No description available.

Supercapacitors have emerged as a promising energy storage technology with unique characteristics that set them apart from conventional batteries and capacitors. Supercapacitors bridge the gap between these two technologies by combining the high power density of capacitors with the high energy storage capacity of batteries, offering a compelling solution for various applications. In the pursuit of enhancing supercapacitor performance, magnetite (Fe3O4) has been researched as a potential anode material. Fe3O4 offers several desirable properties, including high theoretical capacitance, low cost, and environmental friendliness. Compositing Fe3O4 with conductive additives has served to address the issue of limited conductivity in Fe3O4 anodes for practical uses, however, a focus must be shifted to enhancing the capacitive performance of such anodes to unlock their full potential. Achieving the full potential of Fe3O4 for supercapacitor applications requires addressing challenges in the colloidal fabrication of high-active mass electrodes. This is done by exploring the exceptional adsorption properties of two dispersing and capping agents: 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid and murexide. Exceptional adsorption properties of catecholate-type 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid molecules were explored for surface modification of Fe3O4 nanoparticles to enhance their colloidal dispersion as verified by sedimentation test results and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy measurements. Electrodes prepared in the presence of 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid exhibited nearly double the capacitance at slow charging rates as compared to the control samples without the dispersant or with benzoic acid as a non-catecholate dispersant. Density functional theory analysis of adsorption behavior of 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid and benzoic acid at the (001) surface of Fe3O4 corroborated these experimental results by providing an understanding of the basic mechanism of 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid adsorption on the surface of nanoparticles. Furthermore, murexide for surface modification of Fe3O4 nanoparticles effectively enhanced the performance of multi-walled carbon nanotube-Fe3O4 supercapacitor anodes. Our experimental results demonstrate significant improvements in electrode performance when murexide is used as a capping or dispersing agent compared to the case with no additives. From impedance measurements, we revealed a substantial decrease in the real part of impedance for samples prepared with murexide, indicating easier charge transfer at more negative electrode potentials, and reinforcing the role of murexide as a capping agent and charge transfer mediator. The theoretical investigation allowed us to identify the nature of chemical bonds between murexide and the surface, with significant charge transfer taking place between the Fe3O4 surface and murexide adsorbate. / Thesis / Master of Applied Science (MASc)

No description available.

Nanotechnology offers a great potential do design fertilizers with unique properties capable to boost the plant productivity. However, the nanoparticles environmental fate and their toxic responses still need to be deeply investigated to their safe use. This study aims to investigate the effect of copper oxide (nCuO) and magnetite nanoparticles (nFe3O4) on the germination and seedling development of Phaseolus vulgaris L. Seeds were treated in nanoparticles dispersions in a wide range of concentrations (1, 10, 100 and 1 000 mg L-1) and incubated in a germination chamber during 5 days. Different sized nCuO (25, 40 and <80 nm) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) coated nFe3O4 were evaluated. Although both nCuO and nFe3O4 treatments did not affected the germination rate, seedling weight gain was promoted by 40 nm CuO at 100 mg Cu L-1 and inhibited by 1 000 mg Cu L-1 of 25 nm CuO and positive control (CuSO4). Among the tested nCuO, the higher chemical reactivity was found for the 25 nm CuO, and this may partially explain the observed deleterious effects. Seeds treated in nFe3O4-PEG at 1 000 mg Fe L-1 increased radicle elongation compared to the negative control (water), while Fe2+/Fe3+ (aq) (positive control) and bare nFe3O4 at 1 000 mg Fe L-1 treatments reduced the radicle of the seedlings. The growth promoted by the PEG-coated nanoparticles can be justified by the higher water uptake induced by the PEG, and also by its lower chemical reactivity compared to the bare nanoparticles. This was reinforced by enzymatic assays since nFe3O4-PEG treatment was also the least harmful to the alpha-amylase activity. X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) showed that most of the Cu and Fe incorporated by the seeds remained in the seed coat, specially in the hilum region, and X-ray tomography indicated that Fe3O4-PEG penetrated in this structure. X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) unraveled that the Cu and Fe chemical environment of the nCuO and nFe3O4-PEG treated seeds persisted mostly in its primitive form. These results contribute to the understanding of how nCuO, nFe3O4 and nFe3O4-PEG interact with common bean seeds and seedlings and highlights its potential use in seed priming / A nanotecnologia oferece um grande potencial para o desenvolvimento de fertilizantes com propriedades únicas, capazes de impulsionar a produtividade das plantas. Contudo, o destino ambiental e os efeitos tóxicos das nanopartículas ainda necessitam ser profundamente investigados para o seu uso seguro. Este estudo visa investigar o efeito das nanopartículas de óxido de cobre (nCuO) e magnetita (nFe3O4) na germinação e desenvolvimento das plântulas de Phaseolus vulgaris L. As sementes foram tratadas em dispersões de nanopartículas em diversas concentrações (1, 10, 100 and 1 000 mg L-1) e incubadas em uma câmara de germinação durante 5 dias. Diferentes tamanhos de nCuO (25, 40 e <80 nm) e nFe3O4 recoberta com polietileno glicol (PEG) e foram avaliados. Embora ambos tratamentos de nCuO e nFe3O4 não afetaram a taxa de germinação, o ganho de massa das plântulas foi promovido pela nCuO de 40 nm à 100 mg Cu L-1 e inibido pelos tratamentos de nCuO de 25 nm e controle positivo (CuSO4) à 1 000 mg Cu L-1. Dentre as nCuO testadas, a maior reatividade química foi encontrada para a nCuO de 25 nm, e isso pode explicar parcialmente os efeitos deletérios desta nanopartícula. Sementes tratadas com nFe3O4-PEG à 1 000 mg Fe L-1 aumentaram o alongamento das radículas em comparação ao controle negativo (água), enquanto que os tratamentos Fe2+/Fe3+ (aq) (controle positivo) e nFe3O4 sem recobrimento à 1 000 mg Fe L-1 reduziram as radículas das plântulas. O crescimento promovido pelas nanopartículas recobertas com PEG pode ser justificado pela maior absorção de água induzido pelo PEG, e também pela sua baixa reatividade química comparada às nanopartículas sem recobrimento. Isso foi reforçado por ensaios enzimáticos uma vez que o tratamento de nFe3O4-PEG foi também o menos prejudicial à atividade da alfa-amilase. A espectroscopia de fluorescência de raios-X (XRF) mostrou que a maior parte do Cu e do Fe incorporados pelas sementes permaneceu no tegumento, especialmente na região do hilo, e a tomografia de raios-X indicou que nFe3O4-PEG penetrou nesta estrutura. A espectroscopia de absorção de raios-X (XAS) revelou que o ambiente químico do Cu e do Fe das sementes tratadas com nCuO e nFe3O4-PEG persistiram majoritariamente em sua forma primitiva. Estes resultados contribuem para o entendimento de como nCuO, nFe3O4 e nFe3O4-PEG interagem com sementes de feijão e destaca seu potencial uso no tratamento de sementes

Nanotechnology offers a great potential do design fertilizers with unique properties capable to boost the plant productivity. However, the nanoparticles environmental fate and their toxic responses still need to be deeply investigated to their safe use. This study aims to investigate the effect of copper oxide (nCuO) and magnetite nanoparticles (nFe3O4) on the germination and seedling development of Phaseolus vulgaris L. Seeds were treated in nanoparticles dispersions in a wide range of concentrations (1, 10, 100 and 1 000 mg L-1) and incubated in a germination chamber during 5 days. Different sized nCuO (25, 40 and <80 nm) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) coated nFe3O4 were evaluated. Although both nCuO and nFe3O4 treatments did not affected the germination rate, seedling weight gain was promoted by 40 nm CuO at 100 mg Cu L-1 and inhibited by 1 000 mg Cu L-1 of 25 nm CuO and positive control (CuSO4). Among the tested nCuO, the higher chemical reactivity was found for the 25 nm CuO, and this may partially explain the observed deleterious effects. Seeds treated in nFe3O4-PEG at 1 000 mg Fe L-1 increased radicle elongation compared to the negative control (water), while Fe2+/Fe3+ (aq) (positive control) and bare nFe3O4 at 1 000 mg Fe L-1 treatments reduced the radicle of the seedlings. The growth promoted by the PEG-coated nanoparticles can be justified by the higher water uptake induced by the PEG, and also by its lower chemical reactivity compared to the bare nanoparticles. This was reinforced by enzymatic assays since nFe3O4-PEG treatment was also the least harmful to the alpha-amylase activity. X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) showed that most of the Cu and Fe incorporated by the seeds remained in the seed coat, specially in the hilum region, and X-ray tomography indicated that Fe3O4-PEG penetrated in this structure. X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) unraveled that the Cu and Fe chemical environment of the nCuO and nFe3O4-PEG treated seeds persisted mostly in its primitive form. These results contribute to the understanding of how nCuO, nFe3O4 and nFe3O4-PEG interact with common bean seeds and seedlings and highlights its potential use in seed priming / A nanotecnologia oferece um grande potencial para o desenvolvimento de fertilizantes com propriedades únicas, capazes de impulsionar a produtividade das plantas. Contudo, o destino ambiental e os efeitos tóxicos das nanopartículas ainda necessitam ser profundamente investigados para o seu uso seguro. Este estudo visa investigar o efeito das nanopartículas de óxido de cobre (nCuO) e magnetita (nFe3O4) na germinação e desenvolvimento das plântulas de Phaseolus vulgaris L. As sementes foram tratadas em dispersões de nanopartículas em diversas concentrações (1, 10, 100 and 1 000 mg L-1) e incubadas em uma câmara de germinação durante 5 dias. Diferentes tamanhos de nCuO (25, 40 e <80 nm) e nFe3O4 recoberta com polietileno glicol (PEG) e foram avaliados. Embora ambos tratamentos de nCuO e nFe3O4 não afetaram a taxa de germinação, o ganho de massa das plântulas foi promovido pela nCuO de 40 nm à 100 mg Cu L-1 e inibido pelos tratamentos de nCuO de 25 nm e controle positivo (CuSO4) à 1 000 mg Cu L-1. Dentre as nCuO testadas, a maior reatividade química foi encontrada para a nCuO de 25 nm, e isso pode explicar parcialmente os efeitos deletérios desta nanopartícula. Sementes tratadas com nFe3O4-PEG à 1 000 mg Fe L-1 aumentaram o alongamento das radículas em comparação ao controle negativo (água), enquanto que os tratamentos Fe2+/Fe3+ (aq) (controle positivo) e nFe3O4 sem recobrimento à 1 000 mg Fe L-1 reduziram as radículas das plântulas. O crescimento promovido pelas nanopartículas recobertas com PEG pode ser justificado pela maior absorção de água induzido pelo PEG, e também pela sua baixa reatividade química comparada às nanopartículas sem recobrimento. Isso foi reforçado por ensaios enzimáticos uma vez que o tratamento de nFe3O4-PEG foi também o menos prejudicial à atividade da alfa-amilase. A espectroscopia de fluorescência de raios-X (XRF) mostrou que a maior parte do Cu e do Fe incorporados pelas sementes permaneceu no tegumento, especialmente na região do hilo, e a tomografia de raios-X indicou que nFe3O4-PEG penetrou nesta estrutura. A espectroscopia de absorção de raios-X (XAS) revelou que o ambiente químico do Cu e do Fe das sementes tratadas com nCuO e nFe3O4-PEG persistiram majoritariamente em sua forma primitiva. Estes resultados contribuem para o entendimento de como nCuO, nFe3O4 e nFe3O4-PEG interagem com sementes de feijão e destaca seu potencial uso no tratamento de sementes

La spintronique utilisant des matériaux semi-conducteurs est un sujet de recherche très actif. Elle permet de combiner le potentiel des semi-conducteurs avec le potentiel des matériaux magnétiques. Le GaN pourrait être un bon candidat pour des applications en spintronique car le temps de relaxation de spin est très long. La spintronique organique est également un domaine de recherche en plein essor en raison de la longue durée de vie de spin des porteurs de charge ainsi que de leur coût relativement bas, de leur flexibilité et de leur diversité chimique. Dans un premier temps, nous montrerons que la polarisation circulaire de la lumière émise par une LED contenant une couche unique de points quantiques InAs / GaAs (QD) InAs / GaAs dopés p peut atteindre environ 18% sans champ magnétique extérieur. Une corrélation claire est établie entre le degré de polarisation de la lumière émise et l’aimantation perpendiculaire de l’injecteur. La polarisation atteint un maximum pour une polarisation appliquée de 2.5 V à 10 K, ce qui correspond à un courant injecté de 6 µA. En outre, nous observons un comportement remarquable de la polarisation pour un température comprise entre 60K et 80K. L’évolution de la polarisation en fonction de la température est discutée à la lumière de la compétition entre le temps de vie de recombinaison radiative τr et le temps de relaxation de spin τs. De plus, nous avons développé un injecteur de spin présentant une anisotropie magnétique perpendiculaire sur GaN. Nous avons d’abord optimisé la croissance de MgO pour différentes températures du substrat. Nous avons ensuite étudié la croissance de Fe puis de Co sur MgO/GaN. L’injecteur de spin Co(0001)/MgO(111) a été retenu car celui-ci permet d’obtenir un anisotropie magnétique perpendiculaire. De plus, les calculs ab initio ont également montré que l’interface Co/MgO(111) présente une grande anisotropie magnétique. Finalement, nous étudions les MFTJ basés sur une barrière de PVDF organique dopée avec des nano-particules de Fe3O4. Nous avons fabriqué avec succès une multicouche de La0.6Sr0.4MnO3/PVDF:Fe3O4/Co, dans laquelle la barrière organique en poly (fluorure de vinylidène) (PVDF) a été dopée avec des nanoparticules ferromagnétiques de Fe3O4. En modifiant la polarisation du PVDF, l’effet tunnel dans la jonction multiferroïque peut être commuté via la partie LSMO/PVDF/Co (polarisation positive) ou via la partie Fe3O4/PVDF/Co (polarisation négative). Cela correspond à une inversion de la magnétorésistance à effet tunnel (TMR) de + 10% à -50%, respectivement. Notre étude montre que les jonctions tunnel multiferroïques organiques dopées avec des particules magnétiques pourraient créer de nouvelles fonctionnalités en jouant sur l’interaction du magnétisme des nanoparticules avec la ferroélectricité de la barrière organique. / Spintronics with semiconductors is very attractive as it can combine the potential of semiconductors with the potential of the magnetic materials. GaN has a long spin relaxation time, which could be of potential interest for spintronics applications. Organic spintronics is also very appealing because of the long spin lifetime of charge carriers in addition to their relatively low cost, flexibility, and chemical diversity. In this thesis, we investigate spin injection in spin LEDs containing either InAs/GaAs quantum dots or InGaN/GaN quantum wells. Moreover, we further study spin polarized transport in organic multiferroic tunnel junctions (OMFTJs). Firstly, we will show that the circular polarization of the light emitted by a LED containing a single layer of p-doped InAs/GaAs quantum dots (QDs) can reach about 18% under zero applied magnetic field. A clear correlation is established between the polarization degree of the emitted light and the perpendicular magnetization of the injector layer. The polarization reaches a maximum for an applied bias of 2.5V at 10K, which corresponds to an injected current of 6 µA. Also, we report a remarkable behavior of the polarization in the temperature region 60-80K. The interpretation of the bias and temperature dependence of the polarization is discussed in light of the competition between radiative recombination time τr and the spin relaxation time τs. In addition, significant efforts have been devoted to developing a perpendicular spin injector on GaN based materials to achieve spin injection without applying a magnetic field. Firstly, the growth of MgO has been investigated at various growth temperatures. Then, we studied the growth of either Fe or Co on MgO/GaN. In contrast to Fe/MgO, the Co/MgO spin injector yields a clear perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. In addition, ab-initio calculations have been performed to understand the origin of the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy at the Co/MgO(111) interface. Finally, we investigate multiferroic tunnel junctions (MFTJs) based on organic PVDF barriers doped with Fe3O4 nano particles. The organic MFTJs have recently attracted much attention since they can combine advantages of spintronics, organic and ferroelectric electronics. We report on the successful fabrication of La0.6Sr0.4MnO3/PVDF:Fe3O4/Co OMFTJ, where the poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) organic barrier has been doped with ferromagnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles. By changing the polarization of the ferroelectric PVDF, the tunneling process in OMFTJ can be switched either through the LSMO/PVDF/Co part (positive polarization) or through the Fe3O4/PVDF/Co part (negative polarization). This corresponds to a reversal of tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) from +10% to -50%, respectively. Our study shows that the doping of OMFTJs with magnetic nanoparticles can create new functionalities of organic spintronic devices by the interplay of nanoparticle magnetism with the ferroelectricity of the organic barrier.

Les nanoparticules d’oxyde de fer de structure spinelle ouvrent de nombreuses voies dans le domaine biomédical. Parmi les applications possibles, les propriétés superparamagnétiques des cristallites d'une dizaine de nanomètres permettent de les utiliser pour le diagnostic médical, notamment en Imagerie par Résonance Magnétique (IRM).Ce travail a consisté à élaborer des suspensions colloïdales de nanoparticules de magnétite ou de maghémite (nommées USPIO pour Ultrasmall SuperParamagnetic Iron Oxide) compatibles avec les conditions physiologiques (pH = 7,4 et [NaCl] = 0,15 M).Par co-précipitation classique, des USPIO, de taille de cristallites de 8 nm, de surface spécifique de 110 m².g-1 et agrégés en assemblages d’environ 20 nm ont été obtenus. Pour stabiliser ces nano-objets, deux voies ont été explorées. Des agents électrostatiques (acide citrique et DMSA) ont modifié la charge nette de surface des oxydes de fer. La stabilisation stérique a également été explorée par greffage de méthoxy-PEG couplés à des fonctions silanes (mPEG-Si). Par combinaison de mPEG2000-Si et de DMSA, des suspensions stables ont également été obtenues. De plus, les fonctions thiols apportées par le DMSA et présentes à la surface des agrégats se trouvent protégées de leur oxydation naturelle par l'encombrement stérique des chaînes de polymère (la formation de ponts disulfures est évitée). La post-fonctionnalisation de ces nanoparticules via ces fonctions thiols est alors possible plusieurs semaines après leur synthèse. Ce concept a été validé par post-greffage d’un fluorophore (0,48 RITC/nm²) pour la détection in vitro en microscopie à fluorescence.En parallèle de cette étude en « batch », des nanoparticules d’oxyde de fer ont été synthétisées en continu à l’aide d’un procédé hydrothermal pouvant s’étendre au domaine eau supercritique. En voie hydrothermale classique, des USPIO stabilisés par des ions citrates ont été obtenus en continu. Grâce aux propriétés physicochimiques de l’eau supercritique, la co-précipitation de magnétite a été possible sans l’utilisation de base.La cytotoxicité et l’internalisation cellulaire de ces USPIO ont été évaluées sur trois modèles cellulaires (macrophages RAW, hépatocytes HepG2 et cardiomyocytes) et les efficacités comme agents de contraste en IRM de ces nanoparticles ont été mesurées sur gel et sur modèle murin et comparées à un agent de contraste commercial à base d’oxyde de fer. Les nanohybrides étudiés n’ont pas présenté de cytotoxicité et ont développé des pouvoirs contrastants comparables à l’agent commercial. La biodistribution hépatique des nanoparticules couplées au mPEG-Si a été retardée de plus de 3 heures ouvrant la voie à des détections spécifiques. / Spinel structured iron oxide nanoparticles open the way of biomedical applications of nanomaterials.Superparamagnetic properties of ten nanometer size crystallites permit to use them in diagnosis such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).The aim of this work was to synthesize colloidal suspension of magnetite or maghemite (called USPIO for Ultrasmall SuperParamagnetic Iron Oxide) stable in physiological conditions (pH = 7.4 and [NaCl] = 0.15M).By classical co-precipitation method, UPSIO were synthesized with a mean crystallite size of 8 nm, with a specific surface area of 110 m².g-1 and an aggregate size of 20 nm. To stabilize these nano-objects, two ways were investigated. Electrostatic agents (like citric acid and DMSA) modified iron oxide surface charge. Steric stabilization was also studied by grafting methoxy-PEG coupled with a silane function (mPEG-Si).and the combination mPEG - DMSA also resulted in stable suspensions. Moreover thiols functions coming from DMSA and present on the surface of the nanoparticles were prevented from oxidation thanks to steric protection of polymer chains. Thanks to this method post-functionalization of USPIO was possible several weeks after synthesis. This concept was validated with the post-grafting of a dye (0.48 RITC per nm²) used for in vitro detection in fluorescent microscopy.Nanoparticles were also synthesized in a continuous way with a hydrothermal process which could work from soft chemistry to supercritical water. In classical hydrothermal conditions, USPIO stabilized with citrates were obtained in a continuous way. Thanks to the physico-chemical properties of supercritical water, co-precipitation of magnetite without base adding was possible.Cytotoxicity and cellular internalization assays were done with our USPIO in three cellular models (macrophages RAW, hepatocytes HePG2 and cardiomyocytes). Moreover the efficiency as MRI contrast agents were measured in gels tubes and on mice models and compared to an iron oxide commercial product. Late hepatic biodistribution (more than three hours) was proven with pegylated nanoparticles, which opens the way of specific detections.

This thesis deals with the combined ultra-high vacuum (UHV) and electrochemical (EC) studies of selected iron oxide surfaces, namely Fe3O4(001) and -Fe2O3(012). The state-of- the-art knowledge regarding these surfaces is briefly reviewed, and importance of understanding these materials in the electrochemical environment is discussed. The design of the transfer system between UHV and EC environment is presented; individual features of the system are thoroughly discussed and the system is used for testing the stability of the Fe3O4(001) (2×2)R45° surface reconstruction in ambient conditions. The experimental results presented in this thesis show that the Fe3O4(001) (2×2)R45° reconstruction, utilized as an adatom array for single atom catalysis studies, survives both exposure to air and to liquid water, if the exposure is achieved in well-controlled fashion. Further, this thesis presents the first-ever atomic scale scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) study of the -Fe2O3(012) surface, which is important for photoelectrochemical water splitting. STM images of two surface reconstructions of the -Fe2O3(012) surface known to date are presented. A bulk terminated model of the (1×1) reconstruction is confirmed and a novel surface structure model for the (2×1) reconstructed surface is proposed. Adsorption studies of H2O and O2 on the (2×1) reconstructed surface are documented by timelapse STM.

No description available.

Ce manuscrit présente une étude expérimentale de phase isolante non-conventionnelle, l'isolant d'Anderson, induit par le désordre, l'isolant de Mott, induit par les interactions de Coulomb, et les isolants topologiques.Dans une première partie du manuscrit, je décrirais le développement d'une méthode pour étudier la réponse de charge de nanoparticules par Microscopie à Force Electrostatique (EFM). Cette méthode a été appliquée à des nanoparticules de magnétite (Fe3O4), un matériau qui présente une transition métal-isolant, i.e. la transition de Verwey, lors de son refroidissement en dessous d'une température TV~120 K.Dans une seconde partie, ce manuscrit présente une étude détaillée de l'évolution de la densité d'états au travers de la transition métal-isolant entre un isolant de type Anderson-Mott et une phase métallique dans le matériau SrTiO3, et ceci, en fonction de la concentration de dopants, les lacunes d'oxygènes. Nous avons trouvé que dans un dispositif memoresistif de type Au-SrTiO3-Au, la concentration de dopants pouvait être ajustée par migration des lacunes d'oxygènes à l'aide d'un champ. Dans cette jonction tunnel, l'évolution de la densités d'états au travers de la transition métal-isolant peut être étudiée de façon continue. Finalement, dans une troisième partie, le manuscrit présente le développement d'une méthode pour la microfabrication d'anneaux de Aharonov-Bohm avec l'isolant topologique, Bi2Se3, déposée par épitaxie à jet moléculaire. Des résultats préliminaires sur les propriétés de transport quantique de ces dispositifs seront présentés. / This manuscript presents an experimental study of unconventional insulating phases, which are the Anderson insulator, induced by disorder, the Mott insulator, induced by Coulomb interactions, and topological insulators.In a first part of the manuscript, I will describe the development of a method to study the charge response of nanoparticles through Electrostatic Force Microscopy (EFM). This method has been applied to magnetite Fe3O4 nanoparticles, a material that presents a metal-insulator transition, i.e. the Verwey transition, upon cooling the system below a temperature Tv=120K. In a second part, this manuscript presents a detailed study of the evolution of the Density Of States (DOS) across the metal-insulator transition between an Anderson-Mott insulator and a metallic phase in the material SrTiO3 and this, as function of dopant concentration, i.e. oxygen vacancies. We found that in this memristive type device Au-SrTiO3-Au, the dopant concentration could be fine-tuned through electric-field migration of oxygen vacancies. In this tunnel junction device, the evolution of the DOS can be followed continuously across the metal-insulator transition. Finally, in a third part, the manuscript presents the development of a method for the microfabrication of Aharonov-Bohm rings with the topological insulator material, Bi2Se3, grown by molecular beam epitaxy. Preliminary results on the quantum transport properties of these devices will be presented.