Synthèse et étude de nouveaux NHC-Boranes pour leurs propriétés énergétiques et leurs rôles en tant que photo co-amorceurs pour la photopolymérisation en émulsion.Depuis la première synthèse de complexes N-Hétérocycliques Boranes (NHC-Borane) stables en 1993, une étude plus générale de propriétés et réactivité n’a débuté que dans le milieu des années 2000. Les domaines d’applications de ces composés qui sont des paires de Lewis vont de la synthèse organique (agent réducteur, hydroboration de liaisons multiples) en passant par la chimie radicalaire (remplacement de l’hydrure de tributylétain, hydroboration) ou même en tant qu’amorceur ou co-amorceur de polymérisations.L’objet de cette thèse était d’étendre l’application des NHC-Boranes dans deux domaines précis. Un premier axe porte sur les propriétés hypergoliques amenées par leurs structures inédites. Un second est consacré à l’amorçage de réactions de polymérisations en émulsion et l’obtention de particules hybrides sous irradiation visible.Nous avons choisi et synthétisé de nouvelles cibles polyazotées qui ont montré des propriétés énergétiques potentiellement intéressantes pour l’usage de NHC-Boranes en propulsion solide. L’étude mis en évidence des différentes de réactivités en fonction du squelette du carbène utilisé. De plus, un nouveau type de carbène borane pouvant être utilisé dans différents domaines a été synthétisé.Nous avons aussi amélioré la compréhension du système de photoamorçage déjà proposé en polymérisation en émulsion dans le visible. Des points clés, sur la conception du système et du réacteur ont été améliorés. Nous avons aussi pu remplacer le tensioactif utilisé pour proposer la première photopolymérisation en émulsion Pickering. Il en résulte des latex stables, composés de particules hybrides pouvant former des films potentiellement anti-UV. L’excitation dans le visible, pourrait être utilisée dans le but de réduire les coûts énergétiques et même former d’autres particules inédites en évitant la dégradation de composés thermo ou UV-sensibles / Study and synthesis of new NHC-Boranes usable as hypergolic fuels and as photo co-initiators for radical emulsion photopolymerizationsThe first N-Heterocyclic Carbene Borane complex (NHC-Borane) was synthetized in 1993, but we had to wait until the mid-2000s before chemists investigated their properties and reactivity. The applications of NHC-Boranes range from organic chemistry (where they are used as reducing agents or for the hydroboration of multiple bonds) to radical chemistry (as replacement of te tributyltin hydride) and radical polymerizations (initiators and co-initiators). We designed and synthetized new Nitrogen-rich NHC-Boranes. The latter are hypergolic and might serve as fuels for solid propulsion. We managed to synthetize several new classed of NHC-Borane which was or could be used in different fields. We also deepened our understanding of the visible light-induced emulsion polymerization, where the NHC-Boranes serve as co-initiators. We could optimize the process and then replaced the surfactant by an inorganic sol to propose the first Pickering emulsion photopolymerization. Stable latexes of hybrid particles have been generated which might be used as sunscreen films, to reduce the energetic footprint of the reactions and/or to access particles made of heat- or UV-sensitive materials

abstract: Polymer-gold composite particles are of tremendous research interests. Contributed by their unique structures, these particles demonstrate superior properties for optical, catalytic and electrical applications. Moreover, the incorporation of “smart” polymers into polymer-gold composite particles enables the composite particles synergistically respond to environment-stimuli like temperature, pH and light with promising applications in multiple areas. A novel Pickering emulsion polymerization route is found for synthesis of core-shell structured polymer-gold composite particles. It is found that the surface coverage of gold nanoparticles (AuNP) on a polystyrene core is influenced by gold nanoparticle concentration and hydrophobicity. More importantly, the absorption wavelength of polystyrene-gold composite particles is tunable by adjusting AuNP interparticle distance. Further, core-shell structured polystyrene-gold composite particles demonstrate excellent catalyst recyclability. Asymmetric polystyrene-gold composite particles are successfully synthesized via seeded emulsion polymerization, where AuNPs serve as seeds, allowing the growth of styrene monomers/oligomers on them. These particles also demonstrate excellent catalyst recyclability. Further, monomers of “smart” polymers, poly (N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAm), are successfully copolymerized into asymmetric composite particles, enabling these particles’ thermo-responsiveness with significant size variation around lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of 31°C. The significant size variation gives rise to switchable scattering intensity property, demonstrating potential applications in intensity-based optical sensing. Multipetal and dumbbell structured gold-polystyrene composite particles are also successfully synthesized via seeded emulsion polymerization. It is intriguing to observe that by controlling reaction time and AuNP size, tetrapetal-structured, tripetal-structured and dumbbell-structured gold-polystyrene are obtained. Further, “smart” PNIPAm polymers are successfully copolymerized into dumbbell-shaped particles, showing significant size variation around LCST. Self-modulated catalytic activity around LCST is achieved for these particles. It is hypothesized that above LCST, the significant shrinkage of particles limits diffusion of reaction molecules to the surface of AuNPs, giving a reduced catalytic activity. Finally, carbon black (CB) particles are successfully employed for synthesis of core- shell PNIPAm/polystyrene-CB particles. The thermo-responsive absorption characteristics of PNIPAm/polystyrene-CB particles enable them potentially suitable to serve as “smart” nanofluids with self-controlled temperature. Compared to AuNPs, CB particles provide desirable performance here, because they show no plasmon resonance in visible wavelength range, whereas AuNPs’ absorption in the visible wavelength range is undesirable. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Chemical Engineering 2015