L’argilite du COx a été choisie comme roche hôte pour le stockage des déchets radioactifs de haute activité et vie longue (HAVL) en France. Ce matériau subira l'intrusion de gaz et d'eau sous, parfois, des conditions thermiques sévères. Par conséquent, afin d'évaluer la sécurité de cette barrière naturelle, il est très important de comprendre les propriétés poromécaniques et de transfert de ce matériau ainsi que l’effet de la température. Ce travail aborde les mesures au gaz du coefficient de Biot et montrent que celui-ci est presque égal à 1 en conditions humides. Il y a cependant sur le matériau sec un effet de l'adsorption du gaz et une déformation supplémentaire de gonflement du matériau. Cet effet a aussi un effet important sur les propriétés de transfert du gaz selon sa nature. Les propriétés de transfert et de saturation ont été examinées par des techniques gaz et comparées aux mesures usuelles. Les essais montrent aussi que la perméabilité à l'eau de site est d'environ 10-20 - 10-21 m² et beaucoup plus faible que celle au gaz. Enfin, on constate que le coefficient de Biot n'est pas affecté significativement par les effets thermiques mais que ces effets jouent sur la perméabilité relative au gaz de l'argilite / COx argillite has been selected as the host rock for the storage of high-activity long-live (HALL) radioactive waste in France. It will suffered the gas and water intrusion, sometimes suffered the severe thermal conditions during the sealing process. Therefore, in order to evaluate the safety of this natural barrier, it is very important to understand the poromechanical properties and transport properties of this material as well as the thermal effects. This work use gas to measure Biot’s coefficient and shows that it is nearly equal to 1 in humid conditions. However, there is a gas adsorption and induced an additional swelling deformation on dry material, this effect also has a significant effect on the transport properties of the gas according to its nature. The transport and saturation properties were examined by gas technique and compared with the usual measurements. The tests also show that the permeability of in situ water is about 10-20-10-21 m² and much lower than gas. Lastly, it is found that Biot’s coefficient is not significantly affected by the thermal effect, but the relative gas permeability of argillite is significantly affected by this effect.

No / The water permeability constant, (K-w), is one of the many important parameters that affect optimal design and operation of RO processes. In model based studies, e.g. within the RO process model, estimation of W-w is therefore important There are only two available literature correlations for calculating the dynamic K-w values. However, each of them is only applicable for a given membrane type, given feed salinity over a certain operating pressure range. In this work, we develop a time dependent neural network (NN) based correlation to predict K-w in RO desalination processes under fouling conditions. It is found that the NN based correlation can predict the K-w values very closely to those obtained by the existing correlations for the same membrane type, operating pressure range and feed salinity. However, the novel feature of this correlation is that it is able to predict K-w values for any of the two membrane types and for any operating pressure and any feed salinity within a wide range. In addition, for the first time the effect of feed salinity on Kw values at low pressure operation is reported. Whilst developing the correlation, the effect of numbers of hidden layers and neurons in each layer and the transfer functions is also investigated. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

In diesem Beitrag wird die Wasserabsorption und die Wasserpermeabilität von axial vorbelasteten Prüfkörpern aus textilbewehrtem Beton (TRC) und biegebelasteten Verbundprüfkörpern (Normalbeton + TRC) im gerissenen Zustand untersucht. Durch in situ Permeabilitätsmessungen wird das dehnungsabhängige Transportverhalten im einaxialen Zugversuch beobachtet und mittels eines analytischen Modells beschrieben. Es besteht eine ausgeprägte Abhängigkeit der Transportraten von Flüssigkeiten zu relevanten Risscharakteristika (Rissanzahl, Rissbreite). Weiterhin wurden Selbstheilungseffekte von feinen Rissen infolge einer zyklischen Wasserbeaufschlagung beobachtet. Die Feuchteverteilung in einer gerissenen Normalbetonprobe und einer Verbundprobe (Normalbeton + TRC) wird mit Hilfe der Neutronenstrahlradiographie zeit- und ortsaufgelöst dargestellt. Das Eindringen von Wasser wird anhand der Messungen qualitativ vorgestellt und diskutiert. / In this study water absorption and water permeability were tested on uniaxially preloaded, cracked specimens made of textile reinforced concrete (TRC) and cracked composite specimens (ordinary concrete + TRC) preloaded in bending. The influence of imposed strain on the permeation of water was observed in-situ by using uniaxial tensile tests and described by an analytical model. The transport values for the cracked material correlated with the cracks’ characteristics (number of cracks, crack width). Furthermore, the effect of self-healing phenomena on the transport properties of TRC was considered. The distribution of water in cracked ordinary concrete and cracked composite specimens was studied by means of neutron radiography which provided with a high spatial and temporal resolution. The penetration of water is presented qualitatively and discussed.

Η ευρύτατη χρήση του τσιμέντου οφείλεται στην χρήση του ως βασικού δομικού υλικού σε σύγχρονες κατασκευές περιλαμβανομένου και του εγκιβωτισμού επικίνδυνων στερεών ή υγρών αποβλήτων. Οι υψηλές τιμές pH και οι πολύπλοκες στερεοχημικές δομές των ένυδρων αλάτων του πυριτικού ασβεστίου (C-S-H gel) στο τσιμέντο, μπορούν να εγκλωβίσουν πολλά χημικά είδη βαρέων μετάλλων στο πλέγμα τους, καθιστώντας τα έτσι ανενεργά. Ο βαθμός σχηματισμού των ένυδρων πυριτικών αλάτων είναι επίσης, ρυθμιστικός παράγων του πορώδους, της σκληρότητας και της αντοχής του σκυροδέματος. Οι κυριότεροι τύποι του C-S-H gel που εντοπίζονται στα συστατικά του τσιμέντου είναι το πυριτικό διασβέστιο Ca2SiO4 και το πυριτικό τριασβέστιο Ca3SiO5. Εύλογα λοιπόν, η μελέτη της θερμοδυναμικής και της κινητικής σχηματισμού των αλάτων αυτών είναι πολύ σημαντική. Στην παρούσα εργασία, πραγματοποιήθηκε μελέτη της κινητικής της καταβύθισης του C-S-H gel σε υπέρκορα υδατικά διαλύματα παρασκευαζόμενα από στόκ διαλύματα Ca(NO3)2 και Na2Si3O7 σε σταθερή θερμοκρασία 25°C. Η επίδραση παραμέτρων, όπως το pH των υπέρκορων διαλυμάτων και του γραμμομοριακού λόγου των συγκεντρώσεων Ca/Si στα διαλύματα, μελετήθηκαν σε συνθήκες σταθερού pH με την προσθήκη διαλύματος NaOH από αυτόματο τιτλοδοτητή. Η κινητική ανάλυση έδειξε ότι ο μηχανισμός της ανάπτυξης των κρυσταλλικών στερεών γίνεται κυρίως με επιφανειακή διάχυση και εξαρτάται από το pH των διαλυμάτων στην περιοχή pH 10-12. Η ταυτοποίηση των ιζημάτων με τεχνικές περίθλασης ακτίνων Χ (ΧRD), υπερύθρου (FTIR) και με θερμοσταθμική ανάλυση, έδειξε τον σχηματισμό C-S-H gel με πιθανή συγκαταβύθιση άμορφης σίλικας. Το γεγονός ότι το καθορίζον την ταχύτητα στάδιο είναι η επιφανειακή διάχυση των δομικών μονάδων οδηγεί στο συμπέρασμα ότι η τροποποίηση της επιφάνειας των κρυστάλλων παρέχει την δυνατότητα ελέγχου του ρυθμού σχηματισμού του C-S-H gel και κατ’ επέκταση των ιδιοτήτων του τσιμέντου κατά την ενυδάτωσή του. Η τροποποίηση της επιφάνειας μπορεί να πραγματοποιηθεί με την βοήθεια υδατοδιαλυτών και μη χημικών ουσιών οι οποίες μπορούν να αλληλεπιδράσουν με την επιφάνεια, αλλοιώνοντας τον αριθμό και την ενεργότητα των κρυσταλλικών κέντρων ανάπτυξης. Βάσει των αποτελεσμάτων της επίδρασης της παρουσίας προσθέτων στην κινητική της καταβύθισης, πραγματοποιήθηκαν δοκιμές σε δοκίμια τσιμέντου στα οποία έγινε και εφαρμογή πολυμερών (υδατοδιαλυτών και μη) και μετρήθηκαν η υδροπερατότητα και η αντοχή τους, ιδιότητες που εξαρτώνται από τον βαθμό σχηματισμού του πυριτικού ασβεστίου. / The widespread use of cement as a building material in modern construction, including use for embedding radioactive wastes makes it a material of paramount importance. The formation of calcium silicate hydrates is of key importance for the determination of the cement characteristic properties including porosity, strength and hardness. The main types of C-S-H gel identified between cement components include di-calcium silicate Ca2SiO4 and tri-calcium silicate Ca3SiO5. Since these silicate salts during the cement hydration interact with water yielding C-S-H gel, the investigation of homogeneous precipitation of this phase is very interesting. In the present work the kinetics of spontaneous C-S-H gel precipitation in aqueous solutions was investigated at constant solution pH from supersaturated solutions at 25°C. The pH range investigated covered the range between 10-12. The effect of the solution pH and of the molar calcium:silicate ratio in the supersaturated solutions was investigated. Plots of the rates of precipitation as a function of the solution supersaturation, showed a high order dependence suggesting that the rate determining step for the precipitation of C-S-H gel was surface diffusion. The rates were found to be pH dependent in the range investigated. The precipitate was identified by powder X-ray diffraction, infrared spectrometry (FTIR) and thermogravimetric analysis as a mixture of calcium silicate hydrate gel and amorphous silica. The fact that the rate determining step was surface diffusion control, suggested that it is possible to control the rate of precipitation through surface modification, possibly treating the surface with compounds which may interact, resulting in poisoning of the active crystal growth sites. It is anticipated that control of kinetics may result in the control of the rate and of the extent of C-S-H gel formation and subsequently of the cement properties during its hydration. On the basis of the results obtained for the precipitation of C-S-H gel in the presence of additives, a series of experiments was done on cement specimens using both water soluble and compounds soluble in organic solvents. In general, the presence of the tested additives resulted in a significant reduction of water uptake suggesting, indirectly, that the formation of C-S-H gel was suppressed. Moreover the resistance to friction was reduced, possibly due to the fact that the compounds tested formed soft but impermeable to water, surface films.

Submitted by Cássia Santos (cassia.bcufg@gmail.com) on 2016-08-12T10:36:05Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Aline Crispim Canedo Girardi - 2016.pdf: 6052802 bytes, checksum: 19568ea8fd9027193ffed70b254b8bdc (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Luciana Ferreira (lucgeral@gmail.com) on 2016-08-12T14:17:29Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Aline Crispim Canedo Girardi - 2016.pdf: 6052802 bytes, checksum: 19568ea8fd9027193ffed70b254b8bdc (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-12T14:17:29Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Aline Crispim Canedo Girardi - 2016.pdf: 6052802 bytes, checksum: 19568ea8fd9027193ffed70b254b8bdc (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-05-31 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / Although the use of CDW in the aggregate production is studied in Brazil for more than two decades, there are still gaps regarding their use in mortars. In this sense, the present study aims to evaluate mortar for rendering masonry produced with full replacement of natural sand by recycled aggregate, seeking to correlate the various properties and characteristics of aggregates and mortars with the performance of rendering with regard to the adhesive strength and absorption/water permeability. For the development of the research three types of aggregates were used (natural sand, mixed recycled ceramic and cement and cementitious recycled) in two particle sizes, passers-by screens 3 mm and 1.18 mm, which were widely characterized. With the data obtained in the characterization of aggregates, different traces were formulated for mortars, keeping fixed the content of total fine plasticizers. The mortars were evaluated on their consistency, bulk density, dimensional instability (shrinkage), water absorption, compressive and flexural strength. The renderings were applied on ceramic blocks, which were selected for initial water absorption rate ranges, avoiding the variability of results due to changes in the suction of the substrate. Two types of preparation of the base were performed, lime solution and roughcast, the latter was used only for the rendering that showed the best performance among those produced with recycled aggregates. As the main results, it was found that using a sieve with an opening of 1.18 mm is effective for reducing the content of fine aggregate, however, mortars and renderings produced with these aggregates showed unsatisfactory performance, falling short of results in materials with through 3 mm sieve. Mortars and rendering produced with recycled aggregate cement did not show compatible performance with the others, at the expense of the initial assumptions, which provided that this aggregate would exceed the aggregate mixed. It was also noticed that the recycled aggregates mixed ceramic and cementitious material, passers the sieve 3 mm, despite the high content of fine and high water absorption, resemble very to the natural aggregate with the same granulometry, when comparing the characteristics of mortars they have produced, mainly for resistance to compression. When assessing the rendering produced by these two aggregates, both are equivalent in the question of adhesive strength and showed no cracking. In general, it can be concluded that it is feasible the production of efficient rendering with complete replacement of natural sand for mixed recycled aggregates since the RCD origin and characteristics are known, Provided that limited the packing factor of grain , which directly influence the properties of mortars and renderings. / Apesar de a utilização de RCD na produção de agregado miúdo ser estudada no Brasil há mais de duas décadas, ainda não há correlações definidas entre as características dos agregados reciclados e o desempenho dos revestimentos, de forma a identificar as propriedades que deverão ser controladas no momento da escolha dos agregados que será incorporado às argamassas, independente do tipo de resíduo original. Nesse sentido, o presente trabalho visa determinar a viabilidade técnica da substituição total de agregado natural por agregado reciclado no preparo de argamassas de revestimento, buscando correlacionar as diversas propriedades e características dos agregados e das argamassas com o desempenho dos revestimentos, no que tange à resistência de aderência à tração e absorção/permeabilidade de água. Para o desenvolvimento da pesquisa utilizou-se três tipos de agregados (areia natural, reciclado misto de material cerâmico e cimentício e reciclado cimentício), em duas granulometrias, passantes pelas peneiras 3 mm e 1,18 mm, os quais foram amplamente caracterizados. As argamassas produzidas foram avaliadas quanto à consistência, densidade de massa, retração, absorção de água por imersão, resistência à compressão e resistência à tração. Os revestimentos foram aplicados sobre blocos cerâmicos, preparados com solução de cal ou chapisco, sendo este último apenas para o revestimento que apresentou o melhor desempenho dentre os produzidos com agregados reciclados. Como principais resultados, verificou-se que a utilização de peneira com abertura de 1,18 mm é eficiente para a redução do teor de finos dos agregados, entretanto, as argamassas e os revestimentos produzidos não apresentaram desempenho satisfatório, ficando aquém dos resultados obtidos com materiais passantes na peneira 3 mm. As argamassas e revestimentos contendo agregado reciclado cimentício não apresentaram desempenho compatível com as demais, em detrimento das suposições iniciais, que previam que esse agregado seria superior ao agregado misto. Também se percebeu que os agregados reciclados mistos de material cerâmico e cimentício, passantes na peneira 3 mm, apesar do alto teor de finos e da elevada absorção de água, assemelham-se muito ao agregado natural de mesma granulometria, quando comparadas as características das argamassas por estes produzidas, principalmente quanto à resistência à compressão. Quando se avaliam os revestimentos produzidos por esses dois agregados, ambos são equivalentes em questão de resistência de aderência à tração e não apresentaram nenhuma fissuração. Em linhas gerais, pode-se concluir que é viável a produção de revestimentos eficientes com substituição total da areia natural por agregados reciclados, desde que limitado o fator de empacotamento dos grãos, que influência diretamente nas propriedades das argamassas e revestimentos.

Um filme polimérico utilizado na fabricação de curativos adesivos não perfurados deve ter baixo módulo de elasticidade e boa permeabilidade ao vapor d\' água. O baixo módulo de elasticidade garante sensação de maior conforto do produto em contato com a pele quando a pessoa que o está utilizando movimenta a parte do corpo sobre a qual está aplicado o curativo, principalmente a região das articulações, como joelhos e cotovelos. A importância de uma boa permeabilidade ao vapor d\' água está relacionada, principalmente em curativos não perfurados, ao fato de que a pele perde água constantemente e, se o filme polimérico não permitir a saída dessa água ao meio ambiente, ocorrerá um fenômeno denominado maceração, que é a sensibilização excessiva da pele, causada pela hiper hidratação da mesma. O presente trabalho apresenta um estudo da permeabilidade ao vapor d\' água, bem como a caracterização vibracional e térmica de um filme polimérico constituído por três polímeros diferentes, desenvolvido para substituir a poliuretana utilizada atualmente na produção de curativos adesivos não perfurados, com custo inferior. Os polímeros que constituem o filme foram caracterizados separadamente e alguns resultados obtidos, como Tm e a estrutura química dos polímeros Lotader® e Lotryl® foram comparados aos dados fornecidos pelo fabricante. Verificou-se que as propriedades de módulo de elasticidade e permeabilidade ao vapor d\' água do filme desenvolvido são inferiores às da poliuretana inviabilizando a substituição. Entretanto, o trabalho proporcionou um melhor entendimento dos fatores que influenciam o módulo de elasticidade e a permeabilidade do novo material ao vapor d\' água. / A polymeric film must have low elasticity modulus and good water vapor permeation to be used in the production of non perforated adhesive tapes. Low modulus is desirable to provide comfort sensation as the consumer moves the part of his or her body in which the tape is applied on, mainly in the articulations regions, as elbows and knees. The importance of good water vapor permeation is related, mainly in the case of non perforated adhesive tapes with the continuous loss of water by the skin. If the film does not allow the release of the water continuously lost by the skin to the environment, the skin will become very sensitiveness as a result of over hydration. This work presents a study of water permeability and a thermal and vibrational characterization of a polymeric film composed of three different polymers developed to replace the adhesive not perforated polyurethane tape providing lower cost. Besides characterization a test of Water Vapor Transmission Rate (WVTR) was performed. Each polymer present in the film composition was analyzed and the results as Tm and chemical structure of Lotader® e Lotryl® were compared with the producer data. It was verified that the properties of elasticity modulus and water vapor permeability of the new material developed are worse than polyurethane so the substitution can not be performed. However, the work provided a better understanding of the factors that influences the elasticity modulus and water vapor permeability of the new material.

In diesem Beitrag wird die Wasserabsorption und die Wasserpermeabilität von axial vorbelasteten Prüfkörpern aus textilbewehrtem Beton (TRC) und biegebelasteten Verbundprüfkörpern (Normalbeton + TRC) im gerissenen Zustand untersucht. Durch in situ Permeabilitätsmessungen wird das dehnungsabhängige Transportverhalten im einaxialen Zugversuch beobachtet und mittels eines analytischen Modells beschrieben. Es besteht eine ausgeprägte Abhängigkeit der Transportraten von Flüssigkeiten zu relevanten Risscharakteristika (Rissanzahl, Rissbreite). Weiterhin wurden Selbstheilungseffekte von feinen Rissen infolge einer zyklischen Wasserbeaufschlagung beobachtet. Die Feuchteverteilung in einer gerissenen Normalbetonprobe und einer Verbundprobe (Normalbeton + TRC) wird mit Hilfe der Neutronenstrahlradiographie zeit- und ortsaufgelöst dargestellt. Das Eindringen von Wasser wird anhand der Messungen qualitativ vorgestellt und diskutiert. / In this study water absorption and water permeability were tested on uniaxially preloaded, cracked specimens made of textile reinforced concrete (TRC) and cracked composite specimens (ordinary concrete + TRC) preloaded in bending. The influence of imposed strain on the permeation of water was observed in-situ by using uniaxial tensile tests and described by an analytical model. The transport values for the cracked material correlated with the cracks’ characteristics (number of cracks, crack width). Furthermore, the effect of self-healing phenomena on the transport properties of TRC was considered. The distribution of water in cracked ordinary concrete and cracked composite specimens was studied by means of neutron radiography which provided with a high spatial and temporal resolution. The penetration of water is presented qualitatively and discussed.

In den durchgeführten Versuchsreihen wurden die Wasserabsorption sowie die Gas- und Wasserpermeabilität sowohl an gerissenen als auch rissfreien Prüfkörpern aus textilbewehrtem Beton (TRC) untersucht. Eine deutliche Steigerung der Wasseraufnahme bei Proben mit unbeschichteten Textilien konnte mit Zunahme der Garnfeinheit beobachtet werden. Bei den gerissenen Proben besteht eine ausgeprägte Abhängigkeit der Transportraten von Flüssigkeiten und Gasen zu den relevanten Risscharakteristika (kumulative Risslänge, Rissbreite). Weiterhin sind Selbstheilungseffekte von feinen Rissen infolge einer zyklischen Wasserbeaufschlagung beobachtet worden. Hierbei kam es zu einer deutlichen Reduzierung der Transportraten sowohl für Wasser als auch für Gase. Eine speziell entwickelte Permeabilitätsmesskammer zur Durchführung von In- Situ-Messungen ermöglicht Untersuchungen zum Stofftransport unter axialer Zugbelastung bei verschiedenen Dehnungszuständen.

In den durchgeführten Versuchsreihen wurden die Wasserabsorption sowie die Gas- und Wasserpermeabilität sowohl an gerissenen als auch rissfreien Prüfkörpern aus textilbewehrtem Beton (TRC) untersucht. Eine deutliche Steigerung der Wasseraufnahme bei Proben mit unbeschichteten Textilien konnte mit Zunahme der Garnfeinheit beobachtet werden. Bei den gerissenen Proben besteht eine ausgeprägte Abhängigkeit der Transportraten von Flüssigkeiten und Gasen zu den relevanten Risscharakteristika (kumulative Risslänge, Rissbreite). Weiterhin sind Selbstheilungseffekte von feinen Rissen infolge einer zyklischen Wasserbeaufschlagung beobachtet worden. Hierbei kam es zu einer deutlichen Reduzierung der Transportraten sowohl für Wasser als auch für Gase. Eine speziell entwickelte Permeabilitätsmesskammer zur Durchführung von In- Situ-Messungen ermöglicht Untersuchungen zum Stofftransport unter axialer Zugbelastung bei verschiedenen Dehnungszuständen.

Des films nanocomposites amidon / argent ont été préparés par deux voies de génération vertes de nanoparticules d'argent. La première voie, dite ex situ, consiste à préparer tout d'abord une solution colloïdale d'argent qui est ensuite redispersée dans une matrice amidon plastifiée glycérol. Les nanoparticules d'argent colloïdales sont synthétisées en solution aqueuse par réduction du nitrate d'argent par du glucose en présence d'amidon stabilisant. La seconde voie, dite in situ, consiste à disperser le nitrate d'argent dans le film amidon plastifié et le réduire directement dans le film par traitement thermique en présence ou non de réducteur. L'influence du taux de glucose réducteur, du temps de synthèse et de la température a été étudiée en termes de taille, distribution de taille et dispersion des nanoparticules d'argent dans les films nanocomposites ex situ et in situ. Tout en gardant des paramètres de procédé comparables, les deux voies de nanostructuration des films amidon/argent ont également été comparées en termes de structure, de propriétés thermiques et de transport. Enfin, l'incorporation de charges montmorillonites a également été étudiée dans les deux voies de génération des nanoparticules métalliques. L'ensemble des travaux a permis de valider les deux voies de génération vertes menant à des nanoparticules d'argent dispersées de manière homogène et de tailles moyennes inférieures à 30 nm. La voie in situ à 85°C se distingue par des nanoparticules d'argent cristallines et de très petites tailles (inférieures à 10 nm) avec une interface amidon/argent cohésive particulière qui permettent d'améliorer les propriétés barrières aux gaz et à l'eau avec une diminution de perméabilité observée jusqu'à 90% / The present work reports a strategy involving the preparation of silver nanoparticles in a biodegradable polymer stemming from either an ex situ or an in situ method, using in both cases a completely green chemistry process. The influence of the reducing agent concentration and the silver nanoparticles generation route is investigated on the structure, the morphology and the properties of the nanocomposite films. In both routes, silver nanoparticles with a diameter below 30 nm were highlighted in the nanocomposite films. For all nanocomposite films, no modification on the crystalline structure of the starch matrix is observed in the presence of silver. The in situ generation route allowed to obtain the smallest silver nanoparticles with a diameter below 10 nm. Crystalline silver nanoparticles were obtained only from the in situ generation route at the temperature of 85°C. The introduction of montmorillonites in both generation routes was also studied. The decrease of the water sorption and the improvement of water and oxygen barrier properties were found to be not dependent on the reducing agent concentration but mainly on the presence of the crystalline structure of the silver nanoparticles. Thus, significant enhancement of the barrier properties were finally obtained for the in situ nanocomposite films thanks to an efficient interaction between the crystalline silver nanoparticles and the starch matrix