Semiconductor-based heterogeneous photocatalysis, as one of the advanced oxidation processes that makes use of semiconductors and inexhaustible solar light, has recently been extensively studied and applied to water decontamination. However, due to low light absorption efficiencies and severe electron-hole recombination, modifications on semiconductor structures are required in order to enhance their photocatalytic performance. Heterogeneous photocatalyst composites, taking advantage of the improved light absorption efficiency as well as the facilitated electron-hole separation at the interface between different semiconductors, have been proven to be a promising strategy. In this study, novel NaNbO3/Bi2WO6 photocatalyst composites with a type-II heterogeneous alignment were successfully prepared via a facile wet impregnation method. The as-prepared photocatalysts were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), diffuse reflectance UV-Vis spectroscopy (DRS), photocurrent (PC) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) analyses. The 30 wt% NaNbO3/Bi2WO6 composite exhibited the best performance for degrading an RhB (rhodamine B) aqueous solution under visible light irradiation (λ > 410 nm), which was ca. 40 times and ca. 2.5 times that of the pristine NaNbO3 and Bi2WO6, respectively. The improved photocatalytic activity may be attributed to the enhanced electron-hole separation efficiency in Bi2WO6 with the assistance of NaNbO_3, as well as the dye-sensitization effect of RhB itself. Radical quenching experiments revealed that h+ played the predominant role, and O2•- functioned as well to some degree. The produced intermediates during the reaction and RhB degradation pathway were speculated and investigated as well. The excellent stability and reusability were verified by repetitively running for five times. Based on experimental results, a plausible functioning mechanism was proposed. Effects of several operation parameters on the catalyst performance including initial RhB concentration, catalyst dosage, reaction temperature and initial pH were also discussed. This study provides solid evidence for NaNbO3 to be a promising candidate for photocatalysis and gives out a novel photocatalytic mechanism of Bi2WO6-based type-II heterostructures.

L'objectif de ce travail était d'améliorer l'amortissement d'un composite thermoplastique haute performance à matrice poly(éther cétone cétone) (PEKK). Pour cela, le concept d'amortissement vibratoire passif à base de particules piézoélectriques (niobate de sodium, NaNbO3) et de particules conductrices (graphène et noir de carbone) a été étudié. Les particules piézoélectriques assurent la transduction mécanique-électrique de la vibration. Les particules conductrices dissipent par effet Joule les charges électriques générées par les particules piézoélectriques au sein de la matrice polymère. La présence de ces deux types de particules favorise la dissipation de l'énergie mécanique par le phénomène de transduction-dissipation local. Ce film amortissant a ensuite été visco-contraint entre des plis composites. Les différentes contributions à la dissipation d'énergie ont été identifiées : la viscoélasticité du polymère, le stick-slip à l'interface particules/matrice, le cisaillement induit par les fibres de carbone et la transduction-dissipation locale. Ce dernier phénomène a été mis en évidence de manière significative à travers l'étude du comportement mécanique et de la réponse dynamique des empilements composites. Après l'étape de polarisation, l'aire sous le module de cisaillement dissipatif G'' du mode de relaxation mécanique α est augmentée de 18%, l'aire des boucles d'hystérésis de 16% à 34% et les amplitudes des modes de résonance sont diminuées, jusqu'à 54% pour le 2ème mode. / The aim of this work was to increase the damping in a high performance thermoplastic composite with the poly(ether ketone ketone) (PEKK) as polymer matrix. The passive vibration damping concept based on piezoelectric particles (sodium niobate, NaNbO3) and conductive particles (graphene and carbon black) was studied. Piezoelectric particles ensure the mechanic-electric transduction of the vibration. Conductive particles dissipate by Joule effect the electric charges generated by the piezoelectric particles within the polymer matrix. Presence of these two kinds of particles improves the dissipation of the mechanical energy by the local transduction-dissipation phenomena. This damping film was visco-constrained between composites plies. The different contributions of energy dissipation have been identified: the polymer viscoelasticity, the stick-slip at the particle/matrix interface, the shear induced by carbon fibers and the local transduction-dissipation. The latter phenomena has been demonstrated significantly through the study of mechanical behavior and dynamic response of the laminate composites. After the polarization step, the area under the dissipative shear modulus G'' of the mechanical relaxation mode α is increased by 18%, the hysteresis loop area from 16% to 34% and resonance mode amplitudes are decreased, up to 54% for the 2nd mode.

Les propriétés physiques d’un matériau sont intimement liées à sa structure cristalline et dans le cas d’ions dopants aux sites qu’ils occupent. La première partie de ce travail est dédiée au matériau diphosphate de sodium et de zinc Na2ZnP2O7, cristallisé out vitreux et ceci pour les ions dopants Co2+, Ni2+, Mn2+ et Eu3+. Les phases cristallisées ont été obtenues par la méthode Czochralski, les verres par trempe à partir de l’état fondu. Un ensemble de caractéristiques physiques ont été mises en jeu (Raman, infrarouge, RPE, absorption optique, luminescence) pour déterminer les sites occupés par les ions dopants et l’influence sur les propriétés optiques. La deuxième partie de cet travail consiste à une meilleure connaissance des matériaux diélectriques sans plomb appartenant à la famille pérovskite et plus particulièrement à la solution solide NaNbO3-BaTiO3. Des monocistaux ont été obtenus par la méthode des flux et caractérisés en utilisant plusieurs techniques : diffraction X, microanalyse, évolution thermique des domaines ferroélectriques-ferroélastiques, mesures diélectriques, piézoélectriques et pyroélectriques. / Abstract The physical properties of a material are intimately related to its crystalline structure and in the case of doped ions they are dependent on to the sites they occupy. The first part of this work is dedicated to the diphosphate material of sodium and zinc Na2ZnP2O7, glassy and crystallized for doped ions of Co2+, Ni2+, Mn2+ and Eu3+. The crystallized phases were obtained by the Czochralski method whereas the glasses were obtained by quenching from the molten state. A set of physical characteristics were studied (Raman, infrared, EPR, optical absorption, luminescence) to determine the sites occupied by the doped ions and its influence on the optical properties. The second part of this work consists of a better knowledge of lead-free dielectric materials belonging to the family of Perovskite, more particularly to NaNbO3-BaTiO3 solid solution. Single crystals were obtained by the flux method and were characterized using several techniques: X-rays diffraction, microanalysis, thermal evolution of ferroelectric and ferroelastic domains; dielectric, piezoelectric and pyroelectric measurements.