Les poly(silméthylènesiloxane)s, aussi dénommés silicones hybrides, sont constitués d’un squelette portant un groupement méthylène entre 2 unités SiOSi. La synthèse de ces polymères par polycondensation ne permet pas d’atteindre des masses molaires très élevées, contrairement aux produits issus de la polymérisation par ouverture de cycle. Ce manuscrit décrit la procédure choisie pour aboutir à une synthèse contrôlée de poly(silméthylènesiloxane)s, des précurseurs (monomères, amorceurs) aux polymères. Le monomère cyclique silméthylène a été préparé par cyclisation de le 1,3-dichlorotetraméthylsilméthylène. Ce dernier peut être généré par redistribution de sous-produits de l’industrie de type halogénures d’alkylsilanes. Deux voies de redistribution ont été étudiées, la méthylation par le méthyllithium, et la dismutation des chlorosilanes en présence d’AlCl3 et de tétraméthylsilane. Cette dernière méthode conduit à une nouvelle distribution de chlorosilanes et chlorosilméthylènes jamais obtenue auparavant. La polymérisation par ouverture de cycle en présence d’acide triflique du 1,1,3,3,5,5,7,7-octamethyl-2,6-dioxa-1,3,5,7-tetrasilacyclooctane conduit à des poly(silméthylènesiloxane)s terminés silanol. Suivant la pureté du monomère, différentes masses molaires peuvent être atteintes. La température réactionnelle joue un rôle crucial afin d’éviter toute cyclisation des chaînes. Par comparaison avec des monomères organiques conventionnels (ether, oxiranes, etc...), le mécanisme de polymérisation implique deux espèces en équilibre, un ion silyl-oxonium et un ester silyl-triflate. Une augmentation de la température de réaction déplace cet équilibre vers les espèces ioniques, responsables des réactions de rétroscission. Ainsi la température optimale de réaction a été localisée à 25°C. La polymérisation par ouverture de cycle a été également testée en présence de catalyseur (acide triflique) et d’un amorceur (molécule portant une (des) fonction(s) silanol). Dans les conditions de température données, des polymères de masses molaires et de fonctionnalités contrôlées sont obtenus. Ces expériences ouvrent la porte à de nouvelles voies de polymérisation des cyclosiloxanes, mettant en lumière la compétition entre deux mécanismes de polymérisation, la propagation par bouts de chaînes activés (ACE) et par monomères activés (AM). / Polysilmethylenesiloxanes are belonging to the “hybrid” silicone family. The presence of a methylene group into the polymer backbone enhances their thermal stability, which is particularly interesting in high-tech applications. The synthesis of such polymers by polycondensation did not so far lead to high molar mass polymers, contrary to those prepared by ring-opening polymerization. The synthesis of such polymers is described in this manuscript, from the monomer to the macromolecule. The silmethylene cyclic dimer, the monomer of interest, is synthesized by cyclization of 1,3-dichlorotetramethylsilmethylene. This latter can be generated from the disproportionation of the direct process residue, a by-product of the silicone industry. The disproportionation proceeds either by methylation with methyl lithium, or by Me/Cl interchange reaction catalyzed by AlCl3 in presence of tetramethylsilane. This latter led to a selective dechlorination of chlorosilanes and chlorosilmethylenes in mild conditions, which has not been yet observed with the DPR. Cationic ring-opening polymerization in presence of triflic acid of such silmethylene cyclic dimer led to bis-silanol polysilmethylenesiloxanes. Depending on the purity of monomer, high molar masses can be targeted. The reaction temperature also plays a critical role in order to avoid any cyclization of the growing chains. While triflic acid plays a role of catalyst, it does not allow controlling molar masses. Comparisons with conventional organic monomers were made to identify the polymerization mechanism which involves two propagating species in equilibrium, a silyl-oxonium ion and a silyltriflate ester. An increase of the reaction temperature shifts this equilibrium towards ionic species, responsible of back- and end-biting reactions. Thus the optimal reaction temperature of ROP of the silmethylene cyclic dimer has been set at 25°C previously and confirmed here. The ROP reaction of the silmethylene cyclic dimer in presence of triflic acid and silanol molecule allows designing the obtained molar masses, while keeping a certain control of end-groups. Variations of molar masses with the silanol content speaks for a polymerization occurring through an activated monomer mechanism. Experiments done to confirm this mechanism open routes to the polymerization of other cyclosiloxanes where the competition between the activated chain end (ACE) and the activated monomer (AM) mechanisms could be controlled.

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The chemistry of actinides in solution is a very important aspect of the nuclear fuel cycle, especially as the energy needs of the world continue to increase. However, the radio-active nature of the actinides makes experimentation very difficult and dedicated expensive instruments are required. In addition, the disposal of radio-active waste materials requires a proper understanding of their chemistry at a molecular level. To tackle the problem, and to underpin the experimental studies, in this thesis we have studied the redox chemistry and disproportionation mechanism of actinyl complexes in solution using state-of-the art computational methods. Reduction potentials of actinyl complexes in solution have been estimated in solution using density functional theory (DFT) approaches. Solvation effects were included in the quantum chemistry calculations with the conductor like polarisable continuum model (CPCM) solvation method. First of all, we have validated our computational method by studying a variety of solute cavity definitions within the CPCM solvation model and assessed the performance of a range of DFT functionals to suitable to accurately describe the actinide chemistry in solution. Penta-valent uranyl(V) ions are unstable and readily disproportionate; in this study we have explored outer-sphere electron transfer and disproportionation mechanisms to determine the stability of these ions in solution. We have found that the process of outer-sphere disproportionation is unlikely to occur in non-aqueous solutions, such as DMSO, DMF, DCM, acetonitrile and pyridine, when the uranyl(V) ion is bound with a multi-dentate organic ligand. However, our computational results hypothesise that the presence of a trace of water in the experimental conditions can promote a disproportionation reaction by protonating the uranyl(V) ‘yl’ oxygen atoms and then the electron transfer process would proceed through either inner or outer sphere mechanism. In addition, the effect of alkali metal cations on the outer-sphere disproportionation mechanisms was also studied. Overall it has been shown that DFT can be used to accurately predict the redox properties of actinyl complexes in solution and thus contributing for an effective and efficient design of nuclear material separations, proper as well as safer radioactive waste disposal.

This article has been published online on 21st May 2014, in Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology A: Vac (Vol.32, Issue 4): http://scitation.aip.org/content/avs/journal/jvsta/32/4/10.1116/1.4878815?aemail=author DOI: 10.1116/1.4878815 This article may be accessed via the issue's table of contents at this link: http://scitation.aip.org/content/avs/journal/jvsta/32/4?aemail=author The surface chemistry of the bis(tri-n-butylphosphane) copper(I) acetylacetonate, [(nBu3P)2Cu(acac)], and the thermal atomic layer deposition (ALD) of Cu2O using this Cu precursor as reactant and wet oxygen as co-reactant on SiO2 substrates are studied by in-situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The Cu precursor was evaporated and exposed to the substrates kept at temperatures between 22 °C and 300 °C. The measured phosphorus and carbon concentration on the substrates indicated that most of the [nBu3P] ligands were released either in the gas phase or during adsorption. No disproportionation was observed for the Cu precursor in the temperature range between 22 °C and 145 °C. However, disproportionation of the Cu precursor was observed at 200 °C, since C/Cu concentration ratio decreased and substantial amounts of metallic Cu were present on the substrate. The amount of metallic Cu increased, when the substrate was kept at 300 °C, indicating stronger disproportionation of the Cu precursor. Hence, the upper limit for the ALD of Cu2O from this precursor lies in the temperature range between 145 °C and 200 °C, as the precursor must not alter its chemical and physical state after chemisorption on the substrate. 500 ALD cycles with the probed Cu precursor and wet O2 as co reactant were carried out on SiO2 at 145 °C. After ALD, in situ XPS analysis confirmed the presence of Cu2O on the substrate. Ex-situ spectroscopic ellipsometry indicated an average film thickness of 2.5 nm of Cu2O deposited with a growth per cycle of 0.05 Å/cycle. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) investigations depicted a homogeneous, fine, and granular morphology of the Cu2O ALD film on SiO2. AFM investigations suggest that the deposited Cu2O film is continuous on the SiO2 substrate.