O estudo do processo de fusão e solidificação da água contida dentro de materiais confinantes tem sido amplamente discutido em química, biologia, física, geologia, e com diversas aplicações tecnológicas, tais como aplicação na fabricação de etanol de segunda geração, ou etanol celulósico, separação de fases, fabricação de nanomateriais. Pesquisas mostraram que as temperaturas de transição da água nanoconfinada são muito sensíveis ao diâmetro do poro, mas que podem ser pouco afetadas pela natureza, hidrofóbica ou hidrofílica, da superfície do poro. Outra importante constatação em experimentos de fusão e congelamento em nanoporos é que nem toda água presente nos poros pode ser cristalizada até gelo. A existência de uma camada de água pré-fundida em nanoporos tem sido confirmada através de experimentos. Com o objetivo de entender mais profundamente como a temperatura de transição da água confinada depende da natureza da parede confinante e do tamanho do confinamento, propõe-se um modelo de nanoporos de celulose para o confinamento, onde varia-se o diâmetro e comprimento do nanoporo, além da natureza da parede do nanoporo. Nossos estudos, mostram que para sistemas hidrofóbicos, com formação de camada de água líquida na parede, as temperaturas de transição variam desde relativamente baixas, para menores valores de calor latente, até atingindo a temperatura de transição da água bulk, para calor latente mais alto. Enquanto que para sistemas hidrofílicos, para nenhum dos valores de calor latente trabalhados, e para nenhum tamanho do sistema, a temperatura de transição atinge o valor de bulk. / The study of the fusion process and water solidification inside confining materials has been widely discussed in Chemistry, Biology, Physics, and Geology, and has various technological applications as the usage and fabrication of second generation ethanol or cellulosic ethanol, phase separation, and nanomaterials fabrications. Researches have shown that nanoconfined water’s transition temperature are highly sensitive to the pore. Another interesting remark on freezing and fusion experiments on nanopores is that not all water present in pores can be crystallized into ice. The existence of a water layer pre-melted on nanopores has been confirmed through experiments. Aiming at understanding deeply how water’s transition temperature depends on the nature of the confining wall and size, a cellulose nanopore model is proposed to the confinement, where the nanopore diameter and length are varied, besides the nature of the wall of the nanopore. Our studies show that for hydrophobic systems, with the liquid water layer formation on the wall, the transition temperatures vary from relatively low latent heat to smaller values, even reaching the temperature transition on bulk water to higher latent heat. While for hydrophilic systems, for none of the latent heat used and no system size the transition temperature reaches bulk value.

Submitted by Renata Lopes (renatasil82@gmail.com) on 2016-03-31T14:47:16Z No. of bitstreams: 1 fellipelaraaparecida.pdf: 20651270 bytes, checksum: 48e88feb961f8d1446229cf83d322c3e (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2016-04-24T02:58:29Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 fellipelaraaparecida.pdf: 20651270 bytes, checksum: 48e88feb961f8d1446229cf83d322c3e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-24T02:58:29Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 fellipelaraaparecida.pdf: 20651270 bytes, checksum: 48e88feb961f8d1446229cf83d322c3e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-04-30 / CAPES - Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Este trabalho tem como objetivo o desenvolvimento de um código computacional para otimização de geometria de clusters metálicos. Para a otimização das coordenadas foi utilizado o método do gradiente conjugado não linear. Foi utilizado o potencial Tight- Binding com aproximação de segundos momentos (TB-SMA). As estruturas estudadas foram construídas nas direções cristalográficas fundamentais [1 0 0], [1 1 0] e [1 1 1]. Foi utilizado, também, o cálculo da função de distribuição radial para apresentar a goemetria das estruturas otimizadas. Um estudo complementar de compressão e alongamento foi realizado para as estruturas não otimizadas e otimizadas para verificar o comportamento das curvas de stress-strain das mesmas. Deste último estudo podese verificar uma situação limite em que estrutura sobrevive sem sofrer deformações permanentes. / This work aims to develop a computer code for geometry optimization of metal clusters. For the optimization of the coordinates we used the nonlinear conjugate gradient method. To describe the interactions between atoms we used the tight-binding potential with the second moments approximations (TB-SMA). The studied structures were built on the fundamental crystallographic directions [1 0 0] [1 1 0] and [1 1 1]. In order to elucidate good optimized structures we used the radial distribution function calculations. An additional study of compression and stretching was performed for the non-optimized and optimized structures to verify the behavior of the stressstrain curves. The stress-strain curves have shown the threshold situation in which the structures survives without permanet deformations.

Neste trabalho propomos uma investigação através de simulações de dinâmica molecular da água em contato com superfícies hidrofóbicas e hidrofílicas, tanto dentro de nanotubos funcionalizados quanto em membranas bi-dimensionais para dessalinização. No caso da água em contato com superfícies hidrofóbicas e hidrofílicas de nanotubos nós encontramos uma quebra na relação de Stokes-Einstein para a difusão e a viscosidade da água. Essa quebra ocorre para os menores nanotubos − em que pelo menos duas camadas de água formam-se, condição para deslizamento de camadas necessária para o cálculo da viscosidade. O mecanismo por trás deste comportamento é ditado pela estrutura da água confinada. Esse resultado indica que algumas das características observadas para a água dentro de nanotubos hidrofóbicos, como nanotubos de carbono na natureza, são únicas. Encontramos uma grande dependência da dinâmica e estrutura da água confinada com as características polares do nanotubo, principalmente para nanotubos com diâmetros menores que 1 nm. Ao variarmos a temperatura do sistema, observamos ainda uma forte dependência da estruturação das moléculas de água com a temperatura, a ponto de apresentar transições entre estados mais e menos ocupados Nossos resultados de dinâmica molecular também mostram que membranas contendo nanoporos com sítios hidrofílicos entre regiões hidrofóbicas podem apresentar grande fluxo de água e reduzido transporte de íons, o que torna esses materiais excelentes candidatos para sistemas de dessalinização e limpeza de metais pesados. Ao acrescentarmos um químico floculante (cloreto de ferro) à água salgada, encontramos resultados ainda melhores para a rejeição de sal pelas membranas nanoporosas. Todos esses resultados demonstram a importância do estudo das propriedades hidrofóbicas e hidrofílicas em interfaces aquosas. Em todos os casos, encontramos uma dependência inerente das propriedades de transporte da água com a característica polar da superfície de contato. / In this work we have proposed an investigation through molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of the water behavior at hydrophobic and hydrophilic surfaces in both functionalyzed nanotubes and two-dimensional nanpores. In the case of water at hydrophobic and hydrophilic nanotube surfaces, we have found a breakdown of the Stokes-Einstein relation for diffusion and viscosity of water confined in narrow hydrophobic nanopores. The mechanism underlying this behavior is dictated by the structure of water under confinement. This result indicates that some of the features observed for water inside hydrophobic carbon nanotubes cannot be observed in other nanopores. We have also found an important dependence of the water dynamics with the polar character of the nanotube, mostly for small diameters. By varying the temperature, both the dynamics and the water structuration are affected, presenting transitions between dense-packed and low-density states. Our results also shows that nanoporous membranes, with hydrophilic sites sandwiched between hydrophobic regions, can present an important flux of water molecules and reduced ion transportation, making these structures promising for desalination processes. By adding a flocculant ingredient (ferric chloride) to the salt water, we found even larger ion rejection rates. All the results point out the importance of studying hydrophilic and hydrophobic interfaces for water transport. In all the cases, we have found an ubiquitous dependence of water dynamic properties on the surface polarity.

Water-responsive biological materials make up a large fraction of the earth’s biomass. Organisms can exchange water with their environment to actuate organ movement, and this process has inspired engineers to mimic this for technological use. Hygroscopic biological materials are chemically and phylogenetically diverse, implying that there may be fundamental physical principles which can explain their mechanics. In this thesis I will detail the development of a theory, the hygroelastic model, that explains a number of surprising mechanical behaviors exhibited by the hygroscopic bacterial spore of Bacillus subtilis. The hygroelastic model relies on the idea that the nanoconfinement of water molecules near interfaces influences the mechanics of nanoporous biological materials. The effects associated with this restructuring are collectively referred to as Hydration Forces. I will explain how these forces give rise to the equilibrium, nonequilibrium, and hygroscopic mechanical behaviors of the bacillus subtilis spore. Further, I will explain how hydration forces predict a previously unrecognized mechanical transition in the spore that emerges under rapid compression. The predicted mechanical behaviors of the model were validated experimentally through the use of the Atomic Force Microscope (AFM). By modifying the traditional Hertz formula to account for a strain-dependent elastic modulus, we show that the hygroelastic model well explains the anomalous force-indentation curves collected on bacterial spores. We also confirm the existence of the mechanical transition which appears under rapid indentation. Using multiple AFM operational modes, we collected force-indentation curves across a wide range of contact times ranging from near a second to 10’s of microseconds. These experiments showed a rapid increase in elastic modulus occurring near the predicted timescale of the hygroelastic transition. Though these unique mechanical properties are uncommon in materials, the underlying assumptions of the hygroelastic theory are general. Because nanoporous hygroscopic matter is commonly found in nature, it is possible that hygroelastic model could be applied to a number of other biological structures as well. Notably, the hygroelastic model predicts that bacterial spores owe their elastic response to hydration forces, which emerge from a disruption of water structure near the porous interface. These ‘hydration solids,’ may represent a paradigm in materials. Their mechanical properties may find use in engineered materials, with tailored elasticity, dissipation, nonlinear response, and frequency response.

Nanocrystalline, nanoporous, and heterogeneous functional materials have a range of unique physical and chemical properties at the nanoscale that make them useful in various fields such as gas storage, sensing, catalysis, and construction. However, these materials have complex and varied internal structures make them difficult to analyze using traditional methods. In this work, advanced tools were presented that combine several existing algorithms and techniques to enable efficient and accurate analysis of the structures of these materials. The tools were tested on well-studied systems (TiO2 nanoparticles) and novel materials (multiple metal organic frameworks), and the results showed that they produced accurate and reliable results. These results have contributed to important scientific discoveries, some of which are highlighted in this thesis. First, an automated platform for x-ray scattering experiments and a streaming data pipeline were developed to determine pair distribution functions, which were used to study nanocrystalline, nanoporous, and heterogeneous functional materials. A systematic workflow was then proposed and tested to analyze the phases and morphologies of metal oxide nanoparticles. Using the data pipeline and workflow, the effects of temperature on phases, morphologies, and structure order during the synthesis of titanium oxide (bronze) nanoparticles were demonstrated. Specific tools were then designed to analyze the structures of nanoporous materials based on the disorder in their complex structures. The turbostratic disorder in zirconium phosphates was analyzed, and the potential to tune disorders using phosphoric acid concentration was demonstrated. In addition, the glass transition in metal-organic frameworks was detected, and a reminiscent correlation between metal sites in the glass state was discovered. Furthermore, evidence of polar solvent-induced lattice arrangement in an aluminum metal-organic framework was found using the analysis of pair distribution functions. Finally, a simple but effective algorithm was proposed to study the grain distribution and mosaicity in heterogeneous crystalline materials, moving beyond the study of homogeneous systems. Overall, these studies aim to enable faster and more comprehensive analysis of the disordered structures in nanocrystalline, nanoporous, and heterogeneous materials, which could have applications in fields including photocatalysis, optical or gas sensing, radioactive waste storage, and metallurgical industry.

The poster presents two measuring techniques which, by their very nature, can be focused on, exclusively, microscopic dimensions, including the interior of the individual particles (crystallites) of the material under study. Correspondingly, they are referred to as “microscopic measuring techniques”. The examples presented refer, in particular, to the potentials of these techniques for investigating mass transfer in complex systems.

Ce travail vise à étudier les propriétés de transport et le comportement poromécaniquede fluides simples confinés dans des nanopores lamellaires par le biais de simulationsmoléculaires. Pour ce faire, nous avons proposé différents schémas de simulations de ladynamique moléculaire dans des ensembles adaptés aux propriétés étudiées (diffusion demasse, viscosité, force de friction, gonflement …). Il a été note que les propriétés de transportde fluides fortement inhomogènes variaient fortement dans la direction perpendiculaire auxmurs solides. Nous avons alors proposé une approche non-locale permettant de déterminerquantitativement la viscosité locale de fluides inhomogènes à partir du profil de densité etapplicable pour des sphères dures, molles et le fluide de Lennard-Jones. Il a été égalementmontré qu’un fluide de Lennard-Jones fortement confiné pouvait avoir un comportementviscoplastique (et rhéofluidifiant) si un ordre structurel était induit dans le fluide par laposition relative des murs solides. Enfin, nous avons montré qu’une modification importantede la pression de solvatation du fluide confiné peut être induite par cisaillement ce qui peutinduire un gonflement « dynamique » d’un nanopore lamellaire. / This work aims at investigating the transport properties and the poromechanics of simple spherical fluids confined in slit nanopores through molecular simulations. To do so, we have proposed different schemes to perform molecular dynamics simulations in ensembles adequate to deal with the properties we were looking after (mass diffusion, shear viscosity,friction force, swelling …). The transport properties of strongly inhomogeneous fluids were found to be varying with space perpendicularly to the solid walls. We have then proposed a non-local approach to determine quantitatively the local shear viscosity of such inhomogeneous fluids from the density profile applicable from the Hard-Sphere to the Lennard-Jones fluids. In addition, it has been shown that highly confined Lennard-Jones fluid may exhibit a visco-plastic (+ shear thinning) behavior when a strong structural order is induced in the whole confined fluid because of the relative position of the solid walls. Finally, it was demonstrated that shear induced modifications of the solvation pressure of a confined fluid may exist that leads to a “dynamic” swelling when a slit micropore is sheared.

Broadband Dielectric Spectroscopy (BDS) in combination with a nanostructured electrode arrangement – which circumvents the conventional need to evaporate metal electrodes onto soft matter – is used to study the molecular dynamics of several glass forming materials confined in nanometric (> 5 nm) layers. Other complementary experimental tools employed in this work include spectroscopic vis-Ellipsometry (SE), AC-chip calorimetry (ACC), X-ray reflectrometry (XRR), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). The latter is used to characterize the topography of the samples and to determine their thicknesses. Under the conditions of annealing samples (Tg + 50K) in high oil-free vacuum (10E-6 mbars) for at least 12 h and carrying out measurements in inert (dry nitrogen or argon) atmosphere, it is found for all studied thin layers that the structural relaxation, and hence the dynamic glass transition – in its mean relaxation times – remains within a margin ±3 K from the respective bulk behaviour. It is revealed, inter alia, that the one-dimensional confinement of thin films introduces restrictions on other (slower) molecular relaxation processes which manifest, depending on the specific system under investigation, as (i) an interruption of the end-to-end (normal mode) fluctuation of the chains, or (ii) a slowing down of the delta-relaxation when the system is cooled towards glass-formation. Furthermore, (iii) evidence is provided to show that the dimensionality of confinement plays a significant role in determining the resulting dynamics. A molecular understanding of these findings is given, and the discussion presented with respect to the on-going international debate about dynamics in confinement.

Les canaux ioniques sont des protéines membranaires permettant le transport ionique au travers des membranes biologiques. Du fait de leur omniprésence dans l'organisme, ils représentent une classe de cibles thérapeutiques encore actuellement peu exploitée du fait de limitations expérimentales dans leur étude. La mesure électrique de l'activité des canaux ioniques au sein de bicouches biomimétiques reconstituées in vitro permettrait de répondre à ces limitations. Cependant, il n'existe actuellement pas de système satisfaisant au cahier des charges complet pour de telles analyses : stabilité et pureté de la bicouche, faible niveau de bruit, insertion rapide des canaux ioniques, intégration dans un dispositif fluidique, possibilité de mener une caractérisation optique simultanée. L'objectif de ces travaux de thèse était d'évaluer dans quelle mesure l'utilisation d'un substrat SOI (Silicon On Insulator) comprenant des nanopores pourrait permettre de répondre à tous ces critères. Des nanopores de diamètre compris entre 10 nm et 160 nm ont été réalisés à partir d'un substrat SOI. Une cellule fluidique transparente est utilisée pour l'adressage fluidique. Cette cellule permet d'autre part la double caractérisation électrique et optique. Les propriétés électriques en milieu liquide du dispositif ont été étudiées et permettent de dégager des perspectives d'amélioration. La double caractérisation électrique et optique est démontrée au moyen d'expériences de capture de nanoparticules fluorescentes sur les nanopores. Enfin, des premiers résultats prometteurs d'obtention d'une bicouche lipidique suspendue sont présentés. / Ion channels are membrane proteins responsible for ion transport across biological membranes. Due to their ubiquity, they are promising drug targets but are not yet fully exploited as such due to experimental restrictions in their study. Electrical measurement of ion channels activity within in vitro artificial lipid bilayers would enable to overcome these restrictions. However, there is not yet a system satisfying all the requirements for ion channels studies: stability and purity of the lipid bilayer, low noise level, fast insertion of ion channels, fluidic integration, ability to perform simultaneous optical characterization. The aim of this phD was to assess in which extent the use of an SOI (Silicon On Insulator) substrate bearing nanopores could satisfy all these requirements. 10 nm to 160 nm diameter nanopores were fabricated in an SOI substrate and characterized. A transparent fluidic cell was used for fluidic addressing. This transparent cell allows combined electrical and optical characterization. Electrical properties of the device in aqueous environment were studied, allowing to bring out improvement prospects. The combined electrical and optical characterization was demonstrated with fluorescent nanoparticle trapping experiments on the nanopores. Finally, promising results about the formation of a free-standing lipid bilayer are presented.

Le manuscrit HDR de Mme Marie-Claude Dubois-Clochard relate les principaux résultats acquis en synthèse et structuration à l'échelle nanométrique de polymères fonctionnels. Si la synthèse de polymères fonctionnels est à la base des études abordées, l'ordre chronologique des activités de Recherche de 1995 à 2013 montre une évolution des polymérisations classiques en solution vers des polymérisations radio-induites contrôlées par mécanisme RAFT en milieu confiné. L'innovation porte sur le développement de nouveaux objets polymères et composites organique/inorganique façonnés à l'échelle nanométrique aux propriétés physiques et physico-chimiques originales. Trois domaines d'application se détachent : l'Energie-Environnement (Moteurs, Piles à combustible, Capteurs pour la qualité de l'Eau), la Santé (Nanovecteurs pour Thérapie cancéreuse et imagerie, translocation d'ions ou de molécules à travers un nanopore unique dans une membrane polymère) et les Nanotechnologies (Magnétorésistance d'un nanofil magnétique unique de forme cylindrique ou biconique). Les résultats marquants ont été : - l'établissement d'isothermes d'adsorption de type bi-langmuir à l'interface solide/liquide organique pour des macromolécules tensioactives à faible concentration, et, à forte concentration, un comportement particulier de réorganisation de ces mêmes macromolécules, non pas en couches alternées, mais sous forme d'hémicelles inverses. - la synthèse d'un polymère pH-dégradable innovant permettant une dégradation hydrolytique en passant de pH 7.4 (Sang) à pH 5.5 (Lysosome intracellulaire) en vue de délivrer des toxines dans les cellules tumorales (Santé). - la démonstration de l'effet coopératif solvant/polymère en croissance pour la pénétration du greffage induit par irradiation dans des films fluoropolymères. - la synthèse de membranes polymères nanoporeuses à traces attaquées bi-fonctionnelles ayant une fonctionnalité dans les pores et une autre en surface. Cette membrane, après transformation en électrode par simple métallisation aura fait l'objet de projets de valorisation en vue d'une création de start-up et/ou de transfert de technologie pour le développement d'un détecteur de traces métaux lourds dans l'eau traitée (Environnement). Dans la même thématique, la fonctionnalisation directe des traces dans les films de polymères irradiés aux ions lourds rapides du GANIL a permis de développer de nouvelles membranes conductrices de protons pour les piles à combustible (Energie) - l'observation non-décrite d'effets coopératifs sur la mobilité des ions dans un milieu confiné créé par un nanopore cylindrique unique dans une membrane fine de fluoropolymère. L'effet accélérateur ou décélérateur de la mobilité des ions confinés dans le pore aux parois chargées semble dépendre uniquement de la nature chimique des ions et de leur concentration. - L'observation de sauts de résistance bien au-delà de la magnétorésistance d'un nanofil magnétique biconique (constriction de l'ordre de la dizaine de nanomètre) sous champ magnétique ayant une dépendance à la fois en angle et en intensité de courant injecté. Effets de relaxations avant et après saut montrant un système énergétiquement activé. - Le contrôle de taille des nanopores d'une membrane polymère par polymérisation radio-induite contrôlée par mécanisme RAFT.