ayant plusieurs degrés de liberté. À cette fin, les deux classes de SSA, à savoir le SSA basé sur l’effet direct piézoélectrique et le SSA basé sur la modification des propriétés électriques de l'actionneur piézoélectrique (PEA), sont étudiées en profondeur afin de déterminer celle qui convient le mieux au contrôle de la force et de la position dans les actionneurs piézoélectriques caractérisés par le fluage et non-linéarités d'hystérésis et consacrés à des opérations précises. De plus, cette étude présente un modèle constitutif et une technique d’identification de paramètres améliorés, qui prend en compte l’effet de couplage électromécanique et les non linéarités sur les propriétés du matériau piézoélectrique (constantes élastiques et diélectriques).Une nouvelle technique d'évaluation en temps réel des propriétés électriques du PEA est développée. Cette évaluation est basée sur la mesure de l’amplitude du courant de détection résultant de l’application d’une tension d’entrée haute fréquence de faible amplitude superposée à la tension d’entrée de commande qui actionne le PEA. Ensuite, un estimateur qui utilise le courant de détection pour estimer la position du PEA est conçu. Enfin, une plate-forme microrobotique pour le positionnement planaire à haute résolution avec la mesure intégrée par SSA développée est présentée. / Currently, systems integrate more and more functionalities into smaller volumes thanks to embedded micro-components. The assembly of those components requires precise and repeatable systems of manipulation. Substantial amounts of research have been carried out for developing actuators and microrobots to perform positioning or manipulation with micron- or even submicron accuracies. Piezoelectric technologies play a fundamental role in positioning applications with nanoscale or even lower resolution. These materials make possible the design and development of positioning systems with high resolution and bandwidth. However, nonlinear effects such as hysteresis and creep affect the position accuracy of piezoelectric-based systems if not controlled. Often, position sensors are mounted to these systems to permit a feedback control and the elimination of the hysteresis and creep effects. Nonetheless, the integration of sensors to enable quality and robust servo control poses specific problems for microrobots. This is especially true when the number of degrees of freedom (DOF) increases. Precision position sensors are usually very bulky and expensive. Alternative solutions to the integration of external position sensors can be grouped into two categories: either by open-loop control, also called feedforward control schemes or by Self-Sensing Actuation (SSA) control-based techniques, that is, a feedback control that uses the piezoelectric actuator as its own sensor.In this thesis, the objective is to design and control a piezoelectric-based positioning system with an embedded measurement by SSA method and having several degrees of freedom. To this end, the two classes of SSA, namely SSA based on the piezoelectric direct effect and the SSA based on the change of electrical properties of the piezoelectric actuator (PEAs), are studied in depth to determine the more adequate for force and position control in piezoelectric actuators typified by creep and hysteresis nonlinearities and devoted to precise operations. Additionally, from this study, an improved constitutive model and parameter identification technique are presented which includes the electromechanical coupling effect on the piezoelectric material properties (elastic and dielectric constants).A novel technique for real-time evaluation of the PEA's electrical properties is developed. This evaluation is based on the measurement of the amplitude of the detection current that results from the application of high-frequency low amplitude input voltage that is superimposed to the control input voltage which actuates the PEA. Then an estimator that uses the detection current to estimate the PEA's position is designed. Finally, a microrobotics platform for planar positioning with high resolution and the developed embedded measurement by SSA is presented.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Computational analysis of lithium ion batteries has been improved since Newman and et al. suggested the porous electrode theory. It assumed the electrode as a simple structure of homogeneous spherical particles. Bruggeman relationship which characterizes porous material by a simple equation was adopted in the homogeneous electrode model instead of the electrode morphology. To improve the prediction of a cell performance, the numerical analysis requires the realistic microstructure of the cell. Based on the experimentally determined microstructure of the positive and negative electrodes of a lithium ion battery (LIB) using x-ray micro/nano-CT technology, three dimensional (3D) simulations have been presented in this research. Tortuosity of the microstructures has been calculated by a linear diffusion equation to characterize the 3D morphology. The obtained tortuosity and porosity results pointed out that the Bruggeman relationship is not sufficiently estimate the tortuosity by the porosity of electrodes. We studied the diffusion-induced stress numerically based on realistic morphology of reconstructed particles during the lithium ion intercalation process. Diffusion-induced stresses were simulated at different C rates under galvonostatic conditions and compared with spherical particles. The simulation results showed that the intercalation stresses of particles depend on their geometric characteristics. The highest von Mises stress and tresca stress in a real particle are several times higher than the stresses in a spherical particle with the same volume. With the reconstructed positive electrode structure, local effects in the LIB cathode electrode during galvanostatic discharge process have been studied. The simulation results reported that large current density usually occurs at the joints between cathode active material particles and in the small channels in electrolyte, which will generate high electric joule power. By using the 3D real image of a LIB cathode electrode, numerical simulation results revealed that the spatial distribution of variable fields such as concentration, voltage, reaction rate, overpotential, and etc. in the cathode electrode are complicated and non-uniform, especially at high discharge rates.

The present thesis focuses on the fabrication of bio-stimuli responsive micro- and nano-carriers for drug delivery applications. In particular, the objective of this work is to investigate the possibility of using polypeptide drug protamine and glycosaminoglycan drug, chondroitin sulphate as stimuli responsive components in the design of bioresponsive carriers. These biopolymers are biocompatible, biodegradable and clinically used for various applications. Two designs that incorporate these stimuli responsive components have been studied in this thesis. The first design involves hollow micro and nanocapsules that have been fabricated by incorporating the stimuli responsive biopolymers as wall components. Upon exposure to biological triggers, these hollow capsules disintegrate releasing the encapsulated drug. The second design consists of mesoporous silica nanoparticles-biopolymer hybrids. The mesoporous silica nanoparticles act as a gated scaffold that carries the drug molecules. The mesopores of these drug loaded nanoparticles are then blocked with the bioresponsive polymers. Upon exposure to the bio-triggers which consist of enzymes over-expressed in conditions such as cancer and inflammation, these “molecular gates” disintegrate allowing the drug trapped in the mesoporous silica nanoparticles to escape into the surroundings. The thesis has been divided into five chapters: Chapter 1 is an introduction to bio-responsive drug delivery. The broad classification of stimuli used in responsive drug delivery systems are visited. A brief discussion on the various types of bio-stimuli that can be utilized in designing bio-responsive systems is also included in this chapter. Chapter 2 defines the aims and scope of the thesis which is followed by an overview of the various design parameters involved in the fabrication of systems presented in this work. The major stimuli responsive components and the architectures incorporating these elements are discussed in detail here. A literature review of the various carrier designs involved in the study is provided , with special emphasis on stimuli responsive drug delivery. Chapter 3 gives an overview of the various materials and methods involved in this work. A summary of the various characterisation techniques used in the thesis is also included along with the details of the experiments that has been carried out. Chapter 4 provides an overview of the results and discussions of the thesis. The chapter has been divided into six sections: Chapter 4.1 deals with the fabrication of a hollow microcapsule system incorporated with protamine as the stimuli responsive element for bio-responsive drug delivery. The hollow microcapsules that were fabricated by Layer by Layer assembly of protamine and heparin display pH responsive variations in permeability and disintegrate in the presence of the enzyme trypsin that degrades protamine. The biologically triggered enzyme responsive drug release from these microcapsules is also demonstrated using enzymes secreted by colorectal cancer cells. Chapter 4.2 presents nanocapsules fabricated from protamine and heparin. The pH and enzyme responsive drug release of this systems is evaluated in vitro. A wall crosslinking strategy has been tested to control the rate of drug release under physiological pH conditions in the absence of the trigger. The cellular interactions of these nanocapsules loaded with an anticancer drug, doxorubicin was studied using cancer cell lines. Bioavailability studies of doxorubicin encapsulated in these nanocapsules were performed using a BALB/c mice model. Chapter 4.3 discusses the fabrication of a hollow microcapsule system that can disintegrate in response to dual biological stimuli. These carriers have been fabricated by incorporating protamine and chondroitin sulphate as the wall components. Due to the incorporation of two separate stimuli responsive components in the walls, these capsules are expected to be sensitive to the enzymes trypsin or hyaluronidase I. Chapter 4.4 deals with the fabrication of dual enzyme responsive hollow nanocapsule which can be targeted to deliver anticancer agents specifically inside cancer cells. The enzyme responsive elements integrated in the hollow nanocapsule walls can undergo degradation in presence of either of the enzymes trypsin or hyaluronidase I leading to the release of encapsulated drug molecules. The drug release from these nanocapsules which were crosslinked and functionalised with folic acid, is evaluated under varying conditions. The cellular uptake and intracellular drug delivery by these nanocapsules were evaluated in cervical cancer cell lines. Chapter 4.5 introduces a mesoporous silica nanoparticle − protamine hybrid system. The system consists of a mesoporous silica nanoparticle support whose mesopores are capped with protamine which effectively blocks the outward diffusion of the drug molecules from the mesopores of the mesoporous silica nanoparticles. Upon exposure to the enzyme trigger, the protamine cap disintegrates opening up the molecular gates and releasing the entrapped drug molecules. The drug release from this system is evaluated in different release conditions in the presence and absence of the enzyme trigger. The ability of these particles to deliver hydrophobic anticancer drugs and induce cell death in colorectal cancer cells has also been demonstrated. Chapter 4.6 discusses the fabrication of another mesoporous silica nanoparticles based bio-responsive drug delivery system consisting of mesoporous silica and chondroitin sulphate hybrid nanoparticles. The ability of the system to modulate drug release in response to hyaluronidase I is demonstrated. By utilizing a cervical cancer cell line, we have demonstrated the cellular uptake and intracellular delivery of hydrophobic drugs encapsulated in these particles. Interestingly, the system showed ability to enhance the anticancer activity of hydrophobic drug curcumin in these cancer cells. Chapter 5 gives a summary of the general conclusions drawn from the thesis work.

Le contrôle de la mouillabilité de surface est un enjeu majeur pour le développement de matériaux innovants liés aux nano, bio et smart technologies. La mouillabilité est fonction de deux paramètres majeurs : l’énergie de surface du matériau et sa morphologie. La combinaison de ces deux paramètres est à la base de phénomènes tels que la super/parahydrophobie ou la superoléophobie. Ces capacités extrêmes à repousser les liquides avec soit une forte ou faible adhésion sont des propriétés de surface très intéressantes pour de multiples applications industrielles. La présente thèse propose l’étude d’une série de dérivés du polypyrrole élaborés par électrodéposition permettant d’influencer les paramètres régissant la mouillabilité de surface. Par cette approche, il a été possible d’élaborer des surfaces aux morphologies diverses avec une gamme de mouillabilité complète. Les différentes fonctionnalisations par des groupements hydrophobes greffés sur différentes positions préférentielles du monomère ont conduit à l’élaboration de surfaces para et superhydrophobes mettant en évidence l’impact de l’énergie de surface et de la morphologie sur la mouillabilité. Des études préliminaires ont mis en évidence la possibilité d’obtenir des morphologies variées allant de sphères jusqu’à des fibres à l’échelle du micro/nanomètre. Finalement, ces travaux contribuent à un contrôle en amont de la mouillabilité et de la morphologie de surface pour de nombreuses applications potentielles comme les matériaux collecteurs d’eau, les membranes séparatrices de liquide ou bien les revêtements auto nettoyant. / The control of the surface wettability is a key point for the development of innovative materials in several domains such as nano-, bio- and smart-technologies. The wettability is a function of two main parameters of the materials, such as the surface energy and the surface morphology. The combination of these two parameters allows to observe wetting phenomena as super/parahydrophobicity and superoleophobicity. These extreme abilities to repel liquids with different adhesion behaviors are very interesting properties for several industrial applications. This work presents a series of polypyrrole derivatives elaborated by electrodeposition allowing to influence the parameters driving the surface wettability. Following this approach, it was possible to develop surfaces with several types of morphology and different wetting behaviors from a low to high wettability. The different functionalizations using hydrophobic compounds grafted on various preferential positions on the monomer core yielded to para and superhydrophobic surfaces showing the impact of the surface energy and morphology on the wettability. Thanks to preliminary studies, it was showed the possibility to obtain several morphologies from spherical aggregates to fibers at the micro/nano scale. Finally, this work contributes to an upstream control of the surface wettability and morphologies for many potential applications such as water harvesting, separation membranes and self-cleaning coatings.