O objetivo desse trabalho foi preparar compósitos de matriz de PCL reforçados com microfibrilas de PLA preparadas in situ a partir do controle da morfologia de blendas PLA/PCL. Embora a formação da morfologia fibrilar não tenha sido observada nas condições de extrusão empregadas, estudos do comportamento reológico de blendas de composição 50% PLA / 45% PCL / 5% de compatibilizante (% em massa) mostraram que microfibrilas de PLA podem ser obtidas entre 102 e 104 s-1. Assim, a técnica de reometria capilar foi utilizada para controlar a morfologia de blendas PLA/PCL. Compósitos de matriz de PCL reforçados com 5, 10, 20 e 30% (% em massa) de microfibrilas de PLA foram preparados em extrusora rosca simples, utilizando perfil de temperatura acima da temperatura de fusão do PCL, mas abaixo da temperatura de fusão do PLA, visando preservar a morfologia do PLA. O comportamento morfológico, térmico e mecânico dos compósitos foram avaliados por microscopia eletrônica de varredura (MEV), microscopia óptica com luz polarizada (POM), calorimetria exploratória diferencial (DSC), análise térmica dinâmico-mecânica (DMA) e ensaios mecânicos de tração e de impacto Izod. As curvas DSC mostraram um aumento no grau de cristalinidade da matriz de PCL com o aumento do teor de microfibrilas, o que provavelmente justifica os altos valores de módulo de Young determinados nos compósitos. A aplicação da Regra das Misturas comprovou que os compósitos fabricados exibiram boa orientação das microfibrilas na direção do esforço mecânico aplicado, com valores de módulos próximos ao limite superior da curva. No entanto, a adesão não uniforme entre a matriz e o reforço observada por MEV, resultou na queda da resistência à tração e resistência ao impacto dos compósitos, quando comparados ao PCL puro. A composição com 10% de microfibrilas apresentou um bom balanço de módulo de Young e resistência ao impacto, com potencial de viabilidade em uma série de aplicações biomédicas. / The aim of this work is to prepare PCL composites reinforced with PLA microfibrils prepared in situ from the morphology of PLA/PCL blends control. Although the formation of fibrillar morphology has not been observed under the extrusion conditions employed, studies of the rheological behavior of 50% PLA/ 45% PCL / 5% compatibilizer blends have shown that PLA microfibrils can be obtained between 102 and 104 s-1. Thus, the capillary rheometry technique was used to control the morphology of PLA /PCL blends. PCL composites reinforced with 5, 10, 20 and 30% (% by mass) PLA microfibrils were prepared in a single screw extruder using a temperature profile above the PCL melting temperature, but below the melt temperature of PLA, to preserve the PLA morphology. The morphology, thermal and mechanical behavior of the composites were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), optical polarized light microscopy (POM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dynamic mechanical-mechanical analysis (DMA) and mechanical tensile tests and Izod impact. DSC curves showed an increase in the degree of crystallinity of the PCL matrix with increasing the PLA microfibrils content, which probably justify the high Young\'s modulus values determined in the composites. The application of the Mix Rule proved that the composites showed good orientation of the PLA microfibrils in the direction of applied mechanical stress, presenting modules values near the upper limit of the curve. However, the non-uniform adhesion between the matrix and the reinforcement observed by MEV, caused the decrease of the tensile and impact strength when compared to pure PCL. The composition with 10% of PLA microfibrils exhibited a good balance of Young\'s modulus and impact strength, with potential viability in a number of biomedical applications.

L’étude de la structure de complexes non-covalents présente un intérêt fondamental dans la recherche en chimie des protéines. Le premier objectif est de caractériser les interactions physico-chimiques sur lesquelles repose l’adoption d’une structure tridimensionnelle fonctionnelle par un édifice multimoléculaire. Le second objectif est de mettre en évidence les changements structuraux induits par le phénomène de complexation, et leur influence sur la fonction du système. Le couplage entre la spectrométrie de masse et la mobilité ionique (IM/MS) est une technique d’étude structurale en phase gazeuse, dont le principe repose sur la séparation d’ions selon leur forme et leur rapport masse sur charge, et qui permet en outre de mesurer leurs sections efficaces de diffusion. Grâce à cette technique, nous avons réalisé l’étude structurale de trois complexes non-covalents : l’agrégation de molécules de tanin sur la protéine salivaire humaine IB5, la fixation du ligand Ac2KAA sur la vancomycine, et la complexation de cations métalliques sur des polymères poly-lactide. L’évolution des sections efficaces en fonction de la taille du système ou de l’état de complexation met en évidence la présence de transitions structurales. De plus, utilisé avec de la modélisation moléculaire ou de la spectroscopie laser, le couplage IM/MS s’avère pertinent pour caractériser les interactions responsables de la stabilisation de tels complexes. Ces travaux de thèse montrent que cette technique , au-delà du simple aspect analytique (séparation d’isomères), peut également être utilisée au sein d’études plus globales, mettant en jeu plusieurs techniques afin de résoudre la structure de systèmes complexes / Knowing the structure of non-covalent complexes is essential to understand many biological processes. The first step is the characterization of the interactions leading to the adoption of a functional tridimensional structure by a multimeric assembly. The second step consists of underlining the structural modifications induced by the complexation, and their influence on the system’s function. The Ion Mobility/Mass Spectrometry (IM/MS) is a gas-phase method that is used to separate ions according to their geometry and their masse-to-charge ratio. IM/MS also provides insights on their intrinsic properties, by measuring their collision cross sections. Using this method, we have studied the structure of three different non-covalent complexes: the aggregation of tannins on the human salivary protein IB-5, the fixation of a small ligand (Ac2KAA) on vancomycin, and the complexation between metallic cations and poly-lactid polymers. The evolution of the collision cross-sections as a function of the size of the system or the complexation state clearly shows structural transitions. Moreover, combined with molecular modeling or laser spectroscopy, the IM/MS technique reveals to be a powerful tool to characterize the relevant interactions in such systems. This work proves that IM/MS, besides a powerful analytical aspect, can also be used in global studies that involve several structural methods to resolve the structure of large multimeric assemblies

This master thesis deals with the direct synthesis of polymers from lactic acid. The theoretical part focuses on both natural and synthetic ways of production the lactic acid monomer, their advantages and properties. Furthermore, the theoretical part focuses on the synthesis of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) from lactide, and direct polycondensation from lactic acid discussing about influences of catalysts, co-catalysts as well as chain extenders. The experimental part focuses on the synthesis of PLA polymers and co-polymers wherein investigates suitable catalysts, reaction medium for azeotropic dehydration and co-catalyst influence on products. Thermal and analytical analysis of PLA polymers are mentioned at the end of the experimental part.