A imobilização de moléculas de interesse biológico em superfícies sólidas é essencial para uma série de aplicações biotecnológicas. Dentre as técnicas de imobilização, a automontagem camada por camada por adsorção física possui inúmeras vantagens, incluindo condições brandas e fisiológicas de preparação, capacidade de incorporar diferentes biomoléculas, e controle molecular. Nesta tese foram explorados filmes nanoestruturados de materiais de interesse biológico, bem como modelos de membranas, em que foram empregadas a técnica de automontagem e a preparação de lipossomos. Os lipossomos, que serviram como modelos de membrana, foram imobilizados em filmes automontados e sua integridade estrutural foi mantida. Também foram utilizados para incorporar e estabilizar melanina, e então imobilizados em filmes automontados, com preservação da propriedade fluorescente da melanina. A automontagem também foi utilizada para imobilização das enzimas uricase, fitase e colesterol oxidase, alternadas com camadas de polieletrólitos. Estes filmes mostraram bom desempenho como biossensores amperométricos para uricase e fitase, e como biossensores usando espectroscopia de impedância para a fitase e colesterol oxidase. Tais biossensores foram usados para detectar baixas quantidades de ácido úrico, ácido fítico e colesterol, respectivamente. Não houve efeitos de interferentes nos sensores amperométricos devido à utilização de eletrodos previamente modificados com azul da Prússia, que funcionou como mediador redox. A alta sensibilidade e seletividade dos biossensores foram atribuídas à natureza do filme ultrafino e à capacidade de reconhecimento das biomoléculas, respectivamente. Esta abordagem abre caminho para novas tecnologias de dispositivos para diagnósticos clínicos e análises de alimentos, bem como para entender mecanismos de interação da biomolécula com a membrana celular para o desenvolvimento de agentes terapêuticos. / The immobilization of molecules of biological interest on solid surfaces is essential for a number of biotechnological applications. Among the techniques for immobilization the layer-by-layer (LbL) method based on physical adsorption exhibits several advantages, including mild, physiological conditions for film preparation, ability to incorporate different biomolecules and molecular control. In this thesis, nanostructured films made with materials of biological interest were exploited as model membranes, where use was made of the LbL technique and liposomes. The latter, which served as membrane models, were immobilized in LbL films and had their structural integrity preserved. Liposomes were also used to incorporate and stabilize melanin, which were then deposited on LbL films with the fluorescence of melanin being preserved. The LbL method was also used to immobilize the enzymes uricase, phytase and cholesterol oxidase, alternated with layers of polyelectrolytes. These LbL films were employed in amperometric biosensors with uricase and phytase, and in biosensors based on impedance spectroscopy for phytase and cholesterol oxidase. Low amounts of uric acid, phytic acid and cholesterol were detected, respectively. There was no effect from interferents in the amperometric biosensors because the electrodes were previously modified with a layer of Prussian Blue, which acted as a redox mediator. The high sensitivity and selectivity were attributed to the ultrathin nature of the films and the ability of molecular recognition of the biomolecules, respectively. The approaches used here open the way for novel devices for clinical diagnostics and food quality control, in addition to understanding the interaction mechanisms between the biomolecules and the cell membranes, which is important for developing therapeutic agents.

A soja é um produto de grande importância para a economia brasileira, pois o Brasil é o segundo produtor mundial de soja. Sua aplicação mais conhecida é como óleo refinado, entretanto, a soja é bastante utilizada nas mais variadas indústrias. Do ponto de vista nutricional, a soja se destaca por possuir um alto valor protéico, sendo por isso muito empregada em indústrias alimentícias. Porém, os produtos alimentícios a base de soja ainda enfrentam uma grande resistência por parte dos consumidores. Esta resistência do mercado consumidor tem motivado os produtores de soja e as indústrias a buscarem o desenvolvimento de grãos com características especiais. Este trabalho auxilia nesta busca, pesquisando um método capaz de discriminar cultivares de soja fornecidos pela Embrapa Soja através da utilização de uma Língua Eletrônica (LE). A Língua Eletrônica é um sistema multissensorial composto por um conjunto de sensores não-específicos que respondem diferentemente para cada analito, sendo capaz de reconhecer e diferenciar amostras através da obtenção de impressões digitais destas. Neste trabalho, os sensores da Língua Eletrônica foram construídos a partir de filmes automontados de polímeros condutores. Foram realizados testes de repetibilidade e reprodutibilidade, além do estudo de sensibilidade dos sensores que compõem o sistema multissensorial. A Língua Eletrônica construída mostrou-se capaz de diferenciar os cinco cultivares estudados, especialmente aqueles que possuíam características notadamente distintas. Foram observadas variações das medidas ao longo dos dias, o que foi atribuído a uma possível degradação dos grãos de soja e do extrato de soja preparado. Foi proposto ainda um método alternativo de preparação do extrato de soja sem a utilização de tratamento térmico. Devido ao seu bom desempenho nos estudos citados, a Língua Eletrônica se mostrou viável para o emprego em uma pré-seleção de cultivares de soja. / Soy is a commodity of great importance to the Brazilian economy since Brazil is the second biggest producer of soy in the world. Soybeans are usually employed in the production of refined oil for cooking as well as in many other foodstuff industries due to its high protein content. However, foodstuffs based on soy still face some resistance by consumers mainly because of the characteristic soy taste imposed to their respective products. This actual scenario has motivated producers and foodstuff industries to develop new soybeans varieties with improved and more pleasant taste. This work was intended to provide a methodology based on an electronic tongue system (ET) in order to help both producer and industries to develop and identify different soybean cultivars. Different soybeans cultivars developed by Embrapa Soja were evaluated by the ET. The ET is a multisensorial system composed by an array of non-specific, layer-by-layer assembled conducting polymer chemical sensors, which display distinct electrical fingerprints to different samples. The distinct responses make the ET capable to distinguish as well as recognize different samples when previously trained. The sensitivity, repeatability and reproducibility of chemical sensors responses to soybeans liquid extracts were evaluated and confirmed by exhaustive cyclic operation. The ET was indeed able to discriminate 5 different soybeans cultivars, in particular those with pronounced distinct properties. It was observed a systematic variation on the ET responses in a same day of analysis as well as for prolonged days which we have attributed to possible degradation of raw soybeans and its respective liquid extracts. An alternative procedure for soybean extract preparation absent of cooking was developed. The remarkable performance of the ET makes the system of great potential to perform the pre-selection of soybeans cultivars, with reliability and output.

Ce travail de thèse décrit l’alignement par pulvérisation de nanofils d'argent (AgNWs) aux interfaces solides sous la forme de films mono- et multicouches. Cette technique permet de contrôler la densité de nanofils dans le plan sur des zones macroscopiques avec des paramètres d'ordre nématique atteignant des valeurs > 0,90 dans les films monocouches. La répétition des cycles de dépôt en utilisant l’assemblage couche-par-couche produit des films multicouches dans lesquels par exemple des superstructures uniaxiales ou hélicoïdales peuvent être préparées en choisissant les directions de pulvérisation appropriées pour chaque monocouche individuelle. Les systèmes uniaxiaux sont des polariseurs fortement dépendant de la longueur d'onde (en raison de l'orthogonalité des plasmons transversaux et longitudinaux des AgNWs) et montrent une conductivité anisotrope dans le plan. Les systèmes hélicoïdaux montrent un dichroïsme circulaire très élevé qui peut être ajusté par exemple par le biais de la densité des AgNWs dans le plan ou de la distance entre les monocouches individuelles. Les mesures de la matrice Müller confirment que le dichroïsme circulaire observé découle de la superstructure hélicoïdale des multicouches à base d’AgNWs. / This thesis work describes the spray-alignment of silver nanowires (AgNWs) at solid interfaces in the form of mono- and multilayer films. The technique allows to control the in-plane density of nanowires over macroscopic areas with the best nematic order parameters reaching > 0.90 in monolayer films. Repeated deposition cycles using layer-by-layer assembly yield multilayer films in which for example uniaxial or helically twisted superstructures can be prepared by choosing appropriate spraying directions for each individual monolayer. Uniaxial systems are strong wavelength dependent polarizers (due to the orthogonality of the transversal and longitudinal plasmons of the AgNWs) and they show anisotropic in-plane conductivitiy. Helically twisted systems show very high circular dichroism which can be tuned for example through the in-plane density of AgNWs or through the distance between individual monolayers. Müller Matrix measurements confirm that the observed circular dichroism arises from the helically twisted superstructure of the AgNW multilayers.

La surface d'un matériau est le lieu privilégié des interactions entre le matériau et son environnement. La technique couche-par-couche, qui consiste en un dépôt alterné de polyanions et de polycations, ouvre de nouvelles perspectives dans le domaine des biomatériaux pour le contrôle de ces interactions. La cohésion des films multicouches de polyélectrolytes est principalement assurée par des interactions électrostatiques mais a été étendue à d'autres forces motrices telles que les interactions hôte-invité. Nos travaux s’articulent autour de deux axes principaux. D’une part, nous nous sommes intéressés aux films multicouches de polymères neutres basés sur des interactions hôte-invité et en particulier à l'influence de la force du complexe d’inclusion b-cyclodextrine/ferrocène sur la topographie de ces films. La force de l’interaction hôte-invité a d’abord été modulée en associant différents invités (l’adamantane, le ferrocène et le pyrène) avec la β-cyclodextrine. La force du complexe b-cyclodextrine/ferrocène a été ensuite modulée par la présence de différents sels de sodium à différentes forces ioniques au cours de la construction du film. Une force d'interaction intermédiaire du complexe semble être nécessaire pour former des films continus, tandis que, si elle est trop faible, la force d'interaction limite la construction du film.D’autre part, motivé par le fait que la prévention des infections microbiennes des dispositifs médicaux implantables constitue un problème médical et financier majeur, nous avons développé de nouveaux revêtements antimicrobiens grâce à la technique couche-par-couche. Des films multicouches à base de polysaccharides contenant la cateslytine, un peptide antimicrobien, permettent l’inhibition en 24h du développement de Candida albicans et Staphylococcus aureus, qui sont des agents pathogènes communs et virulents rencontrés dans les maladies nosocomiales. La libération des peptides antimicrobiens est déclenchée par la dégradation enzymatique du film en présence des agents pathogènes. Le revêtement est ainsi qualifié d’auto-défensif. La non-cytotoxicité du film vis-à-vis des cellules humaines permet une application cliniquement pertinente pour prévenir les infections sur les cathéters. Des dimères à base de cateslytine de différentes longueurs et un dendrimère ont été synthétisés afin d'améliorer l'activité biologique du peptide d'origine, i.e. ses propriétés antimicrobiennes et antiinflammatoires. Afin d’élaborer des films antimicrobiens mécaniquement robustes, le polyuréthane (polymère entrant dans la composition des cathéters) a été fonctionnalisé par une couche de polydopamine qui peut ensuite réagir avec des groupements thiol ou amine, permettant la fixation covalente des films de polysaccharides antimicrobiens réticulés étape par étape. / The surface of a material is the privileged location, where the interactions between the material and its environment take place. In the field of biomaterials, the challenge is to control these interactions. A very versatile coating technique is the layer-by-layer deposition, which consists in the alternated deposition of polyanions and polycations. The cohesion of polyelectrolyte multilayer films is primarily ensured by electrostatic interactions but was extended to other driving forces such as host-guest interactions. Our work was constituted of two main parts.In the first part, the buildup of neutral polymer multilayer films based on host-guest interactions was studied and in particular the influence of β-cyclodextrin/ferrocene interaction strength on the topography of these films. The host-guest interaction strength was first modulated by involving different guests (adamantane, ferrocene and pyrene) in the buildup. Then, β -cyclodextrin/ferrocene interaction strength was tuned by the presence of different types and concentrations of salts during the multilayer buildup. Intermediate interaction strength seems to be required to form continuous films, whereas, if too low, the interaction strength limits the film buildup.In the second part, motivated by the fact that the prevention of pathogen colonization of implantable medical devices constitutes a major medical and financial issue, polyelectrolyte multilayers were used as tools to develop new antimicrobial coatings. Polysaccharide multilayer films containing cateslytin, an antimicrobial peptide, fully inhibited in 24h the development of Candida albicans and Staphylococcus aureus, which are common and virulent pathogens agents encountered in care-associated diseases. The release of the antimicrobial peptides was triggered by the enzymatic degradation of the film due to the pathogens themselves introducing the concept of self-defensive coating. The non-cytotoxicity of the film, towards human cells, highlights a medically relevant application to prevent infections on catheters. Different cateslytin based dimers with various lengths and one dendrimer were synthesized in order to improve the bioactivity of the original peptide, i.e. antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. In order to obtain mechanically robust antimicrobial films, polyurethane (polymer that composes catheters) was functionalized with a polydopamine layer that can further react with thiol or amine groups, allowing the covalent attachment of step-by-step cross-linked antimicrobial polysaccharide films.

Depuis plusieurs années, une nouvelle génération de matériaux appelés “matériaux intelligents” et définis par leur capacité d’adaptation à leur environnement, est intensément développée. Des systèmes sensibles à différents stimuli tels que le pH, la lumière, ou encore une force mécanique, impliquée dans un grand nombre de processus naturels, comme l’adhésion et la prolifération cellulaire, ont été rapportés. Ce travail de thèse a ainsi été dédié au développement de matériaux mécano-sensibles. Plus précisément de matériaux transformant une contrainte mécanique en un signal chimique, en mimant le processus physique utilisé par la nature, à savoir des changements conformationnels de protéines. Nous avons donc cherché à atteindre ce but en greffant covalemment des protéines ou des enzymes sur un substrat élastomère. Etirer le substrat devant induire des modifications de structure des protéines, conduisant ainsi à des modulations de leurs propriétés. / Since many years, a new generation of materials called « smart materials » and defined by their capacity to adapt to their environment is intensively developed. Systems sensitive to different stimuli such as pH, light or ionic strength have been reported. One of these stimuli can also be a mechanical force which is involved in many reactions in nature such as, cells adhesion and proliferation, tissues growing or even plants developments. The aim of my thesis was dedicated to the elaboration of mechano-responsive materials. More precisely, materials that transform a stretching constraint into a chemical signal by mimicking the physical processes used by nature, namely protein conformational changes. We planned to achieve this goal by covalently grafting proteins or enzymes onto a stretchable substrate or incorporating them into cross-linked polymer networks. Stretching these materials should induce protein conformational changes leading to modifications of their properties.

Les surfaces photo catalytiques permettent la fabrication de matériaux auto-décontaminants. Des textiles de ce type fonctionnant à la lumière naturelle peuvent grandement améliorer le niveau d’hygiène dans les pays en développent. L’assemblage couche par couche est bien adapté à la fonctionnalisation de textiles, cette technique permet de construire des revêtements composites hybrides avec un control nanométrique de la composition et de l’architecture, et cela indépendamment de la nature ou de la géométrie de la surface. Ce travail décrit la fabrication de revêtements photo-catalytiques composés de nanoparticules de TiO2 et de polyélectrolytes pour des applications d’auto-décontamination. Nous avons montré qu’il était possible de fabriquer des revêtements poreux et homogènes dont le contenu en photo-catalyseur est ajustable en fonction du nombre de couches et des paramètres de dépôts. Les textiles obtenus montrent des résultats prometteurs pour la dégradation de colorants et de polluants gazeux. La spectroscopie EPR nous a aussi permis d’investiguer les mécanismes de formation et la réactivité des radicaux sous illumination. / Photocatalysis can be efficiently utilized for obtaining self-decontaminating properties of different surfaces. Production of sun driven self-decontaminating textiles can highly improve level of hygiene, especially in undeveloped countries. To prepare coatings on textiles, the Layer-by-Layer assembly method seems to be very attractive as it allows to build multifunctional hybrid materials with controlled nanoscale composition and architecture, regardless of surface type and geometry. This work describes the preparation of photocatalytically active coatings composed of TiO2 nanoparticles and polyelectrolytes for self-decontaminating applications. The quantity of deposited catalysts within the films can be precisely controlled by adjusting the number of layers and the deposition parameters. Coated textiles showed promising results in degradation of dyes and gas pollutants. In order to better understand degradation mechanisms, radical production in films during illumination have been investigated by EPR spectroscopy.

Depuis quelques années, la modification de surface est une méthode efficace qui permet de contrôler les interactions entre un matériau et son environnement. Ce domaine de recherche ouvre la voie au développement de nouvelles surfaces « intelligentes » aux propriétés fonctionnelles. Dans ce manuscrit, nous présentons la conception d’un revêtement capable de contrôler l’auto-assemblage de peptides exclusivement à la surface d’un matériau. L'auto-assemblage est initié par un stimulus enzymatique localisé à la surface qui permet la transformation de peptides précurseurs en peptides gélateurs, ayant la propriété de s’auto-assembler pour former des structures fibrillaires enchevêtrées pour former un hydrogel. Les surfaces enzymatiques ont été obtenues par adsorption d’enzyme spécifique en utilisant la méthode « couche par couche ». Dans une première approche, la croissance du réseau de fibres est initiée par accumulation d’oligopeptides (KL)nOEt confinés sur un film enzymatique d’α-chymotrypsine. Ce processus d’hydrogélation peut être contrôlé dans le temps (en ajustant le temps de latence) en changeant la concentration en peptides KLOEt et la densité de surface en enzyme. Dans une deuxième approche, le film multicouche bioactif contenant l’alcaline phosphatase a été fonctionnalisé par une couche d’ensemencement composée d’acide poly(acrylique) modifié par une séquence peptidique Fmoc-FFC aux propriétés gélatrices. La modification de la densité de peptides gélatrices en surface a permis de contrôler le processus d’auto-assemblage du peptide gélateur Fmoc-FFY depuis la surface. Lorsque le film bioactif est mis en contact avec le peptide précurseur, i.e. Fmoc-FFY(PO42-) substrat de l’alcaline phosphatase, le peptide gélateur se forme et s’auto-assemble sous forme de nanofibres à partir de la surface. Grâce à ces deux études nous avons démontré qu'un film précurseur enzymatique ou une couche bioactive d'ensemencement sont des matériaux permettant d’initier et de contrôler l’auto-assemblage de peptides en surface afin de former un hydrogel. / Since the middle of the last century, the functionalization of surfaces has emerged as a convenient method to control interactions between a material and its surrounding environment. This recent research field paves the way to the design of surfaces bearing original “smart” functionalities. Herein, we present the design and control of peptide self-assembly taking place exclusively at or near a surface in response to an enzymatic stimulus. The localized enzyme-assisted self-assembly (LEASA) of peptides led to the growth of micrometric hydrogels from the surface. The enzymatic surface was obtained by adsorption of specific enzymes using the layer-by-layer method. In a first strategy, we developed the growth of fibrillary networks resulting from the accumulation of oligopeptides (KL)nOEt produced from a confined enzymatic layer of α-chymotrypsine at the interface. This process of gelation was tuned in time (lag time) by controlling the peptide KLOEt concentration and the enzymatic surface density. In a second strategy, alkaline phosphatase was embedded into a multilayer film to obtain a bioactive surface on which a seed-layer, i.e a poly(acrylic acid) covalently modified with a hydrogelator peptide, was adsorbed. This layer allows to control the self-assembly of the fiber network by changing the peptide density anchored on the seed layer. When this bioactive and seeding film is brought into contact with the peptide substrate, i.e. Fmoc-FFY(PO42-), of alkaline phosphatase, an efficient self-assembly of Fmoc-FFY is obtained leading to nanofibers growing from the surface. We demonstrated that an enzymatic precursor film or a more sophisticated bioactive seeding layer can self-instruct the self-assembly of small peptides sequences and influence buildup of a micrometric hydrogel from the surface.

Master of Science / Department of Chemistry / Daniel A. Higgins / Three water-soluble perylene diimides (PDIs) were investigated to examine differences in their thin film forming properties. The PDI thin films investigated in this thesis are formed in an electrostatic-self-assembled (ESA) layer-by-layer (LBL) process by the use of a dip coater. The three PDIs employed are sodium bis (sulfonatopropyl) perylene diimide (PDISO[subscript]3[superscript]2-), bis (trimethylammonioethyl) perylene diimide diiodide (PDIDI[superscript]2+), and N-(butoxypropyl)-N'-(2-(N,N,N-trimethylammonio)-ethyl) perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic diimide iodide (C[subscript]7OPDI[superscript]+). Thin films were made by alternately depositing the PDIs with counter polyelectrolyte (PEs). The PEs employed were poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDDA[superscript]+) and poly(acrylic acid) (PA[superscript]-), depending on the charge of the PDI. PDIs were determined to be aggregated in all three PDI precursor solutions. The fraction of PDI aggregated in each was found to be 0.972, 0.903, and 0.993, for the PDISO[subscript]3[superscript]2-, PDIDI[superscript]2+, and C[subscript]7OPDI[superscript]+, respectively. The C[superscript]7OPDI[superscript]+ solution was the most aggregated only having one charge group, which makes it more hydrophobic. Thin films prepared from the solutions all displayed an absorbance spectrum similar to the aggregated form. All the composites displayed linear growth in film thickness and fiber width with bilayer number. However, the three composites gave unique surface morphologies. The PDISO[subscript]3[supercript]2-[dot in middle of line]PDDA+ composite was found to incorporate highly curled intertwined fibers compared to the PDIDI[superscript]2+[dot in middle of line]PA[superscript]- composite, where the fibers were not intertwined. The fiber structure was found to change after 15 bilayers. This change in morphology was attributed to the fibers grafting together and overlapping causing the loss of original fiber structure. The two symmetric composites differed in the film thickness with the PDISO[subscript]3[superscript]2-[dot in middle of line]PDDA[superscript]+ being thicker than the PDIDI[superscript]2+[dot in middle of line]PA[superscript]- composite. This was attributed to the molecular weights (MW) of the polyelectrolytes investigated during thin film deposition, with the PDDA[superscript]+ having a much higher MW. C[subscript]7OPDI[superscript]+[dot in middle of line]PA[superscript]- thin film composite had a film thickness approximately equal to the PDISO[subscript]3[superscript]2-[dot in middle of line]PDDA[superscript]+ composite, indicating precursor aggregation also influences deposition rate. The C[subscript]7OPDI[superscript]+[dot in middle of line]PA[superscript]- composite incorporated wavy thin fibers that appeared aligned in the dipping direction. This alignment was visible for bulk samples in UV-vis absorption dichroism studies. The alignment was parallel to the dipping direction of the substrate.

L'auto-assemblage de polymères a été étudié afin d'élaborer des films multicouches possédant des propriétés conductrices. Dans un premier temps, l'influence de différents paramètres physico-chimiques (pH , force ionique, nature et charge des ions, concentrations en polymères...) sur la croissance de couche polymères isolants (PSS ou PDDA) / polymères conducteurs ( PEDOT : PSS ou P3HT-R) a été étudiée par des mesures in-situ de réflectométrie laser à angle fixe. La compréhension de ses paramètres a permis de contrôler l'assemblage des matériaux afin d'obtenir des films multicouches aux propriétés souhaitées ( épaisseur, morphologie, conductivité électrique...)les épaisseurs des films obtenus ont été déterminées par ellipsométrie ou profilométrie, la morphologie de la morphologie de la surface de ces films a été observé par MEB et leur conductivité a été mesurée par la méthode de van Pauw. Dans un second temps, des films multicouches polymères / particules composites ont été construits après avoir optimisé les conditions d'élaboration des particules composites Al2-PEDOT : PSSph ou SiO2-P3HT-R).Les films multicouches obtenus présentent des conductivités équivalentes à celles des films à base de polymères mais sont construits avec moins d'étapes d'adsorption. Enfin des couches multicouches à bases de deux polymères conducteurs (P3HT-R et PEDOT:PSS) ont été construits sur substrats souples. Ils présentent la plus haute conductivité mesurée (1,5 S.m-1) et conservent leurs propriétés électriques lorsqu'ils sont soumis à des contraintes mécaniques de flexion , ce qui est prometteur quant à leur utilisation dans le domaine de l'électronique déformable. / Self-assembly of polymers has been studied in order to produce multilayer films having conductive properties. First, the influence of various physicochemical parameters (pH, ionic strength, nature and charge of ions, polymer concentrations, etc.) on the growth of insulating polymer (PSS or PDDA) / conductive polymers (PEDOT : PSS or P3HT-R) was studied by in-situ measurements of fixed-angle laser reflectometry. The understanding of its parameters allowed to control the assembly of the materials in order to obtain multilayer films with the desired properties (thickness, morphology, electrical conductivity...) The thicknesses of the films obtained were determined by ellipsometry or profilometry, morphology Of the surface morphology of these films was observed by SEM and their conductivity was measured by the method of van Pauw. Second, polymer multilayer films / composite particles were built after optimizing the conditions for the production of the composite particles Al2-PEDOT: PSSph or SiO2-P3HT-R). The multilayer films obtained have conductivities equivalent to those of Films are based on polymers but are constructed with fewer adsorption steps. Finally, multilayer layers based on two conductive polymers (P3HT-R and PEDOT: PSS) were built on flexible substrates. They have the highest conductivity measured (1.5 Sm-1) and retain their electrical properties when subjected to mechanical bending stresses, which is promising for their use in the field of deformable electronics.

Last summer, when I began thinking about my thesis, I tried to look back on my earlier work with a more critical eye. I noticed that my focus had largely been on trying to find my own idiom, and improving my construction skills. In the middle of my education I discovered the freedom in draping, and I challenged myself by putting the pen aside and instead make three-dimensional sketches. Looking back, I believe that I succeeded in producing the organic expression I had envisioned. I had still to explore materials more deeply, though, and therefore I made a summer course with exclusive focus on materials. These were the first steps towards beginning my thesis. There were a lot of things I wanted to explore in my thesis, and many techniques I wanted to try. I wanted to believe in myself and my strong sides, but also dare to explore completely new things and go one step further than before, without fear- ing failure. Being very comfortable with construction and cutting, I can quickly try my ideas to see if they work out or not. My sketching is uncontrolled, coarse and pretty abstract, it is through sketching my ideas evolve. I am fast when I make my sketches, be it by pen or three-dimensionally, but I work much more slowly towards the end when it’s time to work on the details, where I am meticulous.