The growing demand in portable and compact consumer devices and appliances has resulted in the need for the miniaturisation of electronic components. These miniaturised electronic components are sensitive and susceptible to damage by voltages as low as 20V. Electrically conductive styrenic thermoplastics are widely used in electronic packaging applications to protect these sensitive electronic components against electro-static discharge (ESD) during manufacturing, assembly, storage and shipping. Such ESD applications often require the optimal volume resistance range of ≥ 1.0x105 to < 1.0x108 Ω. The best known method to render styrenic thermoplastics conductive is by the incorporation of conductive fillers, such as carbon black but the main limitation is the difficulty in controlling the conductivity level due to the steep percolation curve. Thus the aim of this research is to develop electrically conductive styrenic thermoplastics by blending several styrenic resins with polymeric conductive additives to achieve optimal volume resistance range for ESD applications with the ease in controlling the conductivity level.

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L’optimisation de la morphologie de la couche active est primordiale pour l’augmentation des rendements des cellules solaires photovoltaïques organiques. Nous avons montré l’influence du ratio de matériaux donneur (P3HT) et accepteur (PCBM) d’électrons ainsi que de la masse molaire du P3HT sur la morphologie de la couche active. Afin de contrôler la séparation de phases entre les matériaux donneur et accepteur d’électrons, il est possible d’utiliser des copolymères à blocs afin d’aider la compatibilisation entre le P3HT et le PCBM. Nous avons choisi de synthétiser des copolymères à blocs P3HT-b-polystyrène et des P3HT-b-polyisoprène présentant une certaine compatibilité avec les matériaux de la partie active. L’ajout optimisé de P3HT-b-polyisoprène permet une augmentation de 30% des rendements et de 90% de durée de vie des cellules solaires. / Active layer morphology optimization is fundamental to achieve high efficiency in organic photovoltaic solar cells. We showed the influence of the donor (P3HT) and acceptor (PCBM) material ratio and the impact of the P3HT molecular weight on the active layer morphology. We demonstrated the possibility of using well-designed block copolymers to help P3HT and PCBM compatibilization and to control their phase separation. We chose to synthesize P3HT-b-polystyrene and P3HT-b-polyisoprene for which each block is compatible with the active materials. Optimal addition of P3HT-b-polyisoprene enables to get a 30%-improved efficiency and a 90%-enhanced lifetime of the solar cells.

La synthèse de macroalcoxyamines hydrosolubles à partir d’acide méthacrylique et d’un faible pourcentage de styrène sulfonate de sodium a été étudiée en solution aqueuse. Ces macroalcoxyamines ont été utilisées comme macroamorceurs pour la polymérisation en émulsion sanstensioactif du méthacrylate de méthyle et du méthacrylate de n-butyle avec un faible pourcentage destyrène. Les copolymères diblocs amphiphiles produits s’auto-assemblent in situ et conduisent, en fonction de leur taux d’hydrophilie, à l’obtention de nano-objets présentant des morphologies variées(sphères, fibres, vésicules). La plus intéressante est la morphologie fibrillaire car les suspensions correspondantes présentent des propriétés rhéofluidifiantes à basse concentration et possèdent un comportement viscoélastique à haute concentration. La synthèse de ces latex a été étudiée et développée dans des conditions monotopes les plus proches possibles d’une production industrielle. / Water-soluble, SG1-based macroalkoxyamines composed of methacrylic acid with a low percentage of sodium 4-styrene sulfonate were synthesized in aqueous solution. These macroalkoxyamines were used as macroinitiators in the surfactant-free emulsion polymerization ofmethyl methacrylate or n-butyl methacrylate with a low percentage of styrene. The polymerization induced self-assembly of the so-formed amphiphilic block copolymers leads to nanoobjects with various morphologies (spheres, fibers, vesicles), depending on their hydrophilic/hydrophobic balance. The most interesting morphology is the nanofiber type of organization as the suspensions presentshear-thinning properties at low concentration and viscoelastic behavior at high concentration. The synthesis of these latexes was investigated and developed in one-pot conditions in order to allow further production at the industrial scale.

L’objectif principal de ce travail de thèse est de synthétiser par polymérisation RAFT en milieux homogène et hétérogène des copolymères à blocs amphiphiles de structure bien contrôlée. Un procédé simplifié, « ont pot » a donc été développé pour synthétiser ces copolymères et les auto-assembler en particules dans l’eau. Cette méthode dite de « l’auto-assemblage induit par la polymérisation » (PISA) permet de synthétiser en quantité des copolymères à blocs amphiphiles en milieux aqueux sans aucune étape de purification intermédiaire. Dans ce procédé, deux étapes successives sont effectuées dans le même réacteur. La 1ère étape a pour but de synthétiser des agents RAFT macromoléculaires hydrophiles (macroRAFTs) par polymérisation en solution dans l’eau. Ces macroRAFTs fonctionnalisés par un groupement trithiocarbonate sont ensuite utilisés dans le même réacteur comme agents de contrôle etprécurseurs de stabilisants pour la polymérisation en émulsion du monomère hydrophobe directement dans l’eau. Lors de cette 2nde étape, des copolymères à blocs amphiphiles sont formés et s’auto-assemblent sous forme de particules aux morphologies variées (sphères, filaments et vésicules). Nous avons alors étudiés les différents paramètres (pH, température de polymérisation en émulsion, nature des monomères hydrophobe et hydrophile, taux de solide, masses molaires des blocs hydrophobe et hydrophile, etc)gouvernant la formation de morphologies spécifiques. Un objectif supplémentaire a été l’étude du comportement viscoélastique linéaire des suspensions de ces nano-fibres polymère à une température inférieure (25°C) ou supérieure (130°C) à la température de transition vitreuse (Tg) du coeur polystyrène des nano-fibres. A T < Tg, les nano-fibres sont parfaitement rigides et obéissent à une dynamique brownienne de bâtonnets. En effet, les lois d’échelles déduites du comportement viscoélastique de ces suspensions obéissent aux lois prédites par Doi-Edwards. En revanche, ces nano-fibres sont flexibles pour T > Tg et ont une dynamique Brownienne de chaînes polymères en solution. / The aim of this work was synthesis of well-defined amphiphilic block copolymers in homogenous and heterogenous media using RAFT polymerization (Reversible Addition-Fragmentation Chain Transfer) and to study their self-assemblies in water. A one-pot process in water was developed for the synthesis of amphiphilic block copolymers that simultaneously to their growth self-assembled into nano-particles. This method called “polymerization-induced self-assembly” (PISA) allows the synthesis of large quantities of amphiphilic block copolymers in aqueous media without any intermediate purification step. During this process, two successive polymerization steps are performed in the same reactor. The first step consists in the synthesis of the hydrophilic macromolecular RAFT agents (macroRAFT agents) possessing a trithiocarbonate reactive group via RAFT in water. Without purification, these macroRAFT agents are reactivated for the polymerization of a hydrophobic monomer in the same reactor via RAFT emulsion polymerization. The resulting amphiphilic block copolymers self-assembled into nano-objects with various morphologies (spherical micelles, nanofibers and vesicles). Different parameters (pH, temperature, natureof hydrophilic and hydrophobic monomers, solids contents, molar masse of hydrophilic and hydrophobic blocks, etc) control these morphologies. Besides, the viscoelastic properties of polymeric nanofibers suspensions were studied as a function of the temperature. Below the Tg of polystyrene core at 25°C, the scaling law from viscoelastic behavior of these nanofiber suspensions the Doi−Edwards theory on the Brownian dynamics of rigid rods. Above Tg at 130°C, the nanofibers are flexible and it observed that their dynamics obey the power laws for polymer chains in solution.

No description available.

Multidimensional characterization of polyelectrolytes and interpolyelectrolyte complexes in aqueous solutions Abstract: This PhD thesis is dedicated to the study of polyelectrolytes and their self-assembly in aqueous solutions. The morphology and ionization state of individual polymer chains were investigated as well as their co-assembly with oppositely charged species. First, the charge regulation of short and long weak polyelectrolytes in aqueous solution was investigated to deeper understand their pH-responsive properties. The changes of ionization degree and charge of oligopeptides composed of 5 amino acids with acid side-chains and 5 with basic side chains were followed upon varying the pH in order to reveal the effect of interactions between the like-charged and oppositely charged groups. It was shown that intra-molecular electrostatic interactions and conformational flexibility caused the suppression of the total charge and enhancement of ionization of the peptides. To get an insight into the distribution of local H+ concentration in the proximity of a polyelectrolyte chain, a modified polyelectrolyte structure was used with a fluorescent pH- indicator, covalently attached at the end of the chain. Ionization of the pH-responsive fluorophore revealed its effective pK which was compared with the local...

The research goal of this work was dedicated to improvement of the properties and enhancement of the application potential of commodity polymer based on polyolefins by choosing different synthesis routes to create new structures and materials. More precisely, the presented study explores different aspects of metallocene and post-metallocene catalyzed olefin polymerization leading to synthesis of novel copolymers and nanocomposites. The first part of this thesis deals with controlled polymerization of α-olefins catalyzed by post-metallocenes. Bis(phenoxyamine) zirconium complexes with [ONNO]-type ligands bearing cumyl (bPA-c) and 1-adamantyl (bPA-a) ortho-substituents were applied. For the polymerization catalyzed by bPA catalyst quasi-living kinetic character is proposed. The bPA catalyst was applied for synthesis of block copolymers by employing the strategy of sequential monomer addition. The blocky structure of the copolymer was successfully achieved and confirmed by NMR techniques. Moreover, the monomodal distribution of molar mass in SEC chromatogram confirmed the absence of homopolymers. In the second part of the work new defined comb-like copolymers (CLC) having a poly(10-undecene-1-ol) (PUol) backbone and densely grafted poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) side chains are presented. These copolymers were synthesized in two steps by means of metallocene polymerization followed by ring opening polymerization. Copolymers with varied and adjustable graft length (PCL segments) were synthesized. It was proved that the melting and crystallization temperatures of the CLC correlate with the PCL side chain length, i.e. longer chains result in higher Tm and Tc,o values. The melting enthalpy was found to be asymptotically dependent on the length of PCL side chains. The bulk morphology of the comb-like copolymers is proposed to be lamellar as judged from the TEM micrographs. The third part of the thesis is focused on the synthesis of polypropylene nanocomposites via in situ polymerization. Thereby, organomodified aluminumphosphate with kanemite-type layered structure (AlPO-kan) has been used as novel filler. Melt compounding composites were prepared for comparison purposes to evaluate the influence of in situ synthesis on the dispersion quality of the filler in polymer matrix. Melt compounding of neat AlPO-kan with PP did not lead to formation of nanocomposites. TEM images show macro-composites with the lamellar solid remaining agglomerated. On the contrary, in situ polymerization of propene yielded materials with exfoliated nanocomposite morphology. In XRD, diffractions of the AlPO-kan pilling of layers are not detectable. It can be concluded that the primary existing layers are delaminated. Very fine distribution of the filler in the polypropylene matrix has been impressively demonstrated by TEM.

This paper reports a simple self-assembly strategy towards bowl-shaped carbon-containing hollow particles, as well as an unprecedented potential application for block copolymer vesicles in energy storage. Kippah vesicles (fully collapsed vesicles), formed by solution self-assembly of an amphiphilic polystyrene-block-poly(ethylene oxide) block copolymer, were employed as the template to guide the formation of bowl-shaped nitrogen-doped carbon hollow particles (BNCHPs). As electrode materials of supercapacitors, BNCHPs exhibit superior electrochemical performance. In particular, compared with their spherical counterpart, BNCHPs largely increase their volumetric packing density, leading to much higher volumetric capacitance or volume reduction of electrodes, which is desired for practical supercapacitor devices.

Gemäß der Zielstellung der Dissertation wurden verschiedene partiell tert.-Butyl- (TBU) und tert.-Butyloxycarbonyl- (Boc) geschützte Blockcopolymere auf der Basis von Poly(4-hydroxystyrol) mit engen Molmassenverteilungen sowie mit verschiedenen Blockzusammensetzungen dargestellt. Die Synthese dieser partiell TBU- und Boc-geschützten Blockcopolymere umfasste drei wesentliche Schritte: 1) Darstellung von Makroinitiatoren mittels NMRP, 2) Synthese von orthogonal geschützten Precursor-Blockcopolymeren durch Reinitiierung der Makroinitiatoren in Gegenwart eines weiteren orthogonal geschützten Monomeren und 3) orthogonale und quantitative polymeranaloge Umsetzungen ausgehend von den orthogonal geschützten Precursor-Blockcopolymeren. Mit den partiell TBU- und Boc-geschützten Blockcopolymeren wurden dünne Polymerfilme mittels „dip-coating“ präpariert. Die Untersuchung der Topographie und Morphologie der Filme erfolgte mit dem AFM. Aus den erhaltenen Topographie- und Phasenverschiebungsbildern ging eindeutig hervor, dass die verschiedenen Blöcke der jeweiligen partiell TBU- und Boc-geschützten Blockcopolymere in allen Polymerfilmen phasensepariert vorlagen. Reguläre Mikrostrukturen konnten allerdings nur bei den Polymerfilmen erhalten werden, deren Blockcopolymere sich allesamt durch asymmetrische Blockzusammensetzungen auszeichnen. Auf der Grundlage des statistischen Modellpolymeren Poly(styrol-r-4-hydroxystyrol) konnte ferner gezeigt werden, dass sich die phenolischen Hydroxylgruppen durch die Umsetzung mit Propargylbromid quantitativ in Propargylether-Gruppen umwandeln lassen und diese dann ihrerseits mit Hilfe der Cu(I)-katalysierten 1,3-dipolaren Cycloaddition (Click-Chemie) weiter mit einer Reihe von verschiedenen Aziden funktionalisiert werden können.