<p> Cell encapsulation aims at the delivery of a therapeutic protein to a patient from transplanted cells. Conventional approaches involve immune-isolating cell lines that have been genetically modified to express a therapeutic protein, in alginate-based microcapsules. The long-term success of this approach hinges on the structural stability of the microcapsules, as well as their ability to maintain an environment suitable for the long-term survival of encapsulated cells. The most commonly studied type of microcapsule is the alginate-poly-Llysine-alginate (APA) microcapsule. However, the main concern with AP A microcapsules is the Joss of structural integrity during long-term implantation due to the exchange of calcium ions with other physiological ions, as well as the loss of the polyelectrolyte overcoats. </p> <p> In order to increase the structural stability of the microcapsules, we developed and characterized a number of synthetic polyelectrolytes that undergo phase separation upon complexation, and which are capable of forming covalent cross-links. These reactive polyelectrolytes are designed to take the place of poly-L-lysine and the outer alginate layer. We also explored combining cross-linkable synthetic polyanions with sodium alginate to strengthen the Ca Alginate core, by forming a core cross-linked network extending throughout the microcapsules. The polyelectrolyte complexes, encapsulation processes and microcapsule properties were studied in detail using extensive characterization techniques, including collaborative work on cell viability and host-immune response. </p> <p> Overall, this thesis describes a novel approach and prom1smg materials for cell encapsulations that offer enhanced microcapsule resistance to chemical and mechanical stresses, while preserving the desired biocompatibility. These materials may ultimately be useful for clinical immunosuppressive therapies. </p> / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

[pt] Em um reservatório de petróleo, a eficiência do deslocamento do óleo é bastante reduzida pela presença de fraturas e camadas de alta permeabilidade. Quando uma fase aquosa é injetada, esta flui preferencialmente por caminhos de baixa resistência, deixando grandes volumes do reservatório não afetados pelo processo de injeção. Uma alternativa para minimizar esse problema é bloquear as fraturas com um sistema líquido que forma um gel após algum tempo, forçando a fase aquosa a fluir pela matriz porosa. Os géis de silicato de sódio são uma das formulações que podem ser utilizadas para esse fim. No entanto, a cinética do processo de formação do gel de silicato é difícil de controlar, pois depende de muitas variáveis. Essa incerteza do processo de gelificação pode levar à formação de uma fase de gel fora da posição desejada, levando a diversos problemas, como perda de injetividade. Uma formulação líquida utilizando microcápsulas é uma proposta com um método inovador que tem como objetivo controlar o tempo de liberação do agente ativador e, consequentemente, melhorar o controle sobre o início do processo de gelificação. O primeiro passo no desenvolvimento desta técnica foi estudar a evolução da reologia do gel formado a partir do silicato de sódio com ácido clorídrico para avaliar a taxa de formação do gel em função de diferentes parâmetros do processo, como a concentração de Na-Si e HCl. Os resultados mostram que o processo de gelificação é função do pH da solução e que o tempo de gelificação é menor quanto maior a concentração de ácido clorídrico. No método proposto, a solução de ácido clorídrico é encapsulada e a gelificação só se inicia após o rompimento do invólucro da cápsula, que é desencadeado pela imposição de um gradiente de pressão osmótica. / [en] In an oil reservoir, the efficiency of oil displacement is greatly reduced by the presence of fractures and high permeability layers. When an aqueous phase is injected, it flows preferentially through low resistance paths, leaving large volumes of the reservoir not affected by the injection process. An alternative to minimize this problem is to block fractures with a liquid system that forms a gel after some time, forcing the water phase to flow through the porous matrix. Sodium silicate gels are one of the formulations that can be used for this purpose. However, the kinetics of the silicate gel formation process is difficult to control, since it depends on many different variables. This uncertainty of the gelation process in the subsurface may lead to the formation of a gel phase away from the desired position, leading to many different problems, such as loss of injectivity. A liquid formulation using microcapsules is proposed as an innovative method designed to control the release time of the activating agent and, consequently, to improve control over the start of the gelation process. The first step in the development of this technique was to study evolution of the rheology of the gel formed from sodium silicate with hydrochloric acid in order to evaluate the rate of the gel formation as a function of different process parameters, such as the concentration of Na-Si and HCl. The results show that the gelation process is a strong function of the solution pH and that the gelation time is shorter the higher the concentration of hydrochloric acid. In the proposed method, the hydrochloric acid solution is encapsulated and the gelation only starts after the bursting the capsule shell, which is triggered by imposing a gradient of osmotic pressure.

Une capsule est une goutte de liquide enveloppée par une membrane fine et déformable. Les propriétés mécaniques de la membrane sont essentielles pour le mouvement de la capsule. L’analyse de l’écoulement d’une suspension de capsules dans un canal microfluidique au moyen d’un modèle mécanique est une technique permettant de déterminer les propriétés élastiques de la membrane. Un modèle numérique tridimensionnel a été développé pour résoudre ce problème d’interaction fluide-structure en écoulement confiné. Il couple une méthode des intégrales de frontières pour les écoulements des fluides et une méthode éléments finis pour la déformation de la membrane. Le modèle est utilisé pour étudier l’écoulement d’une capsule initialement sphérique dans des canaux de différentes sections. Dans un canal cylindrique, on montre que l’effet de confinement du canal conduit à la compression de la capsule. Cela engendre la formation de plis sur la membrane autour de l’axe de l’écoulement, phénomène également observé expérimentalement. Dans un canal de section carrée, les effets de la loi constitutive de la membrane, du rapport de taille et du débit d’écoulement sur la déformation de la capsule sont systématiquement étudiés. La comparaison entre les résultats expérimentaux et numériques nous permet de déduire les propriétés mécaniques de la membrane d’une population de capsules artificielles. Ce travail démontre la faisabilité de la mesure de propriétés mécaniques d’une membrane en utilisant une technique microfluidique en canal carré. Il pourrait être étendu par l’étude d’écoulements instationnaires dans un canal de section variable ou avec bifurcations. / A capsule is a liquid droplet enclosed by a thin and deformable membrane. The membrane mechanical properties are critical for the deformation and motion of capsules. The flow of a capsule suspension through a microfluidic channel with dimensions comparable to those of the suspended particles can be used to infer the membrane elastic properties. However a mechanical model of the process is necessary. We present a three-dimensional numerical model to simulate such fluid-structure interaction problem. We use a novel numerical model that couples a boundary integral method for the internal and external fluid flows and a finite element method for the membrane deformation. The model is applied to study the flow of an initially spherical capsule in channels with different cross-sections. In a cylindrical channel with circular cross-section, we show that the confinement effect leads to the compression of the capsule in the hoop direction. The membrane tends to buckle and to fold as observed experimentally. In a microfluidic channel with a square cross-section, the effects of the membrane constitutive law, size ratio and flow strength on the capsule deformation are systematically studied. The comparison between experimental and numerical results allows us to deduce the membrane mechanical properties of a population of artificial capsules. The present work shows that it is possible to measure the membrane mechanical properties by using a microfluidic channel with a square cross-section. It can be extended to unsteady capsule flows in a channel with variable cross-sections or bifurcations.

Diante do aumento da incidência de doenças cardiovasculares no mundo, oferecer alimentos mais saudáveis ao mercado consumidor tem se tornado uma grande tendência na indústria de alimentos. Ao chocolate amargo 57%, alimento saudável e indulgente, objetivou-se adicionar microcápsulas de óleo de amendoim alto oleico, cujo valor nutricional está associado à presença do ácido oleico, um ácido graxo monoinsaturado considerado fundamental por suas propriedades benéficas na redução da oxidação do LDL-colesterol. O trabalho foi dividido em duas etapas: produção e caracterização de microcápsulas de óleo de amendoim alto oleico; formulação, produção e caracterização de chocolate amargo adicionado de óleo de amendoim alto oleico microencapsulado (5%, 7,5% e 10%) avaliando-se sua estabilidade ao longo de 112 dias de vida de prateleira, com vistas a um produto com qualidade nutricional e tecnológica. A emulsão preparada para a produção das microcápsulas em spray dryer de escala laboratorial apresentou estabilidade cinética a 18°C, pH de 4,82 ± 0,07, teor de sólidos solúveis totais de 14,7 ± 0,1 °Brix, 0,983 ± 0,010 de atividade de água, comportamento pseudoplástico ajustado ao modelo de Binghan e elevada tixotropia, mostrando-se adequada ao processo pretendido. O processo de microencapsulação apresentou 65% de rendimento em escala laboratorial. Tal qual obtido por outros autores, as microcápsulas de óleo de amendoim alto oleico apresentaram: 3,32% ± 0,03% de umidade, 0,244 ± 0,012 de atividade de água, 0,50 ± 0,02 g·mL-1 de densidade acomodada, e morfologia de superfície amorfa e típica das microcápsulas produzidas por atomização com goma arábica como agente encapsulante, o que indica a formação de um filme contínuo que garante menor permeabilidade a gases e maior proteção e retenção do recheio, indicando processo altamente bem sucedido. O chocolate amargo adicionado de 5% de microcápsulas foi considerado o mais adequado dentre as formulações avaliadas, pois apresentou menor teor de umidade (1,37% ± 0,2%) e maior teor de lipídios (33,95% ± 1,48%) e ácido graxo oleico (33,861% ± 0,014%), nesta fração lipídica, do que as amostras dos demais tratamentos, além de apresentar propriedades reológicas e calorimétricas compatíves à formulação controle, com comportamento pseudoplástico melhor ajustado ao modelo de Casson (R²>0,98) e estabilidade durante a vida de prateleira. As relevantes informações tecnológicas obtidas comprovaram a viabilidade tecnológica para a produção e comercialização de um produto alimentício de importância nutricional. / The increasing of cardiovascular diseases in the world is promoting the interest for science development in healthier foods to the consumer market, which has become a major trend in the food industry. The aim of this study was to add microcapsules of high oleic peanut oil in dark chocolate 57%, a healthy and indulgent food. The nutritional value of the high oleic peanut oil is associated with the presence of oleic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid considered fundamental for its beneficial properties in reducing oxidation of LDL-cholesterol. The work was divided into two stages: production and characterization of microcapsules of high oleic peanut oil; formulation, production and characterization of dark chocolate with microcapsules of high oleic peanut oil added (5%, 7.5% and 10%) evaluating its stability during 112 days of shelf life, with a view to a product with nutritional and technological quality. The emulsion prepared to produce microcapsules in laboratory scale spray dryer showed kinetic stability at 18°C, pH of 4.82 ± 0.07, total soluble solids content of 14.7 ± 0.1 °Brix, 0.983 ± 0.010 of water activity, pseudoplastic behavior adjusted to the model of Binghan and high thixotropy, being suitable for the intended process. The microencapsulation process showed 65% yield in laboratory scale. As obtained by other authors, the high oleic peanut oil microcapsules were: 3.32% ± 0.03% moisture, 0.244 ± 0.012 water activity, 0.50 ± 0.02 g·mL-1 bulk density, and morphology of the amorphous and typical surface of the microcapsules produced by spray drying with gum arabic as the encapsulating agent, which indicates the formation of a continuous film that provides less permeability to gases and improved protection and retention of the filling, indicating highly successful process. The dark chocolate with 5% of microcapsules added was considered the most suitable among the evaluated formulations, since it presented lower moisture content (1.37% ± 0.2%) and higher lipid content (33.95% ± 1.48%) and oleic acid (33.861% ± 0.014%), in this lipid fraction, than the other treatments, besides having rheological and calorimetric properties compatible to the control formulation, with pseudoplastic behavior better adjusted to the Casson model (R²> 0.98) and stability over the shelf life. The relevant technological information obtained proved the technological feasibility for the production and commercialization of a food product of nutritional importance.

Polyelektrolytmikrokapseln (PEMC) stellen ein neuartiges System künstlicher Zellen dar. Durch Einbringen von z.B. Hämoglobin in solche PEMC können sie als  künstliche Erythrozyten den Gastransport im Organismus unterstützen bzw. übernehmen. Es muss jedoch berücksichtigt werden, dass jede Zelle des Säugtierorganismus zur Aufrechterhaltung ihrer Funktion Enzyme benötigt, die ihre Stoffwechselfunktionen katalysieren. Um sich der Lösung dieses Problems bei der Entwicklung eines künstlichen Erythrozyten schrittweise zu nähern, wurde als Modellenzym Trypsin ausgewählt. Es wurden Polyelektrolytmikrokapseln (PEMC) auf der Basis von Erythrozyten durch Selbstassemblierung von Polynatriumstyrensuphonat (PSS) und Polyallylamino-hydrochlorid (PAH) hergestellt ((PSS/PAH)2PSS), und anschliessend nach der Layer-by-Layer Methode (LbL) alternierend mit Trypsin und den Polyelektrolyten (PE) PSS, Alginat oder Dextransulphat weiterbeschichtet. Der Schichtenaufbau wurde durch Zellelektrophorese, konfokale Laserscanning-mikroskopie (CLSM), Durchflusszytometrie (FACS) und photometrische Proteinbestimmung charakterisiert und quantifiziert. Die Aktivität des an der PEMC-Membran immobilisierten Enzyms wurde untersucht und mit der Aktivität freien Trypsins verglichen. Weiterhin wurden pH-Profile von freiem Enzym mit denen des immobilisierten Trypsins verglichen. Der Schichtaufbau aus Trypsin und den unterschiedlichen Polyelektrolyten wurde anhand der Änderung der elektrophoretischen Mobilität beim Aufbringen jeder Schicht, sowie durch die Zunahme der photometrisch bestimmten Proteinmenge pro PEMC charakterisiert. Außerdem wurde Trypsin mit Fluoreszeinisothiozyanat (FITC) markiert und in den Beschichtungsserien die Zunahme der flowzytometrisch bestimmten Fluoreszenz-Intensität mit jeder aufgebrachten FITC-Trypsin Schicht beobachtet. Die Aktivität des an den PEMC immobilisierten Trypsins beträgt etwa 30% der Aktivität freien Trypsins gleicher Konzentration. Es konnte gezeigt werden, dass sich Trypsin im Rahmen eines Schichtaufbaus nach der LbL-Technologie in die Membran der verwendeten PEMC einbringen lässt. Dabei behält das Enzym einen Teil seiner Funktion. / Artificial cells are not only used to study the biological processes of living cells, they also serve as micro reactors to provide certain functions in the organism. Polyelectrolyte microcapsules (PEMC) represent a new approach to artificial cell studies. When filled with hemoglobin, PEMC are able to perform the erythrocyte gas exchange. This work shows the general possibility of integrating enzymes into the PEMC membrane. PEMC were composed using the layer-by-layer (l-b-l) technique. Glutaraldehyde stabilized human red blood cells (RBC) served as templates and were coated with five layers poly(styrene sulfonate) (PSS) and poly(allylaminehydrochloride) (PAH). After decomposition of the RBC by sodium hypochlorite, the PEMC were coated with ten layer pairs of trypsin and either PSS or alginate. The trypsin layer growth was followed performing measurements by cell electrophoresis, confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), flow cytometry (FACS) and protein determination according to Lowry after each adsorption step. Results showed a continuous layer buildup for both polyelectrolytes and no desorption of trypsin. The amount of immobilized enzyme was larger for the coating series with trypsin/PSS compared to that with trypsin/alginat. This was concluded as a result of PSS/trypsin complex formation. Normalizing the enzym activity to the amount of adsorbed trypsin no significant differences between the activity of PSS-PEMC and alginate-PEMC were found. Further experiments prove that PSS inhibits the enzyme activity and alginat does not.

Diante do aumento da incidência de doenças cardiovasculares no mundo, oferecer alimentos mais saudáveis ao mercado consumidor tem se tornado uma grande tendência na indústria de alimentos. Ao chocolate amargo 57%, alimento saudável e indulgente, objetivou-se adicionar microcápsulas de óleo de amendoim alto oleico, cujo valor nutricional está associado à presença do ácido oleico, um ácido graxo monoinsaturado considerado fundamental por suas propriedades benéficas na redução da oxidação do LDL-colesterol. O trabalho foi dividido em duas etapas: produção e caracterização de microcápsulas de óleo de amendoim alto oleico; formulação, produção e caracterização de chocolate amargo adicionado de óleo de amendoim alto oleico microencapsulado (5%, 7,5% e 10%) avaliando-se sua estabilidade ao longo de 112 dias de vida de prateleira, com vistas a um produto com qualidade nutricional e tecnológica. A emulsão preparada para a produção das microcápsulas em spray dryer de escala laboratorial apresentou estabilidade cinética a 18°C, pH de 4,82 ± 0,07, teor de sólidos solúveis totais de 14,7 ± 0,1 °Brix, 0,983 ± 0,010 de atividade de água, comportamento pseudoplástico ajustado ao modelo de Binghan e elevada tixotropia, mostrando-se adequada ao processo pretendido. O processo de microencapsulação apresentou 65% de rendimento em escala laboratorial. Tal qual obtido por outros autores, as microcápsulas de óleo de amendoim alto oleico apresentaram: 3,32% ± 0,03% de umidade, 0,244 ± 0,012 de atividade de água, 0,50 ± 0,02 g·mL-1 de densidade acomodada, e morfologia de superfície amorfa e típica das microcápsulas produzidas por atomização com goma arábica como agente encapsulante, o que indica a formação de um filme contínuo que garante menor permeabilidade a gases e maior proteção e retenção do recheio, indicando processo altamente bem sucedido. O chocolate amargo adicionado de 5% de microcápsulas foi considerado o mais adequado dentre as formulações avaliadas, pois apresentou menor teor de umidade (1,37% ± 0,2%) e maior teor de lipídios (33,95% ± 1,48%) e ácido graxo oleico (33,861% ± 0,014%), nesta fração lipídica, do que as amostras dos demais tratamentos, além de apresentar propriedades reológicas e calorimétricas compatíves à formulação controle, com comportamento pseudoplástico melhor ajustado ao modelo de Casson (R²>0,98) e estabilidade durante a vida de prateleira. As relevantes informações tecnológicas obtidas comprovaram a viabilidade tecnológica para a produção e comercialização de um produto alimentício de importância nutricional. / The increasing of cardiovascular diseases in the world is promoting the interest for science development in healthier foods to the consumer market, which has become a major trend in the food industry. The aim of this study was to add microcapsules of high oleic peanut oil in dark chocolate 57%, a healthy and indulgent food. The nutritional value of the high oleic peanut oil is associated with the presence of oleic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid considered fundamental for its beneficial properties in reducing oxidation of LDL-cholesterol. The work was divided into two stages: production and characterization of microcapsules of high oleic peanut oil; formulation, production and characterization of dark chocolate with microcapsules of high oleic peanut oil added (5%, 7.5% and 10%) evaluating its stability during 112 days of shelf life, with a view to a product with nutritional and technological quality. The emulsion prepared to produce microcapsules in laboratory scale spray dryer showed kinetic stability at 18°C, pH of 4.82 ± 0.07, total soluble solids content of 14.7 ± 0.1 °Brix, 0.983 ± 0.010 of water activity, pseudoplastic behavior adjusted to the model of Binghan and high thixotropy, being suitable for the intended process. The microencapsulation process showed 65% yield in laboratory scale. As obtained by other authors, the high oleic peanut oil microcapsules were: 3.32% ± 0.03% moisture, 0.244 ± 0.012 water activity, 0.50 ± 0.02 g·mL-1 bulk density, and morphology of the amorphous and typical surface of the microcapsules produced by spray drying with gum arabic as the encapsulating agent, which indicates the formation of a continuous film that provides less permeability to gases and improved protection and retention of the filling, indicating highly successful process. The dark chocolate with 5% of microcapsules added was considered the most suitable among the evaluated formulations, since it presented lower moisture content (1.37% ± 0.2%) and higher lipid content (33.95% ± 1.48%) and oleic acid (33.861% ± 0.014%), in this lipid fraction, than the other treatments, besides having rheological and calorimetric properties compatible to the control formulation, with pseudoplastic behavior better adjusted to the Casson model (R²> 0.98) and stability over the shelf life. The relevant technological information obtained proved the technological feasibility for the production and commercialization of a food product of nutritional importance.

There has been growing interest in designing and development of suitable micro or nano drug delivery system with the ability to target site specifically and release the payload in a predetermined fashion. Recently a new type of system called polyelectrolyte microcapsules and thin films have been proposed and developed for applications such as, biomedical devices to micro sensing and drug delivery. Owing to its advantages of mild preparation conditions, multifunctionality, with programmable characteristics and to encapsulate large amount of materials, it has shown immense potential. In the present research, multilayer polyelectrolyte thin films composed of Poly(methacrylic acid) (PMA) and Poly (vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) were deposited on the flat substrates using layer by layer (LBL) technique. The film growth and its deconstruction under physiological conditions were characterized using UV Visible spectrophotometer and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Hollow microcapsules composed of PMA and PVP were also produced with the help of sacrificial silica template using the same LBL adsorption technique. After coating the desired number of PVP and PMA layers, the colloidal template was removed with a buffer system composed of Hydrofluoric acid (HF) and Ammonium fluoride (NH4F). The obtained capsules were characterized for its surface morphology using SEM and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). The hydrogen bonding in capsule formation was confirmed by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). Encapsulation and release with the microcapsules was carried out using Rifampicin (Antitubercular drug) as a model drug. The interaction of empty and drug loaded capsules with Mycobacterium Smegmatis cell line was investigated. It was found that the empty capsules did not affect the cell growth indicating their biocompatibility. Confocal microscopy studies with Doxorubicin (anticancer drug), which is a naturally fluorescent molecule, showed the drug is indeed encapsulated inside the hollow capsule. From the above studies, it was concluded that polyelectrolyte capsules have the potential to be used for delivering drugs.

This thesis described the development of new strategies for the preparation of micro- and nano-structured polymer materials. In particular, this thesis focused on: i) the synthesis of polymer particles in microreactors, and ii) the self-assembly of inorganic nanorods. First, this thesis presented the synthesis of polymer particles and capsules with pre-determined sizes and narrow size distributions (CV<2%) in continuous microfluidic reactors. The method includes (i) the emulsification of monomers in a microfluidic flow-focusing device and (ii) in-situ solidification of droplets via photopolymerization. This microfluidic synthesis provides a novel strategy for the control over the shapes, compositions, and morphologies of polymer particles. In particular, we demonstrated the control over particle shapes by producing polymer ellipsoids, disks, rods, hemispheres, plates, and bowls. We produced polymer particles loaded with dyes, liquid crystals, quantum dots, and magnetic nanoparticles. We generated core-shell particles, microcapsules, Janus and three-phasic polymer particles. Control over the number of cores per droplet was achieved by manipulating the flow rates of liquids in the microchannels. We further investigated the hydrodynamic mechanism underlying the emulsification of droplets, which helps in guiding scientists and engineers to utilize this technique. Second, we described the self-assembly of inorganic nanorods by using a striking analogy between amphiphilic ABA triblock copolymers and the hydrophilic nanorods tethered with hydrophobic polystyrene chains at both ends. We organized metal nanorods in structures with various geometries such as nanorings, nanochains, bundles, bundled nanochains, and nanospheres by tuning solely the quality of solvents. The self-assembly was tunable and reversible. This approach paved the way for the organization of anisotropic nanoparticles by using the strategies that are well-established for the self-assembly of block copolymers. We further described a systematic study of the self-assembly of polymer-tethered gold nanorods as a function of solvent composition in the system and the molecular weight of the polystyrene blocks. We found that the structure of the polymer pom-poms played an important role on the organization of polymer-tethered gold NRs. The 'supramolecular' assembly was governed by the competition between the end-to-end and side-by-side association of NRs and resulted in the controlled variation of the plasmonic properties of NRs, reflected in a 3-D plasmonic graph.

This thesis described the development of new strategies for the preparation of micro- and nano-structured polymer materials. In particular, this thesis focused on: i) the synthesis of polymer particles in microreactors, and ii) the self-assembly of inorganic nanorods. First, this thesis presented the synthesis of polymer particles and capsules with pre-determined sizes and narrow size distributions (CV<2%) in continuous microfluidic reactors. The method includes (i) the emulsification of monomers in a microfluidic flow-focusing device and (ii) in-situ solidification of droplets via photopolymerization. This microfluidic synthesis provides a novel strategy for the control over the shapes, compositions, and morphologies of polymer particles. In particular, we demonstrated the control over particle shapes by producing polymer ellipsoids, disks, rods, hemispheres, plates, and bowls. We produced polymer particles loaded with dyes, liquid crystals, quantum dots, and magnetic nanoparticles. We generated core-shell particles, microcapsules, Janus and three-phasic polymer particles. Control over the number of cores per droplet was achieved by manipulating the flow rates of liquids in the microchannels. We further investigated the hydrodynamic mechanism underlying the emulsification of droplets, which helps in guiding scientists and engineers to utilize this technique. Second, we described the self-assembly of inorganic nanorods by using a striking analogy between amphiphilic ABA triblock copolymers and the hydrophilic nanorods tethered with hydrophobic polystyrene chains at both ends. We organized metal nanorods in structures with various geometries such as nanorings, nanochains, bundles, bundled nanochains, and nanospheres by tuning solely the quality of solvents. The self-assembly was tunable and reversible. This approach paved the way for the organization of anisotropic nanoparticles by using the strategies that are well-established for the self-assembly of block copolymers. We further described a systematic study of the self-assembly of polymer-tethered gold nanorods as a function of solvent composition in the system and the molecular weight of the polystyrene blocks. We found that the structure of the polymer pom-poms played an important role on the organization of polymer-tethered gold NRs. The 'supramolecular' assembly was governed by the competition between the end-to-end and side-by-side association of NRs and resulted in the controlled variation of the plasmonic properties of NRs, reflected in a 3-D plasmonic graph.

Une capsule est une goutte de liquide enveloppée par une membrane fine et déformable. Les propriétés mécaniques de la membrane sont essentielles pour le mouvement de la capsule. L'analyse de l'écoulement d'une suspension de capsules dans un canal microfluidique au moyen d'un modèle mécanique est une technique permettant de déterminer les propriétés élastiques de la membrane. Un modèle numérique tridimensionnel a été développé pour résoudre ce problème d'interaction fluide-structure en écoulement confiné. Il couple une méthode des intégrales de frontières pour les écoulements des fluides et une méthode éléments finis pour la déformation de la membrane. Le modèle est utilisé pour étudier l'écoulement d'une capsule initialement sphérique dans des canaux de différentes sections. Dans un canal cylindrique, on montre que l'effet de confinement du canal conduit à la compression de la capsule. Cela engendre la formation de plis sur la membrane autour de l'axe de l'écoulement, phénomène également observé expérimentalement. Dans un canal de section carrée, les effets de la loi constitutive de la membrane, du rapport de taille et du débit d'écoulement sur la déformation de la capsule sont systématiquement étudiés. La comparaison entre les résultats expérimentaux et numériques nous permet de déduire les propriétés mécaniques de la membrane d'une population de capsules artificielles. Ce travail démontre la faisabilité de la mesure de propriétés mécaniques d'une membrane en utilisant une technique microfluidique en canal carré. Il pourrait être étendu par l'étude d'écoulements instationnaires dans un canal de section variable ou avec bifurcations.