Dans une logique d’éco-conception et de développement durable, de nombreux travaux ont pour objectif l’étude de polymères biosourcés. Parmi les recherches menées à ce jour, une piste d’étude consiste à les structurer aux échelles micro et nanoscopiques tout en valorisant certaines de leurs propriétés spécifiques, l’objectif étant la création de matériaux à propriétés fonctionnelles originales et performantes. Dans ce contexte, une attention particulière a été portée sur l’utilisation du dioxyde de carbone supercritique (CO2-sc). En effet, sa capacité à se solubiliser en grande quantité dans de nombreux polymères et donc d’en modifier les propriétés (viscosité, tension interfaciale, …) peut permettre une amélioration des matériaux composites fabriqués. Ce projet s’intéresse plus particulièrement à l’élaboration d’assemblages de biopolymères nanostructurés et revêt deux enjeux principaux : (1) la synthèse de nanoparticules de biopolymères (dans notre cas, du chitosane), (2) l’élaboration d’assemblages de biopolymères nanostructurés. La première étape a consisté à concevoir et développer de nouveaux procédés de génération de nanoparticules de chitosane par des procédés utilisant le CO2-sc soit comme antisolvant soit comme agent de dissolution et d'atomisation. Pour la deuxième étape, des films composites à base de poly (acide lactique) PLA et de poly (hydroxybutyrate-co-valérate) PHBV ont été préparés par la voie hot-melt par extrusion bi-vis. Des analyses thermiques, moléculaires et structurales, morphologiques et de granulométrie ont permis de caractériser les films biocomposites ainsi produits. / In a logic of eco-design and sustainable development, many works aim to study the bio-sourced polymers. Among these studies, a promising concept consists in structuring materials at micro and nanoscales while enhancing some of their properties, the objective being the creation of original materials with improved functional properties and performance. In this context, particular attention has been paid to the use of supercritical carbon dioxide (sc-CO2). Its ability to dissolve into many polymers in large quantities and thus to change their properties (viscosity, interfacial tension, ...), can improve both the composite material and its manufacturing process. This project focuses on the development of nanostructured biopolymers and addresses two main issues: (1) the synthesis of biopolymer nanoparticles (in this case, chitosan), and (2) the development of nanostructured biopolymers. The first step consisted in designing and developing new processing methods to generate biopolymer nanoparticles, using sc-CO2 as antisolvent agent or as dissolving and atomizing agent. For the second step, poly (lactic acid) PLA and poly (hydroxybutyric-co-hydroxyvaleric acid) PHBV based composite films were prepared by a hot-melt process by twin-screw extrusion of the nanoparticles and the matrix. Thermal, molecular and structural analysis, as well as morphological and particle size distribution studies allowed a good characterization of the biocomposite films.

<p>Crystallization is a key solid-liquid separation and purification technique used in pharmaceutical industry. Some of the critical quality attributes (CQAs) of a product from crystallization process include crystal size distribution (CSD), purity, polymorphic form, morphology, etc. Different size and polymorphs of a drug substance may have different dissolution profiles and different bioavailability, which can have adverse effect on human health. Therefore, it is important to design and control crystallization process to meet product CQAs. In recent years, drug substances are becoming more complex, often being heat sensitive, which may limit the temperature that can be used in the crystallization step. Consequently, the traditional cooling only crystallization may not be well suited to recover the high value drug substances. For these systems, antisolvent crystallization is typically employed to improve the yield. On the other hand, the solvent composition can significantly impact the polymorphic outcome. Therefore, designing combined cooling and antisolvent crystallization (CCAC) processes to solve the challenges of active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) crystallization in a highly regulated environment is a complex engineering problem. </p> <p>With rising energy costs and intense price competition from generic pharmaceutical companies, the pharmaceutical industry is looking for ways to reduce the cost of manufacturing via process intensification (PI). This thesis focuses on different PI techniques for CCAC of drug substances. Continuous or smart manufacturing is gaining popularity due to its potential to lower the cost of manufacturing while maintaining consistent quality. Continuous crystallization is an important link in the continuous manufacturing process. The first part of the thesis shows PI of a commercial drug substance, Atorvastatin calcium (ASC) for target polymorph development via continuous CCAC using an oscillatory baffled crystallizer (OBC). An existing batch CCAC process for ASC was compared with the continuous CCAC in OBC and it was found the continuous process 30-fold more productive compared to the batch process. An array of process analytical technology (PAT) tools was used in this work to assess key process parameters that affect the polymorphic outcome and CSD. The desired narrower CSD product was obtained in the OBC compared to that from a batch crystallizer.</p> <p>The next part of the thesis focused on model-based PI technique for efficient determination of crystallization kinetics of a polymorphic system in CCAC. A novel experimental design was proposed which significantly reduced the number of experiments required to determine crystallization kinetics in a CCAC process. The kinetic parameters were validated, and a validated polymorphic model was used to perform an in-silico design of experiment (DoE) to develop a design space that can be used to identify operating conditions to achieve a desired crystal size and polymorphic form. </p> <p>The final part of the thesis combines the experimental and model-based approach for designing a continuous CCAC process for ASC in a cascade of Coflore agitated cell reactor (ACR) and three-stage mixed suspension mixed product removal (MSMPR). A combined artificial neural network (ANN) and principal component analysis (PCA) method was used to calibrate an ultraviolet (UV) probe which was used to monitor ASC solute concentration in the cascade process. The crystallization kinetic parameters were estimated in ACR and MSMPR which was used to build a digital model of the cascade process. The digital model was then used to obtain a design space with different temperature profile in the three-stage MSMPR that yielded narrow CSD of ASC form I. Overall, this thesis demonstrates the benefits of applying PI in the CCAC of drug substances using a holistic approach including novel equipment, application of an array of PAT tools, and model-based digital design to achieve desired CQAs of the product.</p>

Tesis por compendio / [ES] Las células solares de perovskitas de haluros (HaPSC) se han convertido en uno de los principales candidatos para la producción de dispositivos fotovoltaicos de nueva generación. Sin embargo, su comercialización exige que cumplan estrictos requisitos de rendimiento, seguridad y longevidad. Se sabe que la estabilidad intrínseca de las perovskitas de haluro está estrechamente relacionada con la química de los defectos que se producen en su interior, ya que algún defecto puede participar o iniciar procesos de degradación. Además, algunos de los defectos más comunes en estos sistemas crean estados de trampa poco profundos y electrónicamente activos, que pueden influir en procesos clave como el transporte y recombinación de cargas, lo que los convierte en fundamentales para determinar el rendimiento de los dispositivos. La ingeniería de disolventes ha cobrado importancia como técnica para controlar la cristalización de películas delgadas de haluros de perovskita, lo que ha dado lugar a mejoras experimentalmente observables en la calidad y estabilidad de los cristales, así como a reducciones significativas en las densidades de defectos. A pesar de los importantes esfuerzos realizados recientemente para desarrollar las HaPSC, el rendimiento y la estabilidad de las composiciones con bandas prohibidas anchas han quedado rezagados con respecto a las composiciones para los dispositivos de unión única. El objetivo de esta tesis es abordar este problema desarrollando técnicas experimentales para mejorar las perovskitas inorgánicas de haluros mixtos. Aunque la ingeniería de disolventes puede introducir, reducir o pasivar defectos electrónicamente activos (dopantes) en las perovskitas de haluro, se han realizado relativamente pocas investigaciones sobre los procesos físicos que se producen en los sistemas dopados. Además, las químicas activas de estos sistemas, que aún se están investigando, pueden dar lugar a comportamientos transitorios o a la activación de procesos complejos, lo que complica los esfuerzos experimentales. En esta tesis, estos problemas se superan empleando simulaciones por ordenador para investigar el origen y los factores que dan lugar a niveles óptimos de dopaje en las HaPSCs. Esta tesis doctoral se compone de tres artículos que han sido publicados en revistas indexadas. Dos de ellos desarrollan técnicas experimentales para controlar la cristalización de la película y la estabilidad de las perovskitas de bandas prohibidas anchas. El tercer artículo investiga el papel que desempeñan los dopantes electrónicos en el rendimiento de los dispositivos y cómo pueden aprovecharse para producir HaPSC superiores. En conjunto, estos resultados aportan nuevos conocimientos y técnicas a los experimentadores que trabajan con dispositivos de alto rendimiento. / [CA] Les cèl·lules solars de perovskita d'halur (HaPSC) s'han convertit en un dels principals candidats per a la producció de dispositius fotovoltaics de nova generació. Tanmateix, la seua comercialització requereix que compleixen exigències estrictes en termes de rendiment, seguretat i longevitat. Se sap que l'estabilitat intrínseca de les perovskites d'halur està estretament relacionada amb les químiques de defectes que es produeixen dins d'elles, ja que algun defecte pot participar o iniciar processos de degradació. A m¿es, alguns defectes predominants en aquests sistemes creen estats de trampa poc profunds i electrònicament actius, que poden influir en processos clau com el transport i la recombinació de càrregues, fent-los clau per determinar el rendiment dels dispositius. L'enginyeria de dissolvents ha guanyat rellevància com a tècnica per controlar la cristal·lització de pel·lícules primes de perovskita d'halur, donant lloc a millores experimentalment observables en la qualitat i l'estabilitat dels cristalls, així com a reduccions significatives de la densitat de defectes. Malgrat els esforços recents substancials per desenvolupar les HaPSC, el rendiment i l'estabilitat de les composicions de bandes prohibides amples s'han quedat per darrere de les adequades per a dispositius d'unió única. L'objectiu d'aquesta tesi és abordar aquest problema mitjançant el desenvolupament de tècniques experimentals per millorar les perovskites inorgàniques d'halur mixtos. Tot i que l'enginyeria de dissolvents pot introduir, reduir o passivar defectes electrònicament actius (dopants) en perovskites d'halur, hi ha hagut relativament poques investigacions sobre els processos físics que es produeixen en sistemes dopats. A més, les químiques actives d'aquests sistemes, que encara s'estan investigant, poden donar lloc a comportaments transitoris o a l'activació de processos complexos, cosa que complica els esforços experimentals. En aquesta tesi, aquests problemes es superen mitjançant l'ús de simulacions per ordinador per investigar l'origen i els factors que donen lloc a nivells òptims de dopatge en les HaPSC. Aquesta tesi doctoral està formada per tres articles que s'han publicat en revistes indexades. Dos d'aquests desenvolupen tècniques experimentals per controlar la cristal·lització de la pel·lícula i l'estabilitat de les perovskites de bandes prohibides amples. El tercer article investiga el paper que tenen els dopants electrònics a l'hora de determinar el rendiment dels dispositius i com es poden aprofitar per produir HaPSC superiors. En conjunt, aquests resultats generen noves idees i proporcionen tècniques per als experimentadors que treballen amb dispositius d'alt rendiment. / [EN] Halide perovskite solar cells (HaPSCs) have become one of the leading candidates for the production of next generation photovoltaic devices. However, commercialisation requires them to meet stringent demands in terms of performance, safety and longevity. The intrinsic stability of halide perovskites is known to be closely related to defect chemistries occurring within them since some defects can participate in, or initiate, degradation processes. Moreover, some common defects in these systems create electronically active shallow trap states, which can influence key processes such as charge transport and recombination - making them key in determining device performance. Solvent engineering has gained relevance as a technique for controlling the crystallisation of halide perovskite thin films, leading to experimentally observable improvements in crystal quality and stability as well as meaningful reductions in defect densities. Despite substantial recent efforts into developing HaPSCs, the performance and stability of wide-bandgap compositions has lagged behind those suitable for single-junction devices. The aim of this thesis is to address this problem by developing experimental techniques for improving mix-halide inorganic perovskites. Although solvent engineering can introduce, reduce or passivate electronically active defects (dopants) in halide perovskites, there have been relatively few investigations into the physics occurring in doped systems. Moreover, the active chemistries in these systems, which are still under investigation, can result in transient behaviours or the activation of complex processes - complicating experimental efforts. In this thesis, these problems are overcome by employing computer simulations to investigate the origin and factors giving rise to optimal doping levels in HaPSCs. This doctoral thesis is made up of three articles which have been published in indexed journals. Two of these develop experimental techniques for controlling the film crystallisation and stability of wide-bandgap perovskites. The third article investigates the role of electronic dopants in determining device performance, and how they may be harnessed to produce superior HaPSCs. Together, these results generate new insights and provide techniques for experimentalists working with high performance devices. / This work was funded by the Generalitat Valenciana (ACIF/2020/286), the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (Grant Number PID2019-107137RB-C21), European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant No. 893194), the French Agence Nationale de la Recherche (contract number ANR-17-MPGA-0012), and the French government in the frame of the program of investments for the future (Programme d’investissement d’Avenir ANR-IEED-002-01) Alexander Wyn Stewart. acknowledges the Generalitat Valenciana and the EU for financial support (ACIF/2020/286). / Stewart, AW. (2024). Hybrid Perovskites for Photovoltaic Applications [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/202847 / Compendio