L’approche « bottum-up » via l’auto-assemblage moléculaire est considéré comme une voie prometteuse pour contrôler la fabrication de nouveaux matériaux et leur intégration dans des dispositifs hybrides présentant de propriétés nouvelles. Dans ce travail, nous avons synthétisé plusieurs hybrides à base de molécules organiques (fullerène, porphyrines, phtalocyanine), d’oligonucléotides ou de nanotubes de carbone.Dans un premier temps, nous nous sommes intéressés à la synthèse d’une nouvelle famille de produits constituée d’une unité C60 lié à deux chromophores positionnés face à face et permettant la formation de complexes hôte-invités. Nous avons montré que ces composés s’assemblent pour donner des structures supramoléculaires en solution et sur surface. Les interactions électroniques et la compléxation entre le fullerène et les deux chromophores (porphyrines et phtalocyanines) ont été étudiées par spectroscopie optique et RMN ainsi que par voltammétrie cyclique.Parmi les outils de l’approche « bottom-up », l’ADN a montré son extraordinaire potentiel pour la fabrication d’assemblages bio-dirigés. En effet, la synthèse de matériaux hybrides à base d’ADN permet un contrôle précis (théoriquement à l’échelle d’une base, ~3,4Å) du positionnement des groupements fonctionnels dans un matériau. Dans le but de former des réseaux bi- et tridimensionnels à base d’ADN permettant le positionnement de nano-objets, nous avons synthétisé des hybrides à base d’oligonucléotides et de porphyrines (molécule 2D) ou d’adamantane (molécule 3D). Des édifices supramoléculaires simples ont été réalisés et le travail se poursuit en vue de la réalisation de réseaux fonctionnels.Enfin, dans une dernière partie, nous nous sommes intéressés à la fonctionnalisation des nanotubes de carbone monoparoi (SWNT) avec des chromophores de type porphyrines et phtalocyanines. Alors que les porphyrines présentent une absorption intense presque exclusivement dans le bleu, les phtalocyanines absorbent principalement dans le rouge. Combiner ces deux chromophores à la surface des nanotubes de carbone présente donc un intérêt particulier pour la collecte de lumière car les deux composés absorbent des régions complémentaires du spectre visible. Ce travail ouvre la voie vers l'étude des propriétés optoélectroniques des hybrides à base de nanotubes et en particulier leur utilisation pour la conversion d’énergie lumineuse en énergie électrique (application photovoltaïque). / An Approach "bottum-up" via molecular self-assembly is considered as a promising way to control the manufacture of new materials and their integration into hybrid devices with novel properties. In this work, we have synthesized several hybrids based on organic molecules (fullerene, porphyrin, phthalocyanine), oligonucleotides or carbon nanotubes.At first, we were interested in the synthesis of a new family of products consisting of a unit C60 linked to two chromophores positioned face to face and allowing the formation of host-guest complexes. We have shown that these compounds are combined to give supramolecular structures in solution and on the surface. Electronic interactions and complexation between fullerene and the two chromophores (porphyrins and phthalocyanines) were studied by NMR and optical spectroscopy as well as cyclic voltammetry.Among the tools of the "bottom-up", DNA showed its tremendous potential for the production of bio-directed assembly. Indeed, the synthesis of hybrid materials based DNA allows precise control (theoretically on the scale of a base, ~ 3.4 Å) of the positioning of the functional groups in a material. In order to form networks and bi-dimensional DNA-based for positioning nano-objects, we have synthesized hybrid oligonucleotide-based and porphyrin molecule (2D) or adamantane molecule (3D). Supramolecular structures have been made and this work is ongoing to achieve functional networks.Finally, in a last part, we are interested in the functionalization of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) with chromophores like porphyrins and phthalocyanines. While porphyrins exhibit almost exclusively an intense absorption in the blue (around 420-440 nm), phtalocyanines absorb mainly in the red spectral region. Taken together these two chromophores have interesting light harvesting, photophysical and redox properties; the two components will participate independently to increase the overall absorption in the visible range of the solar spectrum. This work opens the route to study the optoelectronic properties of hybrid nanotube and in particular their use for the conversion of light energy into electrical energy (photovoltaic application).

Ce travail de thèse est dédié à l'étude de quelques phénomènes de surface impliquant des processus d'interactions à l'échelle nanométrique. Les expériences sont réalisées à l'aide un microscope à force atomique (AFM) à grande sensibilité, utilisant un interféromètre différentiel permettant d'atteindre une résolution de E-28m2/Hz dans la mesure de la déflexion de la sonde de force. Combiné à une approche originale d'analyse du bruit thermique, cet outil permet une caractérisation quantitative de la réponse mécanique de systèmes de taille micrométrique et nanométrique, tel que des micro-leviers ou des nanotubes de carbone, sur une large plage de fréquence.La première partie de mon travail porte sur la viscoélasticité du revêtement de leviers AFM. Mis en évidence par un bruit thermique en 1/f à basse fréquence, ce phénomène est présent lorsque le micro-levier est recouvert d'une couche nanométrique de métal (or, aluminium, platine, etc.) À l'aide du théorème fluctuation-dissipation et des relations de Kramers-Kronig, nous mesurons la dépendance en fréquence de cet amortissement viscoélastique dans une large gamme de fréquence (1Hz à 20 kHz. Nous observons une dépendance en fréquence générique sous la forme d'une loi de puissance pour ce processus de dissipation, avec un petit coefficient négatif qui dépend du matériau considéré. L'amplitude de cet effet est linéaire avec l'épaisseur du revêtement, démontrant ainsi que le mécanisme de dissipation est une propriété du volume de la couche métallique plutôt que de ses interfaces.La deuxième partie de mon travail se concentre sur de nouvelles expériences sur l'interaction de nanotubes de carbone avec des surfaces planes. En utilisant notre AFM, nous réalisons une mesure directe de la réponse mécanique (raideur, dissipation) du contact entre le nanotube et la surface, dans une géométrie de pelage (le nanotube est partiellement adsorbé sur la surface). Les résultats de ce protocole sont en accord avec la mesure de la raideur dynamique déduite de l'analyse du bruit thermique, démontrant une dépendance inattendue en loi de puissance de la raideur du contact en fonction de la fréquence. Nous proposons quelques origines physiques possibles pour expliquer ce comportement, tel qu'une couche de carbone amorphe autour du nanotube. / In this thesis, we test some interactions involving surfaces processes at the nanometer scale. The experiments are conducted with a highly sensitive interferometric Atomic Force Microscope (AFM), achieving a resolution down to E-28m2/Hz for the measurement of deflection. Combined with original thermal noise analysis, this tool allows quantitative characterization of the mechanical response of micrometer and nanometer sized systems, such as microcantilevers or carbon nanotubes, on a large frequency range.The first part of my work deals with the viscoelasticity of the coating of AFM cantilevers. Evidenced by a 1/f thermal noise at low frequency, this phenomenon is present when a cantilever is coated with a metallic layer (gold, aluminium, platinium, etc...). Using the fluctuation dissipation theorem and Kramers Kronig relations, we extract the frequency dependance of this viscoelastic damping on a wide range of frequency (1Hz to 20kHz). We find a generic power law dependence in frequency for this dissipation process, with a small negative coefficient that depends on materials. The amplitude of this phenomenon is shown to be linear in the coating thickness, demonstrating that the damping mechanism takes its roots in the bulk of the metallic layer.The second part of my work tackles new experiments on the interaction of carbon nanotubes with flat surfaces. Using our AFM, we perform a true mechanical response measurement of the rigidity and dissipation of the contact between the nanotube and the surface, in a peeling configuration (the nanotube is partially absorbed to the substrate). The results of this protocol are in line with the dynamic stiffness deduced from the thermal noise analysis, showing an unexpected power law dependence in frequency for the contact stiffness. We suggest some possible physical origins to explain this behavior, such as an amorphous carbon layer around the nanotube.

Cette thèse a pour objet l'étude du transport électronique dans les nanotubes de carbone monoparois par l'intermédiaire des fluctuations du courant. L'étude se place dans le cadre de la physique mésoscopique dans des conducteurs balistiques. Dans ce type de conducteur, plusieurs régimes diff´erents peuvent apparaître : blocage de Coulomb, transport modulé par les interférences quantiques, effet Kondo. Nous avons étudié les fluctuations du courant dans un régime d'interféromètre de type Fabry-Pérot électronique qui se présente comme une situation id´eale afin de sonder le régime où l'effet des interactions est faible. Les fluctuations du courant ont été analysées dans le formalisme de Landauer-Büttiker et nous obtenons une bonne correspondance entre la théorie et l'expérience. Nous avons ainsi observé la suppression du bruit dans les régimes de transmission unitaire et, par le biais des données combinées de la conductance et du bruit, nous avons pu déterminer les transmissions pour des canaux de conduction non dégénérés. Par ailleurs, le régime de l'effet Kondo a fait l'objet d'une étude dans laquelle nous avons observé des comportements universels dans la conductance et le bruit. Nous avons ajusté ces différentes grandeurs avec une théorie de bosons esclaves de champ moyen. Finalement, nous avons étudié une configuration de type Hanbury Brown et Twiss : un nanotube monoparoi sur lequel nous avons déposé un multiparoi qui nous sert de sonde afin d'injecter des électrons sur le conducteur.

This thesis presents experimental and related theoretical studies of single layer graphene, bilayer graphene and single walled carbon nanotubes. The thesis is divided into three parts; the first part describes the phonon renormalization due to doping in two dimensional graphene and one dimensional carbon nanotubes. In the recent years, there is a tremendous interest both experimentally and theoretically, in the issues related to electron-phonon coupling in nanotubes and graphene. Theoretically, it is expected that the presence of Kohn anomalies in graphene and metallic nanotubes will result in significant changes in the self energy of phonons due to doping. In particular, with Fermi energy shift how the blockage of phonon decay (due to Pauli Exclusion Principle) into electron-hole excitations changes the phonon frequencies as well as its life time have been studied in details in the first part of the thesis. Since in graphene and metallic nanotubes, the momentum relaxation time of electrons is comparable to the phonon pulsation time, the phonon cannot be treated as a static perturbation and hence non-adiabatic effects are taken into account using time dependent perturbation theory. Electron-phonon coupling constant is also a key parameter to understand the mobility of carrier due to electron scattering by optical phonons at room temperature and limitation of the maximum current carrying capacity of graphene and nanotubes. All these parameters are determined in the first part of the thesis by performing in-situ transport and Raman measurements on graphene and nanotubes based field effect transistors. The second part of the thesis deals with the interaction of bio-molecules (nucleobases) with the nanotubes and graphene. The binding energies of various nucleobases with nanotubes and graphene have been calculated theoretically using quantum chemical and classical force field calculations, and experimentally from isothermal titration (micro) calorimetry. In this part we also present an experimental study on the dynamics of water confined inside the carbon nanotubes. Proton nuclear magnetic resonance studies have been used to probe the freezing and dynamics of the confined water inside 1.4 nm diameter single walled carbon nanotubes. We have observed that the confined water does not freeze up to 223K. The dynamics of confined water has been studied using pulsed field gradient technique. The decay of spin echo intensity as a function of gradient field shows characteristic features of water confined in unidimensional channels. From the decay profiles the mean squared displacement of water molecules is obtained for different diffusive times, showing an unambiguous evidence of single file diffusion of water molecules inside the nanotubes i.e mean squared displacement varying as square root of time. In the last part, we have developed carbon nanotube based vibration sensor and accelerometer to detect the vibrations of liquid and solid, respectively, using the property of voltage generation in nanotubes due to liquid flow.

Pour mieux comprendre leurs propriétés, diverses nanostructures individuelles ont été étudiées à l'aide d'une technique couplant microscopie à force atomique et spectroscopie Raman confocale. Sous excitation lumineuse polarisée, la composition chimique, la structure et la présence de défauts a pu être précisée dans des nanobâtonnets d'oxydes métalliques (ZnO et α-Fe2O3). Sous irradiation laser résonnante, les spectres de nanotubes de carbone monoparoi enrobés de polymères ont révélé notamment l'absence de transfert de charge polymère-nanotube et un effet de désolvatation. Finalement, des feuillets de graphène oxydé et des ADNs double-brin peignés ont pu être préparés et caractérisés par spectroscopie Raman exaltée par effet de pointe en atteignant une résolution spatiale latérale voisine du rayon de courbure de l'apex de la pointe utilisée (12 nm), bien plus faible que la limite de diffraction, ce qui ouvre la voie à de nouveaux travaux spectroscopiques à l'échelle nanométrique.

The main motivation in this thesis is to compare the conformation and charge transport in conducting polymers and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and to investigate those physical properties in their combined form of nanocomposites. It is known that both conducting polymers and carbon nanotubes are intrinsically 1-dimensional systems which consist of delocalized π-electrons. However, the main difference between these is the fact that flexibility of conducting polymers can be varied depending on the extent of conjugation while CNTs are rigid. Hence a comparison of electronic properties as correlated to their morphology has been carried out and their individual role in nanocomposites is further studied. The thesis consists of 6 chapters and appendix. Chapter 1 consists of brief introduction of general properties of both conducting polymers, CNTs and their nanocomposites. Chapter 2 deals with the sample preparation and experimental techniques used for the work. Chapter 3 elaborates on the conformational / structural studies on the systems. Chapter 4 focuses on the transport measurements to study the electronic properties of the samples. Chapter 5 reveals the magnetic properties of these systems which can be applied in technological devices. And chapter 6 gives the conclusion and future directions of the work being done. Chapter 1: Nanocomposites represent a guest-host matrix consisting of easily processible functionalized conjugated polymer as host, incorporating carbon nanotubes as fillers with versatile electronic and magnetic properties, which provide a wide range of technological applications. The conformation, charge dynamics as well as magnetic properties of these conducting polymers and carbon nanotubes, and various aspects of transport mechanism and spin dynamics present in the nanocomposite matrix are studied and presented in a consistent framework. Chapter 2: The multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) are grown by thermal chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The MWNTs are dispersed in solution of conducting polymers by ultrasonication and then the suspension is cast on glass substrate and slowly dried by moderate heating. Once dried completely, the free-standing films of thickness 15-25 μm are peeled off the substrate for measurements. The MWNTs, above a certain concentration, form an interconnected network in the 3-dimensional polymer matrix, following percolation mechanism. The disorder is brought into the system mainly by bundling of tubes and bundle intersections. The morphology and conformation of the samples are studied by SEM, TEM and small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) techniques. Chapter 3: Small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) studies in polymeric systems are carried out to probe local nanoscale morphology at various length scales to show the correlation among conformation and assembly of chains. Small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) studies are carried out in poly [2-methoxy5-(2’–ethyl-hexyloxy)-1,4-phenylene vinylene] (MEH-PPV) solution of varying conjugation lengths as well as different solvents. By increasing the extent of πconjugation from 30 to 100 %, the persistence length increases by a factor of three. Moreover, a pronounced second peak in the pair distribution function is observed in fully conjugated chain, at larger length scales which indicates that the chain segments tend to self-assemble as the conjugation along the chain increases. The chain assembly and aggregation are further studied for suspensions of MWNTs in polyethylene dioxythiophene-polystyrene (PEDOT-PSS) with aqueous medium and DMSO (dimethyl sulphoxide). The SAXS profile of MWNT dispersion in aqueous PEDOT-PSS clearly show rigid-rod feature of the individual nanotubes evident by the q-1 behavior at short ranges. The crossover from q-1 to q-2 in the longer range further suggest that the suspension consists of individual nanotubes, nanotubes bundles and aggregates that give rise to a 3-dimensonal meshwork of intersecting tubes and ropes. For the MWNT dispersion in PEDOT-PSS with DMSO, however, such q-1 behavior is absent; which evidently shows that the rods are not isolated in the solution and are rather agglomerated. How these conformations affect the electrical and magnetic properties of these systems are studied further in Chapter 4. Chapter 4: Transport mechanism in single wall carbon nanotubes (SWNT), MWNT pellets, and nanocomposite films of MWNT and PEDOT-PSS is studied. The positive and negative magnetoresistance (MR) data in various SWNT samples are analyzed by taking into account the electron-electron interaction (EEI) contribution, in addition to the weak localization (WL) regime. The contribution from EEI to the total MR is confirmed from the universal scaling of MC relation showing that EEI plays a significant role at higher fields and lower temperatures. Intrinsic parameters like inelastic scattering length extracted for barely metallic sample follows the T-3/4 dependence due to inelastic electron-electron scattering in the dirty limit. Conductivity and magnetoresistance (MR) measurements on nanocomposite films with varying MWNT content (0.03 - 3 %) are performed at a field range 0-11 Tesla, and temperature range 1.3–300 K. The temperature dependence of resistance above 4 K suggests a Coulomb-gap variable range hopping (CG-VRH) transport in the network. Alhough solely negative MR (~ 5-6 %) is observed for pristine MWNT pellets; the nanocomposite films show a combination of large negative MR (~ 80 %) at T < 4 K, and a comparatively weaker positive MR (~ 30 %) for T > 4 K. This suggest that there are two mechanism interplaying and dominant at different temperature regimes which can be explained by the mechanism of transport of the charge carriers of MWNT intervened by that of the polymer matrix. In conclusion how the individual properties of conducting polymer and carbon nanotubes contribute to the unique electronic and conformational properties in their nanocomposites is framed in this investigation. Chapter 5: Magnetic properties of the pristine MWNTs as well as metal nanowires of nickel, nickel-iron (NiFe), nickel-iron-cobalt (NiFeCo) encapsulated in the MWNTs are studied using superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometer. A typical example of Ni nanowires encapsulated in MWNT (Ni-MWNT) is taken and the results are compared to other forms of nickel (bulk, nanorod cluster, nanowire) to see the effect of size, shape and environment on the magnetic kproperties. The saturation magnetization and coercivity for Ni-MWNTs are 1.0 emu/gm and 230 Oe. The temperature dependence of magnetization indicates superparamagnetic which is supported by the field-cooled and zero-field-cooled plots determining a blocking temperature ~ 300 K. These altered magnetic properties of Ni-MWNTs are mainly due to the contribution from carbon nanotube encapsulation. Both the shape and environment enhance the total magnetic anisotropy of encapsulated nanowires at least by a factor of four. The encapsulation of metal nanowires in MWNTs tunes the magnetic properties of the system widely, e.g. from diamagnetic (pristine MWNTs) to paramagnetic (Ni-MWNT) to ferromagnetic (NiFe-MWNT) and a combination of para and ferro (NiFeCo-MWNT). Chapter 6: The conclusions of the different works presented in the thesis are coherently summarized in this chapter. Thoughts for future directions are also summed up. Appendix A: Spin dynamics in conducting polymer PEDOT-PSS in its pristine, processed with DMSO and nanocomposite form (with carbon nanotubes) is studied using solid state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Plots of proton spin lattice relaxation times vs. temperature at a fixed frequency 23.4 MHz are compared to study the effect of the external agents on the polymer dynamics.

The exact mechanism of the discharge in liquids ignition is not sufficiently known up to now. Although during the last years was achieved the great progress and overloading which some of them are written in this theoretical part of thesis. This thesis is divided into two experimental parts. When the first part deals with diagnostics of diaphragm discharge in electrolyte solutions and the second part is focused on its use for uncoiling (higher homogenization) of carbon nanotubes in solutions. In experiment 1, three different sized (4 l, 100 ml, 50 ml) diaphragm discharge configurations were used to diagnose diaphragm discharge in electrolyte solutions. Diagnostics is done through current and voltage waveforms with the addition of synchronized ICCD camera images that have been connected to a four-channel oscilloscope. The V-A characteristic can be described by three events occurring in the electrolyte solution with a gradual increase in voltage. Slowly increasing of the voltage in the solution leads first to electrolysis. The next phase is the formation of microbubbles or bubbles, which is characteristic of the curve by a slight decrease in the increase of the current passing between electrodes. The sudden increase in the current flow is characteristic of the last phase, namely the discharge phase. The distance of the electrodes from the diaphragm does not significantly affect the V-A characteristic. The higher diameter of the pin hole, therefore, has a higher voltage, but this does not affect the origin of bubble generation or breakdown. The higher thickness of diaphragm, the higher voltage is needed to the beginning of the bubbles generation, and consequently the discharge breakdown. Comparison of the voltage of the start generation of the bubbles and breakdown for PET diaphragms and diaphragms from the ceramic there was no mark able difference. One of the most important parameters is the conductivity of the electrolyte solution. The lower voltage is needed for the start generation of the bubbles at the higher solution conductivity, and also the discharge generation is observed at a lower breakdown voltage. The second experimental part is focused on the study of the diaphragm discharge effect on carbon nanotubes. A specially designed U-shaped reactor is used to modify carbon nanoparticles. Tap water and aqueous solutions of organic compounds are used as the electrolytic solutions. The discharge is generated by a non-pulsed DC high source with a voltage in the range of 0-2.8 kV supplied to platinum electrodes located in the electrolyte solution. The experimental results have shown that the diaphragm discharge has positive effects on the disintegration of clusters and agglomerates of carbon nanotubes. The primary effect on disintegration is probably the shock waves generated by the discharge. It turned out that it depends on the electrode configuration, where the treatment in anode space has far greater effects than the treatment in cathode half of the reactor. Effects of carbon nanotubes disintegration in solution are long-lasting and the treatment effect is not loosed after several months. There were detected no significant changes in the structure of plasma-treated nanotubes by Infra-red spectroscopy.