In this thesis, acoustical and other physical properties of soft submicron suspensions were investigated in order to provide invaluable clues for their adaptation in theragnostic applications. Two types of dispersions were studied: fluorocarbon droplets stabilised with a polymeric (PLGA, PLGA-PEG) shell or a semifluorinated surfactant (called FTAC) shell. Since preparation of polymeric particles had been already developed, we first studied factors affecting mean diameter, size distribution, and coarsening of emulsions made of FTAC stabilising droplets of various fluorocarbons. Mechanical parameters used for emulsion synthesis and surfactants length were optimised to get the smallest droplets (~200 nm in diameter) that stay mainly submicrometric for several weeks. In addition, a full characterisation of surfactant properties was conducted. Next, for ultrasonic theragnostic purpose, it was necessary to improve our understanding in the mechanisms underlying interactions between ultrasonic waves and particles of a suspension. To do so, ultrasound propagation studies through dilute suspensions were carried out in a large frequency range (3-90 MHz) with subsequent modelling. The model could fit with a good accuracy our experimental data on polymeric particles and reveals information about unknown parameters of the shell: the geometrical parameters (shell thickness) and the viscoelastic parameters of the shell (speed of sound, shear moduli at infinite and zero frequencies, and the relaxation frequency). Therefore, such a model provides the required feedback for tuning the physicochemical parameters of nanoparticles in order to optimize their design.

Dans cette thèse, des propriétés acoustiques et physiques de suspensions nanométriques ont été étudiées afin de fournir des éléments importants permettant leurs modifications en vue d'application théragnostique. Deux types de suspensions ont été considérées: des gouttelettes fluorocarbonées stabilisées par une capsule soit polymérique (PLGA, PLGA-PEG), soit composé d'un tensioactif semifluoré (FTAC). La préparation des particules polymériques ont déjà été développés. Nous avons donc commencé par l'étude des facteurs influant sur le diamètre moyen, la distribution en taille, et le comportement temporel de gouttelettes stabilisées par du FTAC. Les paramètres mécaniques durant l'émulsification ainsi que la longueur des FTAC ont été optimisé pour obtenir les gouttelettes les plus petites possibles (~200 nm de diamètre) et qui restent principalement nanométriques pendant plusieurs semaines. De plus, une caractérisation des tensioactifs a été menée. Pour les applications envisagées, il fallait améliorer notre connaissance des mécanismes d'interactions entre ultrasons et particules en suspension. La propagation ultrasonore à travers des suspensions diluées a étudiée sur une large gamme de fréquences (3-90 MHz) et fut associée au développement d'un modèle analytique. Le modèle a ajusté correctement nos résultats sur les particules polymériques et des paramètres difficilement mesurables de la coque ont été déduit : épaisseur, vitesse du son, coefficient de cisaillement et fréquence de relaxation. Un tel modèle permet donc de fournir des éléments indispensables permettant de savoir quels paramètres physico-chimiques il faut modifier afin de les optimiser. / In this thesis, acoustical and other physical properties of soft submicron suspensions were investigated in order to provide invaluable clues for their adaptation in theragnostic applications. Two types of dispersions were studied: fluorocarbon droplets stabilised with a polymeric (PLGA, PLGA-PEG) shell or a semifluorinated surfactant (called FTAC) shell. Since preparation of polymeric particles had been already developed, we first studied factors affecting mean diameter, size distribution, and coarsening of emulsions made of FTAC stabilising droplets of various fluorocarbons. Mechanical parameters used for emulsion synthesis and surfactants length were optimised to get the smallest droplets (~200 nm in diameter) that stay mainly submicrometric for several weeks. In addition, a full characterisation of surfactant properties was conducted. Next, for ultrasonic theragnostic purpose, it was necessary to improve our understanding in the mechanisms underlying interactions between ultrasonic waves and particles of a suspension. To do so, ultrasound propagation studies through dilute suspensions were carried out in a large frequency range (3-90 MHz) with subsequent modelling. The model could fit with a good accuracy our experimental data on polymeric particles and reveals information about unknown parameters of the shell: the geometrical parameters (shell thickness) and the viscoelastic parameters of the shell (speed of sound, shear moduli at infinite and zero frequencies, and the relaxation frequency). Therefore, such a model provides the required feedback for tuning the physicochemical parameters of nanoparticles in order to optimize their design.

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