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The advent of nanoscience and nanotechnology has sparked many research forefronts in the creation of materials with control over size, shape, composition, and surface properties.1,2 However, for most of the applications, nanoscale materials need to be assembled into functional nanostructures that exhibit useful and controllable physical properties. Therefore, numerous efforts on the assembly of nanoparticles (NPs) using organic ligands, polymers and polyelectrolytes have been reported.3,4 However, the interactions between NPs are mediated by intervening ligands, which are detrimental to charge transport and limit the thermal stability. Hence, developing a new method to produce solid state nanostructures with direct NP linkage has become a significant challenge. To avoid the bridging ligands and improve the conductivity of NP based solid state structures, a novel strategy has been developed in which colloidal NPs undergo condensation to wet “jello-like” hydrogel with direct interfacial linkage. Then hydrogels can be dried supercritically to produce aerogels.5 Resultant nanostructures exhibit low densities, large open interconnected pores, and high internal surface areas and are containing entirely of colloidal metal NPs.6 Since noble metal NPs have been widely used in applications such as catalysts, sensors, and novel electrochemical device components, we herein expanded the sol-gel method to noble metal NPs to produce a new class of metal aerogels. In the dissertation, the synthesis of hollow Ag hollow NPs, Au/Ag alloy NPs, and Au/Pt/Ag alloy hollow NPs with tunable sizes and physical properties, and their oxidative-assembly into high-surface-area, mesoporous, self-supported gel framework has been achieved. The gelation kinetics have been controlled by tuning the oxidant/thiolate molar ratio that governs the rate of NP condensation, which in turn determines the morphology, optical transparency, surface area, and porosity of the gel frameworks. These low-density mesoporous nano-architectures displaying optical transparency or opacity, enormously surface area, and interconnected meso-to-macro pore structure are promising candidates for catalytic, electrocatalytic, and SERS-based sensing applications. The SERS activity of Au/Ag alloy aerogels has been studied and significant signal enhancement was achieved. The performance of the Au/Pt/Ag aerogel towards methanol oxidation reaction has been studied via cyclic voltammetry and significant electro-catalytic activity was observed.

Master of Science / Department of Chemistry / Kenneth Klabunde / Remediation of the indoor environment led to the development of novel catalysts which can absorb light in the visible range. These catalysts were prepared using the wet chemistry method known as sol-gel chemistry because preparation via sol-gel provides a homogeneous gel formation, which can be treated via supercritical drying to produce an aerogel. These aerogels have been found to have high surface areas when a combination of titania/silica is used. The increase in surface area has been shown to enhance the activity of the catalysts. Mixed metal oxide systems were prepared using titanium isopropoxide and tetraethyl orthosilicate to yield a 1:1 system of titania/silica (TiO2/SiO2). These systems were doped during the initial synthesis with transition metals (Mn or Co) to create mixed metal oxide systems which absorb light in the visible light range. These materials were assessed for potential as heterogeneous catalysts via gas-solid phase reactions with acetaldehyde. Degradation of acetaldehyde as well as the formation of CO2 was monitored via gas chromatography-mass spectrometery. To increase the activity, visible light was introduced to the system. Experiments have shown that a 10 mol % manganese doped titania/silica system, in the presence of light, can degrade acetaldehyde. The cobalt doped counterpart showed dark activity in the presence of acetaldehyde resulting in the formation of CO2 without the addition of visible light. In the hope of increasing surface area a mixed solvent (toluene/methanol) synthesis procedure was applied to the manganese doped catalyst. The resulting materials were of a low surface area but showed a significant increase in degradation of acetaldehyde. Examination of the interactions between mixed metal oxide systems and semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs) was studied. The pollutant, triphenyl phosphate, was dissolved in n-pentane and exposed to 10 mg of a given catalyst. These reactions were monitored using UVVis. All systems but the manganese doped titania/silica system resulted in the observation of no activity with triphenyl phosphate. The manganese doped catalyst shown a peculiar activity, the increase in absorbance of the triphenyl phosphate peaks as well as the formation of a new peak.

O objetivo deste trabalho consistiu-se no desenvolvimento de um método para a produção de aerogéis de amido para a impregnação de óleo de café verde. Para atingir este objetivo foram estabelecidas três etapas: (1) desenvolvimento de um método de secagem supercrítica usando misturas de dióxido carbono supercrítico (CO2-sc) e etanol (EtOH); (2) fabricação de aerogéis na presença de CO2 e (3) impregnação supercrítica de extrato de óleo de café verde nos aerogéis de amido produzidos. Os aerogéis produzidos na primeira e segunda etapa foram caracterizados por adsorção-dessorção de nitrogênio a baixa temperatura (BET e BJH), microscopia eletrônica de varredura (MEV), e por difração de Raio-X para conhecer seu padrão cristalino e cristalinidade. A metodologia de secagem desenvolvida durante o presente trabalho permitiu obter resultados bastante positivos dado que os materiais (monólitos) exibiram áreas superficiais de 95 m2/g que estão de acordo com os melhores materiais descritos na literatura. Por outro lado, esta metodologia (200 bar e 40°C utilizando 2 ml/min de CO2 com 11% de etanol) permitiu uma redução significativa do tempo e secagem (de 24 h para 6 h). No que diz respeito à fabricação dos aerogéis na presença de CO2 foram testadas diferentes condições para melhorar as caraterísticas dos materiais anteriormente descritos. Neste caso, a estratégia passou pelo desenvolvimento de partículas de aerogel em vez de monólitos, avaliando o impacto da quantidade de amido no sol e da temperatura de gelatinização nas caraterísticas físico-químicas dos materiais. Os resultados demonstraram que os melhores materiais exibiram áreas superficiais de 185 m2/g, sendo obtidos com 10% de amido a 40° C. Por outro lado, verificou-se igualmente que o aumento da temperatura era responsável pela diminuição do domínio cristalino. No entanto, na presença de CO2 este efeito de diminuição não foi tão extenso como na sua ausência. O último ponto do presente trabalho consistiu na impregnação dos matérias obtidos de modo a avaliar a sua aplicabilidade como matriz de impregnação para moléculas de interesse alimentar. Neste estudo foram utilizados os monólitos obtidos na primeira etapa como matriz de impregnação de óleo de café verde em condições supercríticas (300 bar e 40°C). Os resultados obtidos demostraram uma eficiência de impregnação de 39 mg de óleo /100 mg de monólito em 12h. O presente trabalho demonstrou ser possível desenvolver uma nova metodologia de secagem de aerogéis sem etapa de troca de solvente e com uma redução apreciável do tempo de secagem. Por outro lado, foi possível obter partículas de aerogéis com caraterísticas bastante interessante para a impregnação de moléculas de interesse alimentar. Por fim este trabalho apresenta ótimas perspectivas para o desenvolvimento de um processo integrado para a fabricação de aerogéis e impregnação dos mesmos em CO2 supercrítico, demostrando boas perspectivas para o desenvolvimento de materiais biocompatíveis para aplicações nas indústrias alimentar, dermatológica ou mesmo farmacêutica. / The objective of this work was the development of a method for the production of starch aerogels for the impregnation of green coffee oil. To achieve this goal, three steps were established: (1) development of a supercritical drying method using mixtures of supercritical carbon dioxide (CO2-sc) and ethanol (EtOH); (2) fabrication of aerogels in the presence of CO2 and (3) supercritical impregnation of green coffee oil extract in the starch aerogels produced. The aerogels produced in the first and second stages were characterized by adsorptiondesorption of nitrogen at low temperature (BET and BJH), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and by X-ray diffraction to know its crystalline pattern and crystallinity. The drying methodology developed during the present work allowed to obtain very positive results since the materials (monoliths) exhibited superficial areas of 95 m2/g that are in agreement with the best materials described in the literature. This methodology (200 bar and 40°C using 2 ml/min of CO2 with 11% of ethanol) allowed a significant reduction of the time and drying (from 24 h to 6 h). Regarding the manufacture of aerogels in the presence of CO2, different conditions were tested to improve the characteristics of the previously described materials. In this case, the strategy involved the development of aerogel particles instead of monoliths, evaluating the impact of the amount of starch in sol and the gelatinization temperature on the physical-chemical characteristics of the materials. The results showed that the best materials exhibited surface areas of 185 m2/g and were obtained with 10% starch at 40°C. On the other hand, it was also verified that the increase in temperature was responsible for the decrease of the crystalline domain. However, in the presence of CO2 this decrease effect was not as extensive as in its absence. The last point of the present work was the impregnation of the obtained materials in order to evaluate its applicability as impregnation matrix for molecules of alimentary interest. In this study, the monoliths obtained in the first stage were used as impregnation matrix of green coffee oil under supercritical conditions (300 bar and 40°C). The results showed an impregnation efficiency of 39 mg of oil/100 mg of monolith in 12 hours. The present work demonstrated that it is possible to develop a new drying methodology for aerogels without a solvent exchange step and with an appreciable reduction of the drying time. Likewise, it was possible to obtain particles of aerogels with very interesting characteristics for the impregnation of molecules of alimentary interest. Finally, this work leaves great prospects for the development of an integrated process for the manufacture of aerogels and their impregnation in supercritical CO2, demonstrating good prospects for the development of biocompatible materials for applications in the food, dermatological or even pharmaceutical industries.

A síntese de vidros pelo método sol-gel tornou-se recentemente de grande interesse, tanto do ponto de vista técnico como científico. Descrevemos neste trabalho o processo utilizado para a obtenção de aerogel de sílica (formação do gel &#8594 secagem hipercrítica &#8594 sinterização) e algumas características físicas e químicas, em diversas temperaturas de sinterização (Ts) dos aerogéis produzidos. Aerogeis de sílica foram preparados pela hidrólise e condensação de sóis de sistema TMOS metanol- H2O com razão molar TMOS: H2O = 4: 1 e razão em volume de TMOS na solução TMOS metanol = 0,2; 0,3; 0,4; 0,5 e 0,6. As suas propriedades estruturais tais como; a densidade aparente e da matriz, a área superficial BET, volume total dos poros, distribuição de tamanho dos poros, constante e perda dielétricas foram sistematicamente investigadas em função do tratamento térmico de sinterização. As propriedades de relaxação da água adsorvida na superfície altamente reativa foram estudadas através das técnicas dielétricas e de ressonância magnética nuclear em função do conteúdo de H2O, 0 &#60 &#952H2O &#60 6, e temperatura. Também foi feito um estudo da cinética de adsorção da água em aerogéis com varias temperaturas de sinterização. / The synthesis of glasses using the sol-gel method appeared recently of great interest either from the technological or from the scientific point of view. We describe the process used to obtain pure vitreous silica (gel formation &#8594 hypercritical drying &#8594 densification) as well as some physical and chemical characteristics of the various products fabricated. Silica aerogels have been prepared by hydrolysis and condensation of sols of composition TMOS methanol - H2O with molar ratio TMOS: H2O = 4.1 and volume ratio of TMOS in solution of TMOS-methanol = 0,2; 0,3; 0,4; 0,5 and 0,6. Their structural properties such as true and apparent densities, BET surface area, total pore volume, pore size distribution, dielectric constant and loss have been systematically investigated as a function of the densification heat treatment. The relaxation properties of water adsorbed on the highly reactive surface have been studied by dielectric and nuclear magnetic resonance techniques as a function of the H2O coverage (0 &#60 &#952H2O &#60 6) and temperature. The adsorption kinetics of the water was studied too in the aerogels with several heat temperature of sinterization.

Les aérogels de silice se classent parmi les matériaux dits superisolants grâce à leurs propriétés thermiques exceptionnelles. Leur très faible conductivité thermique (< 15 mW.m-1.K-1) représente un pouvoir d’isolation convoité par de nombreux secteurs d’activité comme l’isolation thermique du bâtiment, l’aérospatial, le transport, l’emballage, etc.Ces matériaux amorphes nanostructurés atteignent des taux de porosité supérieurs à 90% et sont architecturés sur plusieurs ordres de grandeur. Leur structure se compose d’un réseau poreux tridimensionnel de silice à l’échelle nanométrique. Celui-ci forme un agrégat de plusieurs centaines de nanomètres qui est lui-même la brique élémentaire d’un second réseau poreux à l’échelle mésoscopique. L'architecture 3D nanométrique imbriquée pores / particules, dont la taille est proche du libre parcours moyen des phonons, est à l’origine des propriétés thermiques exceptionnelles des aérogels de silice, cependant, elle est aussi la source de leurs faibles propriétés mécaniques.Cette thèse se focalise sur l’étude à l’échelle nanométrique du comportement mécanique des aérogels de silice par dynamique moléculaire. La première partie porte sur le potentiel interatomique utilisé comme paramètre d’entrée des simulations et plus particulièrement sur sa capacité à reproduire les surfaces de silice amorphe. Ce potentiel, développé pour modéliser les propriétés structurales et énergétiques de la silice amorphe dense, démontre une bonne transférabilité quant aux propriétés de surface. Il permet de simuler avec fiabilité des matériaux de grandes surfaces spécifiques avec des temps de calcul acceptables. La seconde partie s'intéresse successivement à la génération de la nanostructure des aérogels, à la caractérisation des textures formées et à l'étude du comportement mécanique. Les résultats montrent l’influence de la vitesse de déformation et des effets de taille sur l’étude du comportement mécanique en traction et en compression. Les propriétés élastiques sont correctement caractérisées et les mécanismes de déformation identifiés. Enfin des agrégats sphériques de l’ordre de la centaine de nanomètres sont générés afin d’étudier leur comportement mécanique sous compression. Les lois de comportement de ces agrégats, comparables en taille à ceux observés expérimentalement, pourront ensuite servir de paramètres d’entrée et nourrir les simulations aux échelles supérieures / Thanks to their exceptional thermal properties, silica aerogels are considered as superinsulating materials. Their very weak thermal conductivity (< 15 mW.m-1.K-1) stands for an important insulating power which has many industrial applications such as building insulation, aerospacial, transport, packaging, etc.Those amorphous architectured materials can reach more than 90% of porosity and present a porous architecture at different length scales. Their structure is composed by a three dimensional porous and tortuous network at nanometric scale. This network forms an aggregate of a hundred nanometers length which is also the particle of a second porous network at mesoscopic scale. The 3D nanometric architecture of pores / particles, is at the origin of the exceptional thermal properties but is also responsible of the weak mechanical properties.This thesis focuses on the study at nanoscale of the mechanical behavior of silica aerogels using Molecular Dynamics simulations. The first part of the thesis concerns the interatomic potential used as parameter of the simulations and his capacity of reproducing amorphous silica surface properties. This potential has been developped for dense amorphous silica. It also shows a good transferability to model amorphous silica surface properties. It can be used to simulate large volumes of high specific area materials with optimized computational time. The purpose of the second part of this thesis is to generate the porous nanostructure of silica aerogels, to characterize its structure and to study its mechanical properties. The results show the influences of the strain rate and of the simulation box size on the mechanical behavior during tensile and compression tests. Elastic properties are correctly computed and the deformation mechanisms are identified. Finally, hundred nanometers aggregates are generated and their behavior under compression is studied. The behavior laws of these aggregates, comparable in length with the experimental ones, provide precious information for a multiscale model

L'experience spatiale AMS sera mise en orbite à partir de 2008 pour une durée de 3 ans afin d'étudier le rayonnement cosmique, l'antimatière et la matière noire. Cette thèse présente d'abord le travail mené pour les developpements de l'imageur Cherenkov (RICH) d'AMS qui conduira à une mesure précise de la vitesse et de la charge des particules. Nous exposons les caractéristiques générales de l'imageur, ainsi que la mise en oeuvre et l'analyse des données provenant de tests sur faisceau d'ions realisés au CERN. Nous présentons également les test de l'électronique frontale, l'analyse et le tri des composants les mieux adaptés à l'expérience. Une méthode d'étalonnage et de reclassement des cellules de l'imageur a été proposée et acceptée par la collaboration. Finalement, nous avons developpé un banc de test afin de déterminer l'indice de refraction des aérogels (utilisés comme matériau radiateur).

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abstract: Emergent environmental issues, ever-shrinking petroleum reserves, and rising fossil fuel costs continue to spur interest in the development of sustainable biofuels from renewable feed-stocks. Meanwhile, however, the development and viability of biofuel fermentations remain limited by numerous factors such as feedback inhibition and inefficient and generally energy intensive product recovery processes. To circumvent both feedback inhibition and recovery issues, researchers have turned their attention to incorporating energy efficient separation techniques such as adsorption in in situ product recovery (ISPR) approaches. This thesis focused on the characterization of two novel adsorbents for the recovery of alcohol biofuels from model aqueous solutions. First, a hydrophobic silica aerogel was evaluated as a biofuel adsorbent through characterization of equilibrium behavior for conventional second generation biofuels (e.g., ethanol and n-butanol). Longer chain and accordingly more hydrophobic alcohols (i.e., n-butanol and 2-pentanol) were more effectively adsorbed than shorter chain alcohols (i.e., ethanol and i-propanol), suggesting a mechanism of hydrophobic adsorption. Still, the adsorbed alcohol capacity at biologically relevant conditions were low relative to other `model' biofuel adsorbents as a result of poor interfacial contact between the aqueous and sorbent. However, sorbent wettability and adsorption is greatly enhanced at high concentrations of alcohol in the aqueous. Consequently, the sorbent exhibits Type IV adsorption isotherms for all biofuels studied, which results from significant multilayer adsorption at elevated alcohol concentrations in the aqueous. Additionally, sorbent wettability significantly affects the dynamic binding efficiency within a packed adsorption column. Second, mesoporous carbons were evaluated as biofuel adsorbents through characterization of equilibrium and kinetic behavior. Variations in synthetic conditions enabled tuning of specific surface area and pore morphology of adsorbents. The adsorbed alcohol capacity increased with elevated specific surface area of the adsorbents. While their adsorption capacity is comparable to polymeric adsorbents of similar surface area, pore morphology and structure of mesoporous carbons greatly influenced adsorption rates. Multiple cycles of adsorbent regeneration rendered no impact on adsorption equilibrium or kinetics. The high chemical and thermal stability of mesoporous carbons provide potential significant advantages over other commonly examined biofuel adsorbents. Correspondingly, mesoporous carbons should be further studied for biofuel ISPR applications. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.S. Chemical Engineering 2011