Les objectifs de ce travail de thèse étaient d’explorer de nouvelles voies pour l’amélioration des performances des accumulateurs Li/S, systèmes présentant de fortes densités d’énergie théorique dont les performances sont limitées par un mécanisme électrochimique incluant des intermédiaires solubles et réactifs. Ces intermédiaires induisent une faible efficacité coulombique et une perte importante de capacité au cours du cyclage. Plusieurs stratégies ont été mises en place pour créer une barrière de nature organique, au transport ou à la réactivité de ces polysulfures, tout en gardant une approche versatile et simple à mettre en œuvre. De bons résultats ont été obtenus en termes d’efficacité coulombique et de cyclabilité, notamment grâce à l’utilisation d’un matériau polymère capable d’interactions ioniques avec les intermédiaires soufrés. Le mécanisme de dépôt du lithium et de croissance dendritique a été également étudié, pour une compréhension plus complète du système. / The objectives of this thesis work were to explore new strategies to improve the performance of Li / S accumulators, systems exhibit with high theoretical energy densities whose performance is limited by an electrochemical mechanism including soluble and reactive intermediates. These intermediates induce a low coulombic efficiency and a significant loss of capacity during cycling. Several strategies have been evaluated to create a barrier of organic nature, which mitigate the transport or the reactivity of these polysulfides. The solutions explored are versatile and simple to implement. Good results have been obtained in terms of coulombic efficiency and cyclability, in particular through the use of a polymeric material enables to form ionic interactions with the sulfur intermediates. The mechanism of lithium deposition and dendritic growth has also been studied, for a more complete understanding of the system.

Immobilization of proteins by covalent coupling to polymeric materials offers numerous excellent advantages for various applications, however, it is usually limited by coupling strategies, which are often too expensive or complex. In this study, an electron-beambased process for covalent coupling of the model protein bovine serum albumin (BSA) onto polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) flat sheet membranes was investigated. Immobilization can be performed in a clean, fast, and continuous mode of operation without any additional chemicals involved. Using the Design of Experiments (DoE) approach, nine process factors were investigated for their influence on graft yield and homogeneity. The parameters could be reduced to only four highly significant factors: BSA concentration, impregnation method, impregnation time, and electron beam irradiation dose. Subsequently, optimization of the process was performed using the Response Surface Methodology (RSM). A one-step method was developed, resulting in a high BSA grafting yield of 955 mgm−2 and a relative standard deviation of 3.6%. High efficiency was demonstrated by reusing the impregnation solution five times consecutively without reducing the final BSA grafting yield. Comprehensive characterization was conducted by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and measurements of zeta potential, contact angle and surface free energy, as well as filtration performance. In addition, mechanical properties and morphology were examined using mercury porosimetry, tensile testing, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

Pevaporation is a method for separating volatile components from liquid mixtures at ambient temperatures. The paint processing industry uses Hansen solubility parameters (HSP) to indicate polymer solubility. The potential of this method to predict solvent-polymer affinity was investigated for screening potential membrane materials for the pervaporation of a model solution containing linalool and linalyl acetate (major components of lavender essential oil), in ethanol. Published HSP values were collated for various polymers, and statistically analysed to determine variations in HSP values for polymer species. An investigation of published research into pervaporation of organic/organic binary solutions separated by homogeneous membranes indicated that the solvent whose HSP value was closest to that of the polymer would preferentially permeate. This relationship did not always hold for halogenated solvents or aqueous/organic solutions. Conflicting literature regarding the relationship between solvent uptake by polymers and HSP relative energy differences was resolved using a logarithmic relationship between these two parameters. The following membranes were selected, using their HSP to indicate their potential to interact with lavender oil components: Polyamide (PA: 26.9 micro;m), Polycarbonate (PC: 20.5 micro;m), Poly(ether imide) (PEI: 29.2 micro;m), Poly(ether sulphone) (PES: 27.6 micro;m), Polyethylene (HDPE: 10 micro;m, LDPE: 13-30 micro;m), Polyimide (PI: 30.0 micro;m), Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA: 50 micro;m), Polypropylene (PP: 15.9 micro;m), and Poly(tetrafluoro ethylene) (PTFE: 26.7 micro;m). The HSP (dispersive, polar hydrogen bonding components) for each membrane were calculated using the mean value obtained from swelling experiments, group contribution (calculated using Hoftyzer-Van Krevelen, Hoy and Beerbower methods), refractive indices (dispersive component), dielectric constants (polar component), and published HSP values. Pervaporation experiments investigated the effect of membrane thickness, process temperature, permeate pressure, impinging jet heights, feed flow rates and concentrations, and pre-soaking the membrane; on flow rate and selectivity in a polyethylene membrane. Membrane thickness was the dominant factor in membrane selectivity; the thinnest membranes (11.3-14.8 micro;m) had much poorer selectivity than membranes gt;24.7 micro;m. Temperatures between 22-34ordm;C, permeate pressure lt;10 kPa, impinging jet heights between 0.36-3.36 mm, feed flow rates between 541-1328 mL/min and concentrations between 1.78-6.01 % v/v of linalool and linalyl acetate in ethanol did not significantly affect selectivity. Flow rates increased with operating temperature, permeate pressure, and impinging jet heights. However, feed flow rate and concentration had no effect on membrane flux rate. Pre-soaking the membrane reduced the time to reach steady-state. Selected membranes were further investigated under standard operating conditions (permeate temperature 30ordm;C, permeate pressure lt;10 kPa, impinging jet height 1.36 mm, feed flow rate 804 mL/min and feed concentration of 5% v/v of linalool and linalyl acetate in ethanol). PMMA completely disintegrated in feed solution, and PC was too brittle to make an effective homogeneous membrane. PA, PC, PEI and PTFE had the highest efficiency (selectivity x flow rate) in their homogeneous form. However, PEI, PI and PTFE had the greatest selectivity, thus further trials should be done to improve stability and flow rates through these membranes. Pervaporation selectivity did not always follow trends predicted by HSP. Although polymers such as PA, PEI, PES, and PI preferentially permeated linalool as predicted, PC, PP and PTFE did not preferentially permeate linalyl acetate. This may have been due to the difference in size and diffusivity of these molecules (linalyl acetate, the larger molecule, did not follow the sorption selectivity predictions), or reliability of literature HSP values and those calculated by group contribution. This research shows that HSP is a good screening method for pervaporation membranes, especially where the molecules being separated are of comparable size. Polymers that have HSP close to the desired component and not to other components tend to have the best selectivity and flux characteristics. However, diffusion is an important factor, and is not completely accounted for by HSP. Recommendations for further research include: carrying out pervaporation analyses of selected polymers using pure lavender essential oil; modifying polymers to form asymmetric or composite membranes with improved permeation characteristics; and potential use of thin channel inverse gas chromatography to determine a more accurate HSP which includes diffusivity.

Eine spezielle Art poröser Membranen sind die sogenannten Mikrosiebe. Ihre Dicke ist geringer als der Durchmesser der Poren und sie besitzen eine einheitliche Porengröße und eine dichte Porenpackung. Sie zeichnen sich somit durch eine hohe Trennschärfe aus und eignen sich daher und aufgrund ihres geringen Filtrationswiderstandes besonders für den Einsatz als Filtrationsmedien. Ein Prinzip, um Mikrosiebe herzustellen, ist die Partikel-assistierte Benetzung. Bei dieser Methode wird ein polymerisierbares organisches Öl zusammen mit Kieselgelpartikeln auf einer Wasseroberfläche gespreitet. Nach dem Auspolymerisieren des Öls und dem anschließenden Entfernen der Partikel erhält man die gewünschten Mikrosiebe, welche an den Stellen, an denen sich zuvor die Kieselgelpartikel befanden, Poren besitzen. Die Porengröße der Siebe ist dabei über die Größe der verwendeten Partikel in weiten Grenzen (ca. zwischen 20 nm und 1000 nm) einstellbar und die Größe und Form des Mikrosiebes wird lediglich durch die Flächengröße und -form der zur Herstellung verwendeten Wasseroberfläche vorgegeben. Jedoch ist die mechanische Stabilität der Mikrosiebe für die gewünschte Anwendung als Filtrationsmedium oftmals nicht zufriedenstellend. Daher ist eine Stabilisierung erforderlich. Eine Möglichkeit, diese Stabilisierung zu erreichen, ist das Aufbringen einer externen makroporösen Stützstruktur. Im Rahmen dieser Arbeit wird die Möglichkeit vorgestellt mittels der Drucktechnik des sog. Inkjet-Druckens eine potentielle Stützstruktur auf ein solches Mikrosieb zu applizieren und dieses somit zu stabilisieren.

Ce travail porte sur la modification de matrices polymères à base de fluorure de vinylidene pour permettre leur utilisation en tant que membrane séparatrice dans les supercapacités. Basé sur un procédé d‘irradiation par rayonnement γ, l‘objectif principal était la limitation du gonflement du polymère lorsqu‘il est mis en contact d‘un milieu liquide relatif à l‘application tout en gardant d‘excellentes affinités avec celui-ci. Le processus de base exploité étant la formation et la réaction des radicaux lors de l‘irradiation du polymère, une partie de la thèse a été consacrée à leur étude par résonance paramagnétique électronique (RPE). Un modèle de simulation de spectre RPE a été mis en place pour identifier et quantifier chacune des espèces radicalaires. L‘effet de la dose d‘irradiation, de la durée d‘un recuit et de la nature de la matrice polymère (homo, copolymère) sur la proportion de ces espèces et sur leur réactivité a été évalué. Un lien avec la formation d‘un réseau a été proposé. Une attention particulière a ensuite été apportée à l‘augmentation de la densité de réticulation avec le concours d‘un agent réticulant, le TAIC. Pour terminer, une stratégie de modification des propriétés de surface du PVDF a été élaborée. Elle consiste dans un premier temps à radiogreffer un polymère à la surface du PVDF puis à modifier, dans un second temps, les greffons par une chimie douce et sélective. En conclusion, les approches complémentaires développées au cours de cette thèse ont permis de comprendre la radiolyse des polymères et de mettre à profit les processus élémentaires pour développer des stratégies robustes et prometteuses de modulation des propriétés. / This work deals with the modification of VDF-based polymer induced by γ-radiation as the polymer may be used in electrochemical supercapacitors. The main objective was to limit the swelling of the fluorinated matrix with a given electrolyte while a good wetting of the polymer by the liquid was also required. As the main basic process involved in polymer radiolysis is the formation of radicals, a part of the work was dedicated to the study of such species by using Electron Spin Resonance spectroscopy. A simulation model of ESR spectra was established in order to identify and quantify each radical species. The effect of several parameters such as radiation dose, annealing time or the nature of polymer matrix on the concentration of each species where investigated. A relation with the evolution of the crosslink density of the network formed during the radiolisys was proposed. In addition, one of the key steps of this work was to study the radiation crosslinking ability of VDF-based polymers and find a way to increase the crosslink density. This was achieved by incorporating, prior to the radiation process, a radiation sensitive crosslinker: TAIC. Finally, a new strategy based on the modification of surface properties of PVDF was investigated. It consists in the radiation grafting of pentafluorstyrene onto PVDF surface followed by the chemioselective functionalization of the grafted segments. As a conclusion, the different approaches used in this thesis allowed us to understand the radiolysis of VDF-based polymers and take advantage of the elementary process involved in this type of chemistry, to build up robust and promising strategies for tuning properties.