Le centre de recherche ArcelorMittal de Montataire développent de nouvelles solutions acier innovantes associant métal et polymère. Pour les ailes de voiture, le composite retenu est un matériau multicouche composé d’une lame d’acier sur laquelle est déposé un film mince de polypropylène choc chargé avec des particules minérales par l’intermédiaire d’une fine couche de polypropylène fonctionnalisé par le greffage d’anhydride maléique. Afin de prévoir et de connaitre le comportement de la partie organique du matériau lors de sa mise en forme par emboutissage et à posteriori de prédire l’état de ses propriétés mécaniques lors de son utilisation, la détermination des lois de comportement mécanique vrai et intrinsèque sur le modèle de la loi G’sell et Jonas est nécessaire. Ces lois sont définies selon trois chemins de déformation : la traction uniaxiale, le cisaillement simple et la traction plane. Les micromécanismes de déformation de la microstructure semi-cristalline des différentes formulations des matériaux selon leur mode de sollicitation mécanique ont été étudiés. Les résultats obtenus Post Mortem et In Situ ont permis la description qualitative et quantitative des évolutions des principales modifications microstructurales. Ces dernières diffèrent avec l’ajout de charges minérales. Deux nouvelles méthodes, la Tomographie X et la spectroscopie Raman permettent la détermination de la déformation volumique dans le cas de matériau de géométrie fine (300 µm). Le retrait lors d’un cycle thermique est étudié. Les influences du chauffage, de la formulation et de la microstructure (orientation des chaînes macromoléculaires et endommagement volumique) sont décrites / The ArcelorMittal research centre of Montataire elaborates innovative steel / polymer products. In the case of automotive fenders, the composite is a multilayered material. A thin impact polypropylene film is laminated on steel using a thin layer of a functionalized polypropylene. Mineral particles are added to improve stiffness. In order to predict and understand the behaviour of the organic layer all along its production process and finally to be able to characterize the state of its mechanical properties in use, the determination of the true and intrinsic mechanical behaviour laws according to the G’sell and Jonas model is necessary. These laws are obtained for three different mechanical paths: uniaxial tensile, simple shear and plane tensile. The deformation micromechanisms of the impact polypropylene semi-crystalline microstructure which depend on the materials formulations and on the mechanical path used are studied. Post Mortem and In Situ results give qualitative and quantitative description of the main microstructural modifications. Two new methods, X Tomography and Raman spectroscopy allow the quantification of the volume deformation which is developed during tensile tests. They are mainly available for very thin samples. X radiography and VideoTraction™ are not suitable anymore for this kind of geometry. Finally, the thermo-mechanical phenomenon of shrinkage which occurs during thermal treatment above the material melting point is analysed. Influences of the heating conditions, of the material formulations and of the material microstructure are described. Special overviews are done on the macromolecular chains orientation and on the volume damage influences

Diploma thesis deals with glass fiber surface modification using plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition in order to prepare functional interface that enhances the properties of polymer composites. The effect of deposition conditions on shear strength was observed with respect to the chemical composition of the deposited film. Thin films were deposited on planar substrates and fibers using monomer tetravinylsilane in a mixture with oxygen at selected power of plasma discharge. Chemical composition of prepared material was analyzed by infrared spectroscopy. Planar substrate film adhesion was measured using the scratch test. The composite sample was prepared by embedding the surface modified fibers in unsaturated polyester resin, followed by the curing process. The cured composite sample underwent the short beam shear test.

The dissertation thesis deals with the preparation and characterisation of a-CSi:H and a CSiO:H thin films prepared using the process of plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD). Tetravinylsilane (TVS) and its mixtures with argon and oxygen were used to deposit films on both planar substrates and fibre bundles. Main characterisation techniques were employed to study the topography of films, namely atomic force microscopy (AFM). Their mechanical properties were studied through nanoindentation; the nanoscratch test was used to assess the film adhesion to the substrate. Other analysed properties were internal stress and friction coefficient. The particular attention was paid to the work of adhesion and its determination. This knowledge was further applied to the preparation of surface treatments of glass fibres and, subsequently, polymer composites. Those were tested using the push-out test and the short beam shear test. Based on the results, the effects of deposition conditions and the relationships between the studied properties and quantities were determined.

Kohlenstoffnanoröhren (engl. carbon nanotubes, CNT)-Polymer-Komposite haben ein großes Potential im Bereich sensorischer Anwendungen. Dabei spielen die elektrischen Eigenschaften des Komposits und deren Änderungen unter mechanischer Belastung eine entscheidende Rolle. Einen maßgeblichen Einfluss nimmt dabei das Aspektverhältnis der CNT-Agglomerate sowie der CNTs selbst ein, welches jeweils vom CNT-Desagglomerationsprozess bestimmt wird. Die Dispergierung beeinflusst folglich auch die elektrische Leitfähigkeit und Reproduzierbarkeit des Komposits sowohl im mechanisch unbelasteten als auch belasteten Zustand. Dies wurde anhand von (teil-)analytischen Modellen gezeigt. Die Dispersionsqualität wird dabei von vielen Faktoren beeinflusst, wobei die Prozessparameter beim Ultraschalldispergieren derzeit nach der Trial-and-Error-Methode bestimmt werden. Im Rahmen der Arbeit wurde eine Dispergiergleichung für zylindrische Partikel, die CNTs näherungsweise sind, erstmals für die Dispergierung von CNTs in Lösungsmitteln entwickelt, angewendet sowie verifiziert. Die Gültigkeit der Gleichung für CNTs wurde durch Variation der Ultraschallparameter Zeit sowie Energie und deren Einfluss auf den Dispergiergrad gezeigt. Die mittels UV-VIS-Spektroskopie gemessene Extinktion diente dabei als indirekte Messgröße des Dispergiergrads. Nach Vorversuchen zur geeigneten Materialauswahl wurden alle relevanten Einflussparameter berechnet oder experimentell bestimmt. Die experimentelle Verifikation erfolgte an CNT-N-Methyl-2-pyrrolidon-Dispersionen, die mittels Ultraschallsonotrode kontrolliert dispergiert wurden. Im Ergebnis wurde gezeigt, dass die Bestimmung der optimalen Ultraschallparameter möglich ist und die bis dahin übliche Praxis der experimentellen Bestimmung der Dispergierparameter für CNTs ablösen kann. Mithin wurde die Grundlage für die Herstellung elektrisch reproduzierbarer CNT-Polymer-Komposit-basierter Sensoren gelegt. Darüber hinaus wurde das Anwendungspotential dieses Sensorkonzepts für Einzelsensoren zur punktuellen Druckmessung über eine Druckverteilungsmessung als Sensormatrix bis hin zur Anwendung als Einlegesohle im Schuh zur Überwachung des Drucks gezeigt. / Carbon nanotubes (CNT) polymer composites in the field of sensory applications have considerable potential. However, their electrical properties and their changes under mechanical stress play a decisive role. The deagglomeration process of the CNTs also has a great influence on the aspect ratio of the CNT agglomerates as well as the CNTs themselves and thus the electrical conductivity and reproducibility of the composite in both the mechanically unloaded and loaded state.This is shown by means of (partially) analytical models. The dispersion quality is influenced by many factors. The process parameters during ultrasound dispersion are currently being determined by a trial-and-error method. Within the scope of the work, a dispersing equation for cylindrical particles, which are approximate to CNTs, was first developed, applied and verified for the dispersion of CNTs in solvents. The validity of the equation for CNTs was shown by the variation of the ultrasonic parameters time as well as energy and their influence on the degree of dispersion. The absorbance measured by means of UV-VIS spectroscopy serves as an indirect measure of the degree of dispersion. After pre-testing for suitable material selection, all relevant influencing parameters were calculated or determined experimentally. Experimental verification was carried out on CNT-N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone dispersions, which were dispersed in a controlled manner by means of an ultrasonic sonotrode. As a result, it is illustrated that the determination of the optimal ultrasonic parameters is possible and can replace the conventional practice of the experimental determination of the dispersing parameters for CNTs. Accordingly, the basis for the production of electrically reproducible CNT polymer composite-based sensors has been established. In addition, the application potential of this sensor concept ranging from individual sensors for selective pressure measurement over pressure distribution measurement as a sensor matrix to the application as a shoe insole for pressure monitoring was shown.

Ionic conductivity of solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) can be enhanced by the addition of fillers, while maintaining good chemical stability, and compatibility with popular cathode and anode materials. Additionally, polymer composite electrolytes can replace the flammable organic liquid in a lithium-ion battery design and are compatible with lithium metal. Compatibility with Li-metal is a key development towards a next-generation rechargeable Li-ion battery, as a Li-metal anode has a specific capacity an order of magnitude higher than LiC6 anodes used today in everyday devices. The addition of fillers is understood to suppress the crystalline fraction in the polymer phase, increasing the ionic conductivity, as Li-ion conduction is most mobile through the amorphous phase. A full model for a conduction mechanism has not yet constructed, as there is evidence that a semi-crystalline PEO-based electrolyte performs better than a fully amorphous electrolyte. Furthermore, it is not yet fully understood why the weight load of fillers in PCEs can range from 2.5%wt to 52.5%wt, in order to achieve high ionic conductivity (~10-4S/cm). This work seeks to investigate the conduction mechanism in the PCE through the use of doped-Li7La3Zr2O12 as a filler and analysis of the PCE microstructure. In this work, a solid-state electrolyte, doped-Li7La3Zr2O12 (LLZO) was synthesized via a sol-gel method, and characterized. The effect of doping and co-doping the Li, La and Zr sites in the LLZO garnet was investigated. A PEO-based polymer composite electrolyte (PCE) was prepared by adding bismuth doped LLZO (Li7-xLa3Zr2-xBixO12) as a filler. The bismuth molar ratio was changed in value to study the dopant role on the bulk PCE ionic conductivity, polymer phase crystallinity and microstructure. Results suggest that small variations in dopant can determine the optimal weight load of filler at which the maximum ionic conductivity is reached. By understanding the relationship between filler properties and electrochemical properties, higher performance can be achieved with minimal filler content, lowering manufacturing costs a solid-state rechargeable Li-ion battery.<br>

Im Projekt wurde das Ermüdungsverhalten eines hochgefüllten, extrudierten Holz- Polymer- Werkstoffes (Wood Polymer-Composite, kurz: WPC) und dessen technisches Halbzeug (WPC-Systemprofil) im Anwendungsfeld der Fördertechnik erforscht. Kernsegment im Projekt ist das hochgefüllte WPC-Extrusionsprofil als Trag- und Gleitelement im Hängefördersystem (HFS). Im ersten Schritt wurde das Kriechverhalten (langzeitstatisch) und Ermüdungsverhalten unter dynamisch-schwingender Belastung (langzeitdynamisch) am produktspezifischen WPC-Material und am WPC-Systembauteil untersucht. Das Prüfregime bezieht sich dabei auf das reale Belastungskollektiv in der Anwendung des Hängefördersystems, welches vorrangig einer Dreipunktbiegebelastung im WPC-Systemprofil und einer Zugbelastung in der Verbindungsstelle entspricht. Aufbauend auf die Material- und Bauteiluntersuchung wurde der Dauerlauftest am Funktionsprototyp (Hängefördersystem) durchgeführt. Dabei wurden die Kriechneigung des WPC-Systemprofils und der Vorspannkraftverlust in der Verbindungsstelle im praxisrelevanten Fall überwacht. / In the research project the fatigue behavior of a high filled extruded Wood Polymer Composite (WPC) and its technical product were investigated in the application of material handling technology. The main focus of the project is the high filled WPC extrusion profile, which is applied as a sliding rail for the use in an overhead material handling system. In the first step the creep behavior (long-term static load) and fatigue behavior under dynamic-oscillating loads were studied on the product-specific WPC material and on the WPC component. The testing procedure refers to the real stress collection in the application of the overhead material handling system, which corresponds to a three-point bending load in the profile and a tensile load in the connection point. Furthermore, an endurance test was carried out under practical conditions on the overhead matrial handling system to oversee the long-term mechanical properties of the WPC sliding rail and the loss of the preloaded force in the connection point.

Recombinant human bone morphogenic proteins (rhBMPs) are extensively studied and employed clinically for treatment of various bone defects. Current clinical delivery vehicles suffer wasteful burst releases that mandate supra-physiological dosing driving concerns over safety and cost. It was therefore investigated whether a unique drug delivery vehicle sequestered within a composite scaffold could lower the burst release of rhBMP-2. PLGA-calcium phosphate tri-phasic composite scaffolds delivered model protein BSA with burst release of ~13% and sustained kinetics of 0.5-1.5% BSA/day up to 45 days. rhBMP-2 was delivered with zero burst release however at much lower levels, totaling 0.09% to 0.9 % release over 10 days, but had up to 6.3-fold greater bioactivity than fresh rhBMP-2 (p<0.05). In conclusion, the three-phase composite scaffold can deliver bioactive proteins with a reduced burst release and sustained secondary kinetics.

Recombinant human bone morphogenic proteins (rhBMPs) are extensively studied and employed clinically for treatment of various bone defects. Current clinical delivery vehicles suffer wasteful burst releases that mandate supra-physiological dosing driving concerns over safety and cost. It was therefore investigated whether a unique drug delivery vehicle sequestered within a composite scaffold could lower the burst release of rhBMP-2. PLGA-calcium phosphate tri-phasic composite scaffolds delivered model protein BSA with burst release of ~13% and sustained kinetics of 0.5-1.5% BSA/day up to 45 days. rhBMP-2 was delivered with zero burst release however at much lower levels, totaling 0.09% to 0.9 % release over 10 days, but had up to 6.3-fold greater bioactivity than fresh rhBMP-2 (p<0.05). In conclusion, the three-phase composite scaffold can deliver bioactive proteins with a reduced burst release and sustained secondary kinetics.