For wood products such as flooring and worktop, only one surface is normally exposed in their use, and the mechanical properties like hardness and wearing resistance of that surface is then important. Since mechanical properties are strongly related to the density, surface densification, i.e. transverse compression of the wood cells beneath the surface of a piece of wood with the aim to increase the density of that region, may be a method for improving hardness and wearing resistance when low-density species are used for such products. The set-recovery, i.e. the moisture-induced swelling of the densified wood cells back to their original shape, is the main obstacle in the use of densified wood products. Although there are several methods reported in literature, such as post heat-treatment, that can almost eliminate the set-recovery, but such methods are either time consuming or difficult to implement into an industrial continuous process which may do densification competitive to techniques or materials that can achieve at least the same hardness.     In the present study, furfuryl alcohol was used as pre-treatment to fix the set-recovery of surface-densified Scots pine sapwood. The main effect and interactive influence of four process parameter (impregnation time, press temperature, press time and compression ratio) on set-recovery and Brinell hardness after two wet-dry cycles were studied by a two-level full factorial design of experiments. The characterizing variables of the density profile after the surface densification and set-recovery test were carried out as a supplementary tool to learn the mechanism of this two-step modification process. According to the result, the surface densified wood with furfuryl alcohol pre-treatment can retain their dimension and keep hardness at a very high level after two wet-dry cycles. The set-recovery and hardens after two wet-dry cycles were about 20 % and 30 N/mm2, respectively. The Pearson correlation analysis shows that the correlation coefficients between set-recovery with impregnation time, press temperature, press temperature, compression ratio were -0.35, -0.52, -0.37, and 0.16, respectively. That means that for the specimens with furfuryl alcohol pre-treatment, the higher press temperature can reduce the set-recovery significantly. The longer press time and impregnation time can also reduce the set-recovery in some extent, but the influence was  low. As expected, the hardness improvement was retained with low set-recovery. The lowest set-recovery value was 14% with the corresponding hardness of 41 N/mm2 was achieved by specimens processed with 120 minutes of impregnation, 10% compression ratio, 210℃ pressing temperature, and 15 minutes of pressing time. With 20 minutes of impregnation time, 10% compression ratio, 210℃ pressing temperature, and 5 minutes of pressing time, the sample still owns twofold hardness after the set-recovery test.

Dans les piles à combustible SOFC (Solid Oxide Fuel cell) de type monochambre (SC-SOFC), l’anode et la cathode, séparées par un électrolyte, sont situées dans une même chambre alimentée par un mélange de combustible et d’oxygène. L’électrolyte, n’ayant alors plus le rôle d’étanchéité entre les compartiments anodique et cathodique, peut être mis en forme par sérigraphie. Cependant, il est nécessaire d’avoir une barrière pour éviter la possible diffusion de l’hydrogène produit localement à l’anode vers la cathode, ce qui peut générer une chute de la tension. L’objectif de ce travail de thèse est de créer une barrière de diffusion localisée via la densification de la surface de l'électrolyte par un traitement laser. Le matériau sélectionné pour l’électrolyte est un oxyde mixte Ce0,9Gd0,1O1,95 (CGO) qui est déposé par sérigraphie sur une anode composite NiO-CGO. Deux types de lasers impulsionnels sont utilisés : un laser UV (λ = 248 nm) et un laser IR (λ = 1064 nm). Les caractérisations microstructurales réalisées ont permis de mettre en évidence les effets du traitement laser pour certaines combinaisons fluence – nombre de tirs, montrant un grossissement de grain de l’électrolyte ou bien des surfaces densifiées mais fissurées. Des modifications structurales et chimiques sur la surface ont été évaluées ainsi que la diffusion de gaz au travers des électrolytes modifiés tout comme leur conductivité électrique. Afin de mieux comprendre l'interaction laser-matière, une modélisation thermique a également été mise en œuvre. Finalement, les performances de piles SC-SOFC ont été améliorées pour les dispositifs présentant un grossissement de grain à la surface de l'électrolyte. / In single-chamber solid oxide fuel cells (SC-SOFC), anode and cathode are placed in a gas chamber where they are both exposed to a fuel/air mixture. Similarly to conventional dual-chamber SOFC, the anode and the cathode are separated by an electrolyte, but in the SC-SOFC configuration it does not play tightness role between compartments. For this reason, a porous electrolyte can be processed by screen printing. However, it is necessary to have a diffusion barrier to prevent the transportation of hydrogen produced locally at the anode to the cathode through the electrolyte that reduces fuel cell performances. This study aims to obtain directly a diffusion barrier through the surface densification of the electrolyte by a laser treatment. The material chosen for the electrolyte was cerium gadolinium oxide Ce0.9Gd0.1O1.95 (CGO) which is deposited by screen printing on a composite NiO-CGO anode. UV laser and IR laser irradiations were used at different fluences and number of pulses to modify the density of the electrolyte coating. Microstructural characterizations confirmed the modifications on the surface of the electrolyte for appropriate experimental conditions showing either grain growth or densified but cracked surfaces. Structural and chemical modifications on the surface were evaluated as well as the gas diffusion through the electrolytes and their electrical conductivity. In order to understand interaction between the laser and the material, thermal modelling was also developed. Finally, SC-SOFC performances were improved for the cells presenting grain growth at the electrolyte surface, particularly, the power density has been enhanced by a factor 2.