In dieser Dissertation wird die Struktur von ultradünnen Schichten auf atomar ebenen Festkörperoberflächen durch die streifende Streuung von Atomen und Molekülen untersucht. Dabei werden Atome mit kinetischen Energien im keV-Bereich unter flachem Einfallswinkel von etwa 1° an der Oberfläche gestreut und mit einem ortsauflösenden Detektor nachgewiesen. Bei hinreichend kleinen Projektilenergien werden Beugungserscheinungen beobachtet, die durch Interferenz von Materiewellen erklärt werden können. Die Auswertung der Intensität der Beugungsreflexe ermöglicht die Bestimmung von Atompositionen. Wird die Probe azimutal verdreht, ändern sich die seitliche Ablenkung der Projektile und die Zahl der während des Streuprozesses an der Oberfläche emittierten Elektronen. Dies wird zur Identifikation von Richtungen mit dichtgepackten Atomketten genutzt und der Vergleich mit Trajektoriensimulationen gestattet Rückschlüsse auf die Atompositionen der obersten Lage. Beim System einer Atomlage SiO2/Mo(112) kann durch mehrere Messmethoden eindeutig zwischen zwei konkurrierenden Strukturmodellen unterschieden und die Atompositionen eines Modells mit hoher Genauigkeit bestätigt werden. Die Adsorption von Sauerstoff auf einer Mo(112)-Oberfläche wird detailliert studiert und für mehrere Überstrukturphasen werden Modelle aufgestellt. Für V2O3/Au(111) kann durch Triangulationsmessungen eine geringfügige Modifikation eines existierenden Strukturmodells abgeleitet werden. Auf einer Cu(001)-Oberfläche werden dünne, kristalline FeO und Fe3O4-Schichten präpariert und untersucht. Die Inkommensurabilität der quadratischen Substrat- und der hexagonalen Adsorbateinheitszelle führt zu komplexen LEED-Mustern, die durch Mehrfachstreuung erklärt werden können. Dies ist auch der Schlüssel zur Erklärung der Beugungsbilder bei Adsorbatstrukturen der chiralen Aminosäure Alanin auf Cu(110) und damit die Grundlage für die Aufstellung eines Strukturmodells für dieses System. / In this thesis the structure of ultrathin films on atomically flat crystal surfaces is investigated by means of grazing scattering of atoms and molecules. Atoms with kinetic energies in the keV regime are scattered from the surface under small angles of incidence of approximately 1° and are detected by means of a position-sensitive detector. For sufficiently small projectile energies diffraction phenomena are observed which can be explained by interference of matter waves. The analysis of the intensities of diffraction spots makes it possible to determine atomic positions. When the sample is rotated azimuthally the deflection of projectiles and the number of emitted electrons during the scattering process at the surface varies. This is used to identify directions with close-packed strings of atoms and comparison with trajectory simulations gives information on atomic positions of the topmost layer. For the system of one atomic layer of SiO2/Mo(112) it can be unambiguously distinguished between two competing structural models. The positions of atoms of one model are confirmed with high accuracy by the use of several methods. The adsorption of oxygen on a Mo(112) surface is studied in detail and for several superstructure phases models are proposed. For the surface of a V2O3 layer on a Au(111) substrate a slight modification of an existing structural model is derived by means of triangulation measurements. On a Cu(001) surface thin crystalline FeO and Fe3O4 films are grown and studied. The incommensurability of the quadratic substrate with the hexagonal adsorbate surface unit cell gives rise to complex pattern for low energy electron diffraction, which can be explained by multiple scattering. This is also the key to the explanation of diffraction images for adsorbate structures of the chiral amino acid alanine on Cu(110) and the basis for developing a structural model for this system.

Nous étudions la possibilité de réaliser des cellules à base de diséléniure de cuivre, indium et gallium (CIGSe) à absorbeur ultra-mince, en réduisant l’épaisseur de la couche de CIGSe de 2500 nm jusqu’à 100 nm, tout en conservant un haut rendement de conversion.Grâce à l’utilisation d’outils de simulation numérique, nous étudions l’influence de la réduction d’épaisseur de l’absorbeur sur les paramètres photovoltaïques de la cellule. Une importante dégradation du rendement est observée, principalement attribuée à une réduction de la fraction de lumière absorbée par le CIGSe ainsi qu’à une collecte des porteurs de charge réduite dans les dispositifs ultraminces. Des solutions permettant de surmonter ces problèmes sont proposées et leur influence potentielle est numériquement simulée ; nous démontrons qu’une ingénierie de face avant (couche tampon alternative, couche anti-réfléchissante…) et de face arrière (contact arrière réfléchissant, diffusion de la lumière) sur une cellule CIGSe à absorbeur ultramince permet de potentiellement améliorer le rendement de la cellule solaire au niveau de celui d’une cellule à absorbeur référence (2.5 μm).Grâce à l’utilisation de techniques de gravure chimique sur des échantillons standards de CIGSe épais, nous réalisons des cellules solaires avec différentes épaisseurs d’absorbeurs, et nous étudions l’influence de l’épaisseur du CIGSe sur les paramètres photovoltaïques des cellules. Le comportement similaire aux simulations numériques.Une ingénierie du contact avant sur des cellules CIGSe à différentes épaisseurs est réalisée pour spécifiquement améliorer l’absorption dans la couche de CIGSe. Nous étudions l’influence d’une couche tampon alternative de ZnS, de la texturation de la fenêtre avant de ZnO:Al, et d’une couche anti-reflet sur la cellule solaire. D’importantes améliorations sont observées quelque soit l’épaisseur de la couche de CIGSe, ce qui permet d’obtenir des rendements de conversions supérieurs à ceux obtenus dans la configuration standard des dispositifs.Une ingénierie du contact arrière à basse température est également réalisée avec l’utilisation d’un procédé novateur combinant la gravure chimique du CIGSe avec un « lift-off » mécanique de la couche de CIGSe afin de la séparer du substrat de Molybdène. De nouveaux matériaux fortement réflecteur de lumière et précédemment incompatible avec le procédé de croissance du CIGSe sont utilisés comme contact arrière pour des cellules CIGSe ultra-minces. Une étude comparative en fonction de l’épaisseur de CIGSe entre des cellules avec contact arrière réfléchissant en Or (Au) et cellules solaires avec contact arrière standard Mo est effectuée. Le contact Au permet d’augmenter significativement le rendement de conversion des cellules solaires à absorbeur sub-microniques comparé au contact standard Mo avec un rendement de conversion supérieur à 10% obtenu sur une cellule CIGSe de 400 nm (comparé à 7.9% avec Mo).Afin de réduire encore plus l’épaisseur de la couche de CIGSe, jusque 100-200 nm, les modèles numériques montrent qu’il est nécessaire d’utiliser un réflecteur lambertien sur la face arrière de la cellule afin de maximiser l’absorption de la lumière. Un dispositif preuve de concept expérimental est réalisé avec une épaisseur de CIGSe de 200 nm et un réflecteur arrière lambertien, et ce dispositif est caractérisé par spectroscopie de transmission/réflexion. La réponse spectrale est déterminée en combinant des valeurs issues de simulation numérique et la mesure expérimental de l’absorption du dispositif. Nous calculons un courant de court circuit de 26 mA.cm-2 pour ce dispositif avec réflecteur lambertien, bien supérieur à ce qui est calculé pour la même structure sans réflecteur (15 mA.cm-2), et comparable au courant mesuré sur une cellule de référence de 2500 nm (28 mA.cm-2). L’utilisation de réflecteur lambertien pour des cellules CIGSe ultraminces est donc particulièrement adaptée pour maintenir de hauts rendements. / In this thesis, we investigate on the possibility to realize ultrathin absorber Copper Indium Gallium Di-Selenide (CIGSe) solar cells, by reducing the CIGSe thickness from 2500 nm down to 100 nm, while conserving a high conversion efficiency.Using numerical modeling, we first study the evolution of the photovoltaic parameters when reducing the absorber thickness. A strong decrease of the efficiency of the solar cell is observed, mainly related to a reduced light absorption and carrier collection for thin and ultrathin CIGSe solar cells. Solutions to overcome these problems are proposed and the potential improvements are modeled; we show that front side (buffer layer, antireflection coating) and back side (reflective back contact, light scattering) engineering of an ultrathin device can potentially increase the conversion efficiency up to the level of a standard thick CIGSe solar cell.By using chemical bromine etching on a standard thick CIGSe layer, we realize solar cells with different absorber thicknesses and experimentally study the influence of the absorber thickness on the photovoltaic parameters of the devices. Experiments show a similar trends to that observed in numerical modeling.Front contact engineering on thin CIGSe solar cell is realized to increase the specific absorption in CIGSe, including alternative ZnS buffer, front ZnO:Al window texturation and anti-reflection coating. Substantial improvements are observed whatever the CIGSe thickness, with efficiencies higher that the default configuration.A back contact engineering at low temperature is realized by using an innovative approach combining chemical etching of the CIGSe and mechanical lift-off of the CIGSe from the original Molybdenum (Mo) substrate. New highly reflective materials previously incompatible with the standard solar cell process are used as back contact for thin and ultrathin CIGSe solar cells, and a comparative study between standard Mo back contact and alternative reflective Au back contact solar cells is performed. The Au back reflector significantly enhance the efficiency of solar cell with sub-micrometer absorbers compared to the standard Mo back reflector; an efficiency higher than 10 % on a 400 nm CIGSe is obtained with Au back contact (7.9% with standard Mo back contact). For further reduction of the absorber thickness down to 100-200 nm, numerical modeling show that a lambertian back reflector is needed to fully absorb the incident light in the CIGSe. An experimental proof of concept device with a CIGSe thickness of 200 nm and a lambertian back reflector is realized and characterized by reflection/transmission spectroscopy, and the experimental spectral response is determined by combining simulation and experimentally measured absorption. A short circuit current of 26 mA.cm-2 is determined with the lambertian back reflector, which is much higher than what is obtained for the same device with no reflector (15 mA.cm-2), and comparable to the short circuit current measured on a reference 2500 nm thick CIGSe solar cell (28 mA.cm-2). Lambertian back reflectors are therefore found to be the most effective way to enhance the efficiency of an ultrathin CIGSe solar cell up to the level of a reference thick CIGSe solar cell.

Ultrathin film nanocomposites are becoming increasingly important for specialized performance of commercial coatings. Critical challenges for ultrathin film nanocomposites include their synthesis and characterization as well as their performance properties, including surface roughness, optical properties (haze, refractive index as examples), and mechanical properties. The objective of this work is to control the surface roughness of ultrathin film nanocomposites by changing the average particle size and the particle volume fraction (loading) of monomodal particle size distributions. This work evaluated one-layer and two-layer films for their surface properties. Monodispersed colloidal silica nanoparticles were incorporated into an acrylate-based monomer system as the model system. Ultrathin nanocomposites were prepared with three different size colloidal silica (13, 45, and 120 nm nominal diameters) at three different particle loadings (20, 40, and 50 vol. % inorganic solids). Silica particles were characterized using DLS and TEM. AFM was used to measure the root mean square roughness (Rq), ΔZ, and location-to-location uniformity of one-layer and two-layer nanocomposite coatings. Developing an understanding about the properties affected by the type and amount of particles used in a nanocomposite can be used as a tool with nanocharacterization techniques to quickly modify and synthesize desired ultrathin film coatings.

Surface-assisted directed assembly allows ultrasoft and replusive functional polymeric “colloids” to assemble into the organized supramolecular ultrathin films on a monomolecular level. This study aims at achieving a fundamental understanding of molecular morphology and responsive behavior of major classes of branched star-shaped polymers (star amphiphilic block copolymers and star polyelectrolytes) and their aggregation into precisely engineered functional ultrathin nanofilms. Thus, we focus on elucidating the role of molecular architecture, chemical composition, and intra/intermolecular interactions on the assembly behavior of highly-branched entities under variable environmental and confined interfacial conditions. The inherent molecular complexity of branched architectures facilitates rich molecular conformations and phase states from the combination of responsive dynamics of flexible polymer chains (amphiphilic, ionizable arms, multiple segments, and free chain ends) and extened molecular design parameters (number of arms, arm length, and segment composition/sequence). These marcromolecular building components can be affected by external conditions (pH, salinity, solvent polarity, concentration, surface pressure, and substrate nature) and transformed into a variety of complex nanostructures, such as two-dimensional circular micelles, core/shell unimicelles, nanogel particles, pancake & brush micelles, Janus-like nanoparticles, and highly nanoporous fractal networks. The fine balance between repulsive mulitarm interactions and surface energetic effects in the various confined surfaces and interfaces enables the ability to fabricate and tailor well-organized ultrathin nanofilms. The most critical findings in this study include: (1) densely packed circular unimicelle monolayers from amphiphilic and amphoteric multiblock stars controlled by arm number, end blocks, and pH/pressure induced aggregation, (2) monolayer polymer-metal nanocomposites by in-situ nanoparticle growth at confined interfaces, (3) on-demand control of exponentially or linearly grown heterogeneous stratified multilayers from self-diffusive pH-sensitive star polyelectrolyte nanogels, (4) core/shell umimicelle based microcapsules with a fractal nanoporous multidomain shell morphology, and (5) preferential binding and ordering of Janus-like unimicelles on chemically heterogeneous graphene oxide surfaces for biphasic hybrid assembly. The advanced branched molecular design coupled with stimuli responsive conformational and compositional behavior presents an opportunity to control the lateral diffusion and phase segregation of branched compact supermolecules on the surface resulting in the generation of well-controllable monolayers with tunable ordering and complex morphology, as well as to tailor their stratified layered nanostructures with switchable morphological heterogeneity and multicompartmental architectures. These surface-driven star polymer supramolecular assemblies and interfaces will enable the design of multifunctional nanofilms as hierarchical responsive polymer materials.

No description available.

When materials approach the size of few nanometers, they show properties which are significantly different from their bulk counterpart. Such unique/improved properties make them potential candidate for several emerging applications. At the reduced dimension, controlling the shape of nanocrystals provides an effective way to tune several material properties. In this regard, wet chemical synthesis has been established as the ultimate route to synthesize nanocrystals at ultra-small dimensions with excellent control over the morphology. However, the use of surfactant poses a barrier into efficient realization of its application as it requires a clean interface for better performance. Exercise of available cleaning protocols to clean the surface often leads to coarsening of the nanoparticles due to their inherent high surface curvature. For anisotropic nanomaterials, rounding of the shape is an additional problem. Anchoring nanomaterials onto substrates provides an easy way to impart stability. In this thesis, ultrathin Au nanowires, that are inherently unstable, have been shown to grow over a wide variety of substrates by in-situ functionalization. Use of nanomaterials as device component holds promise into miniaturization of electronics. But device fabrication in such cases require manipulation of nanomaterials with enhanced control. Dielectrophoresis offers an easy way to assemble nanomaterials in between contact pads and hence evolved as a promising tool to fabricate device with a good level of precision. Herein, directed assembly of ultrathin Au nanowires by dielectrophoresis, has been shown as an efficient strategy to fabricate devices based on the wires. Combining more than one nanocrystal, to form a heterostructure, often has the advantage of synergism and/or multifunctionality. Therefore, synthesis of heterostructure is highly useful in enhancing and/or adding functionalities to nanomaterials. There are several routes available in literature for synthesis of heterostructures. Newer strategies are being evolved to further improve performance in an application specific way. In that regard, a good understanding of mechanism of formation is crucial to form the desired product with the required functionality. For example, Au due to high electron affinity has been known to undergo reduction rather than cation exchange with chalcogenides. In this thesis, it has been shown that the final product depends on the delicate balance of reaction conditions and the system under study using CdS-Au as the model system. In yet another case, PdO nanotubes have been shown to form, on reaction of PdCl2 with ZnO at higher starting ratio of the precursors. In-situ generation of HCl provides an effective handle for tuning of the product from the commonly expected hybrid to hollow. Graphene has evolved as a wonder material due to its wide range of practical applications. Its superior conductivity with high flexibility has made it an important material in the field of nanoelectronics. In this thesis, an interesting case of packed crumpled graphene has been shown to sense a wide variety of strain/pressure which has applications in day to day life. The study reported in the thesis is organized as follows: Chapter 1 presents a general introduction to nanomaterials followed by the review of the available strategies to synthesize various 1D nanomaterials. Subsequently, a section on the classification of hybrid followed by the different synthetic protocols adopted in literature to synthesize them, have been provided. A review on the available methodologies for directed assembly of nanomaterials has been presented. Chapter 2 provides a summary of the materials synthesized and the techniques used for characterization of the materials. A brief description of all the synthetic strategy adopted has been provided. The basic principle of all the characterization techniques used, has been explained. A section explaining the principle of dielectrophoresis has also been presented. Chapter 3 presents a general method to grow ultrathin Au nanowires over a variety of substrates with different nature, topography and rigidity/flexibility. Ultrathin nanowires of Au (~2 nm in diameter) are potentially useful for various catalytic, plasmonic and device applications. Extreme fragility on polar solvent cleaning was a limitation in realizing the applications. Direct growth onto substrate was an alternative but poor interfacial energy of Au with most commercial substrates lead to poor coverage. In this chapter, in-situ functionalization of the substrates have been shown to improve Au nucleation dramatically which lead to growth of dense, networked nanowires over large area. Catalysis and lithography-free device fabrication has been demonstrated. Using the same concept of functionalization, SiO2 coating of the nanowires have been shown. A comparative study of thermal stability of these ultrafine Au nanowires in the uncoated and coated form, has been presented. Chapter 4 demonstrates an ultrafast device fabrication strategy with Au nanowires using dielectrophoresis. While dense growth of Au nanowires is beneficial for some applications, it is not so for some others. For example, miniaturization of electronics require large number of devices in a small area. Therefore, there is a need for methods to manipulate nanowires so as to place them in the desired location for successful fabrication of device with them. In this chapter, dielectrophoresis has been used for assembling nanowires in between and at the sides of the contact pads. Alignment under different conditions lead to an understanding of the forces. Fabrication of a large number of devices in a single experiment has been demonstrated. Chapter 5 presents a simple route to synthesize CdS-Au2Sx hybrid as a result of cation-exchange predominantly. Au due to high electron affinity has been shown in literature to undergo reduction rather than cation exchange with CdS. In this chapter, it has been shown that cation exchange may be a dominant product. The competition between cation exchange and reduction in the case of CdS-Au system has been studied using EDS, XRD, XPS and TEM. Thermodynamic calculation along with kinetic analysis show that the process may depend on a delicate balance of reaction conditions and the system under study. The methodology adopted, is general and may be applied to other systems. Chapter 6 presents an one pot, ultrafast microwave route to synthesize PdO hollow/hybrid nanomaterials. The common strategy to synthesize hollow nanomaterials had been by nucleation of the shell material on the core and subsequent dissolution of the core. In this chapter, a one step method to synthesize hollow PdO nanotubes, using ZnO nanorods as sacrificial template, has been shown. By tuning the ratio of the PdCl2 (PdO precursor) to ZnO, ZnO-PdO hybrid could be obtained using the same method. The PdO nanotubes synthesized could be converted to Pd nanotubes by NaBH4 treatment. Study of thermal stability of the PdO nanotubes has been carried out. Chapter 7 demonstrates a simple strategy to sense a variety of strain/pressure with taped crumpled graphene. Detection of ultralow strain (10-3) with high gauge factor is challenging and poorly addressed in literature. Taped crumpled graphene has been shown to detect such low strain with high gauge factor (> 4000). An ultra-fast switching time of 20.4 ms has been documented in detection of dynamic strain of frequency 49 Hz. An excellent cyclic stability for >7000 cycles has been demonstrated. The same device could be used to detect gentle pressure pulses with consistency. Slight modification of the device configuration enabled detection of high pressure. Simplicity of the device fabrication allowed fabrication of the device onto stick labels which could be pasted on any surface, for instance, floor. Hard pressing, stamping with feet and hammering shocks do not alter the base resistance of the device, indicating that it is extremely robust. Sealed arrangement of the graphene allowed operation of the device under water in detection of water pressure. Presence of trapped air underneath the tape enabled detection of air pressure both below and above atmospheric pressure.

Dans le cadre de l’étude des phénomènes magnétiques et de la spintronique qui sont présents aux échelles nanoscopiques nous avons étudié différents aspects des structures asymétriques de Pt/Co/AlOx. L’un des objectifs de cette thèse est le contrôle de l’oxydation et des propriétés magnétiques de ces multicouches. Nous avons combiné les mesures de structures (réflexion de Rayon-X), transports (Effet Hall anormal), et magnétiques (VSM-SQUID) afin de déterminer les rôles des effets magnétiques et d’interfaces. Un objectif était d’analyser le rôle de quelques monocouches (MCs) de CoO (qui peut se former lors de la sur oxydation de l’Al) sur les propriétés de la multicouche. Nous avons utilisé une technique de déposition avec un gradient d’épaisseur pour contrôler l’oxydation à l’échelle nanométrique. Nous avons établis que quelques monocouches (MCs) de CoO a un impact sur l’anisotropie de a multicouche. Pour approfondir l’effet de la couche de CoO, nous avons construit des bicouches ultrafines de Co(0.6nm)/CoO(0.6nm). Nous avons effectué des mesures refroidi sur champ sur ce système et trouvé un fort effet de couplage d'échange. Ces résultats indiquent que la couche CoO garde une forte anisotropie même en dans la limite des monocouches et permet de réfuter certains modèles sur l’effet d’échange bias et indique que les couches, couramment négligé, de CoO doivent être prises en considération dans le bilan énergétiques du système. Nous avons construits un appareil de mesure perpendiculaire de la magnétorésistance tunnel anisotrope (TAMR) à partir de la structure Pt/Co/AlOx. La TAMR est un effet de spintronique relativement récent dans lequel la rotation d’aimantation dans une électrode magnétique (combiné avec un couplage spin-orbite) peut entrainer un changement de la probabilité de l’effet tunnel, ce qui se manifeste comme un effet de magnétorésistance. Nous avons démontré qu’un contrôle précis de l’état d’oxydation est essentiel pour l’effet TAMR. La forte anisotropie magnétique induite nous permet d’atteindre des valeurs de TAMR plus grande comparée à celle des structures Pt/Co/AlOx. / In the context of studying magnetic and spintronics phenomena occurring at the nanoscale, we investigated several aspects of Pt/Co/AlOx asymmetric structures. One of the objectives of this thesis was the control of the oxidation and the tailoring of the magnetic properties of these multilayers. We combined structural (X-Ray Reflectivity), transport (Anomalous Hall Effect) and magnetic measurements (VSM-SQUID), to study the interplay of magnetic and interfacial effects. One objective was to analyze the role that few monolayers (MLs) of CoO (which can form when overoxidizing the Al layer), could have on the properties of the stack. We used a wedge deposition techniques to control the oxidation on a subnanometer scale. We established that few MLs of CoO largely affect the total anisotropy of the stack. To further investigate the impact of the CoO, we engineered ultrathin Co(0.6nm)/CoO(0.6nm) bilayers. We performed field cooled measurements on this system and we found a large exchange bias anisotropy. These results indicate that the CoO keeps a large anisotropy even in the ML regime, help to rule out some of the models proposed to explain the exchange bias effect and imply that the usually neglected CoO presence must be considered in the energy balance of the system. We build perpendicular Tunneling Anisotropic MagnetoResistance (TAMR) devices based on the Pt/Co/AlOx structure. The TAMR is a relatively new spintronics effect in which the rotation of the magnetization in a single magnetic electrode (combined with the Spin-Orbit Coupling) can cause a change of the tunnel probability, which manifests as a magnetoresistance effect. We demonstrated that a careful control of the interface oxidation is crucial for the TAMR effect. The large induced magnetic anisotropy allowed us to achieve enhanced TAMR values compared to similar Pt/Co/AlOx structures.

Layer-by-layer assembly of polyelectrolytes is a simple technique based on the self-assembly of polycations and polyanions mainly by electrostatic interactions, which has gained considerable scientific interest for its versatility of applications. Ease of fabrication process, inexpensive approach and use to coat surfaces with various geometries prompts the researchers to select this technique not only for the surface modification applications but also to study the processes which exploit the 3D matrix properties of polyelectrolyte multilayer films (PEMs). Recent advances have been made where PEMs coatings have been utilized for their bio-applications like drug delivery and in tissue engineering for modifying the biomaterial's surfaces. In the field of drug delivery and tissue engineering the location and availability of the constituent molecules is very important, which is defined by their ability to diffuse through the encapsulating material or reservoir. So the main objective of this thesis is to understand the transport of molecules in ultrathin Polyelectrolyte Multilayer Films in lateral as well as transverse direction to the substrate. To study this transport behaviour in PEMs, we have employed various strategies which can enhance or suppress the diffusivity across PEMs. Thus, understanding the diffusion at nanoscale resolution will lead us to design better host materials for loading of drugs and growth factors for various biomedical applications.

O desenvolvimento da nanociência e nanotecnologia promoveu uma nova fronteira no estudo da matéria, permitindo que materiais já conhecidos tivessem suas propriedades redescobertas ao serem manipulados em nível molecular. Vários materiais vêm apresentando relevância na nanociência e nanotecnologia, como os nanotubos de carbono (CNTs), nanopartículas (NPs) e óxido de grafeno, uma vez que os CNTs e óxido de grafeno são dotados de propriedades mecânicas, térmicas e elétricas que os tornam apropriados para o desenvolvimento e a aplicação em dispositivos, especialmente na área biotecnológica e de sensores. Diversas áreas se beneficiam com o uso da tecnologia em nanopartículas (NPs), por exemplo: alimentícia, médica, agronegócio, cosmética, etc. Uma possível perspectiva na utilização desses nanomateriais em sistemas biológicos torna muito interessante investigar como tais materiais interagem em nível molecular com modelos de membranas celulares e com células. Esta tese tem como objetivos: i) investigar detalhadamente a interação entre nanopartículas (Fe3O4/Dextran; Fe3O4/PDAC; PDAC; Dextran) e nanotubos de carbono com modelos de membranas celulares; e ii) desenvolver nanofibras poliméricas pela técnica de electrospinning para ser utilizada com óxido de grafeno como modelos mimetizados (scaffolds) para a diferenciação de células-tronco neurais. Os filmes ultrafinos foram fabricados utilizando as técnicas de Langmuir e Langmuir-Blodgett. Esses nanomateriais foram avaliados através da técnica de Espectroscopia vibracional por Geração de Soma de Frequências. A espectroscopia SFG é sensível a interfaces. Nanofibras de Poli(ε-Caprolactone) foram fabricadas pela técnica de electrospinning. Scaffolds com óxido de grafeno/Nanofibras de Poli(ε-Caprolactone) foram desenvolvidos como suportes sólidos para a diferenciação de células-tronco neurais de rato. Óxido de grafeno em diferentes concentrações foi incorporado nas nanofibras poliméricas. Os modelos deste sistema foram investigados por imagens de Microscopia Eletrônica de Varredura. Os resultados mostraram que a carga eletrostática de cada fosfolipídio utilizado pode influenciar nas interações com os nanomateriais (nanopartículas ou nanotubos de carbono), podendo resultar em uma desestruturação no modelo de membrana celular. Scaffolds contendo nanofibras de Poli(ε-Caprolactone) com óxido de grafeno representaram um eficiente modelo mimetizado para a interação/diferenciação de células-tronco neurais de rato conforme revelado por imagens de Microscopia Eletrônica de Varredura. Estas imagens mostraram que o sistema de nanofibras de Poli(ε-Caprolactone) com 1,0 mg/mL de óxido de grafeno foram ideais para a diferenciação de oligodendrócitos em células-tronco neurais de rato. / The development of nanoscience and nanotechnology promoted a new frontier on the study of matter, allowing conventional materials to exhibit novel or improved properties. Several materials show relevance in nanoscience and nanotechnology, such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs), nanoparticles (NPs) and graphene oxide. CNTs and graphene oxide, for example, exhibit unique mechanical, thermal and electrical properties, which make them appropriate to the development and application in devices, especially in biotechnology and sensors areas. Many areas are benefited from the use of nanoparticles (NPs), such as food, medical, agrobusiness, cosmetic etc. The perspective regarding the use of nanomaterials in biological systems requires the understanding on how these materials interact at the molecular level with cell membrane models and with cells. The objectives of this thesis are: i) to investigate the interaction between nanoparticles (Fe3O4/Dextran; Fe3O4/PDAC; PDAC; Dextran) and carbon nanotubes with cell membrane models; and ii) to develop polymeric nanofibers via electrospinning technique, to be used with graphene oxide as mimic models (scaffolds) in the differentiation of neural stem cells. The cell membrane models were manufactured using Langmuir and Langmuir-Blodgett techniques. These nanomaterials were evaluated through Sum Frequency Vibrational Spectrosocopy (SFG). Poly(ε-Caprolactone) nanofibers were manufactured by electrospinning technique. Scaffolds with graphene oxide/Poly(ε-Caprolactone) were developed as solid supports for differentiation of rats neural stem cells. This biosystem was investigated via Scanning Electron Microscopy and biochemical essays. The results showed that the charge of each phospholipid influenced the interactions with the nanomaterials (nanoparticles or carbon nanotubes), in some cases, resulting in a disruption of the cell membrane model. Scaffolds with Poly(ε-Caprolactone) nanofibers obtained via electrospinning with graphene oxide represented an efficient mimic model for interaction/differentiation of neural stem cells as shown via Scanning Electron Microscopy. The images revealed that the PCL nanofibers system with 1.0 mg/mL of graphene oxide were ideal to the differentiation of oligodendrocytes in neural stem cells.

Objetivos: (1) determinar a carga de fratura e o modo de falha de laminados cerâmicos ultrafinos processados via CAD-CAM em função da microestrutura do material (vitrocerâmica à base de dissilicato de lítio ou porcelana à base de leucita); (2) desenvolver metodologia de ciclagem mecânica para determinar o tempo de vida e o modo de falha de laminados cerâmicos ultrafinos processados via CADCAM. Materiais e métodos: dezesseis dentes humanos, incisivos centrais superiores, foram utilizados para confecção dos espécimes. Os dentes sofreram mínimo preparo, em esmalte, para adequada adaptação dos laminados cerâmicos ultrafinos. Os laminados de dissilicato de lítio e de porcelana foram confeccionados via CAD-CAM e cimentados com cimento resinoso sobre os dentes. Quatro espécimes de cada grupo foram levados à máquina de ensaios universal para determinação da carga de fratura dos laminados. Para o desenvolvimento de metodologia para determinação do tempo de vida dos laminados, uma série de testes piloto foi realizada, utilizando-se diferentes parâmetros como: tipo de antagonista (dentes naturais ou roletes metálicos), carga aplicada (20, 30 ou 40 N) e esquema de ciclo mastigatório (incisão ou deslizamento). Os padrões de falha dos laminados foram analisados em um estereomicroscópio, e os resultados obtidos no ensaio de carga de fratura foram analisados por ANOVA e teste de Tukey. Resultados: o valor médio obtido de carga de fratura para o dissilicato de lítio foi de 431,8 ± 217,9 N, enquanto que para a porcelana foi de 454,4 ± 72,1 N. Não houve diferença estatística entre os valores de carga de fratura encontrados, porém, o desvio padrão e o coeficiente de variação da vitrocerâmica foram muito superiores em relação aos da porcelana. Houve diferença no modo de falha dos materiais testados, sendo que a porcelana apresentou um maior número de falha por lascamento e o dissilicato de lítio apresentou maior quantidade de falha da estrutura dental. Na ciclagem mecânica, para cada condição testada, uma resposta diferente foi obtida. No tipo de ciclo incisão, os antagonistas (dente natural) fraturaram quando as cargas de 30 N e 40 N foram aplicadas. No tipo de ciclo deslizamento, o antagonista (dente natural) sofreu desgaste da borda incisal com carga de 30 N. Para o antagonista rolete metálico, quando a carga de 30 N foi aplicada ocorreu fratura do laminado, e quando aplicada a carga de 20 N, houve desgaste excessivo do rolete metálico. Conclusão: (1) o material utilizado não afetou a carga de fratura dos laminados cerâmicos ultrafinos quando o teste estático foi utilizado. Entretanto, o modo de falha foi significativamente diferente, sendo que a porcelana sofreu mais lascamentos do que o dissilicato de lítio; o qual, por sua vez, apresentou a maioria das falhas relacionadas à estrutura dental. (2) Não foi possível determinar uma combinação de parâmetros de ciclagem mecânica que permitisse a determinação dos parâmetros de fadiga para laminados cerâmicos ultrafinos, já que o número máximo de ciclos alcançados foi de 536.818 ciclos. Dessa forma, estudos futuros precisam ser realizados para que uma metodologia apropriada permita determinar parâmetros de fadiga clinicamente relevantes para laminados cerâmicos ultrafinos em dentes anteriores. / Objectives: (1) to determine the fracture load and the failure mode of the ultra-thin ceramic laminates processed via CAD-CAM according to the microstructure of the material (lithium disilicate-based glass-ceramic or leucite-based porcelain); (2) to develop a fatigue methodology capable of determining the lifetime of ultra-thin ceramic laminates processed via CAD-CAM. Materials and methods: sixteen human maxillary central incisors were used to produce the specimens. The teeth required minimal preparation on the enamel for proper adaptation of the ultra-thin ceramic laminates. Ceramic laminates made of lithium disilicate and feldspathic porcelain with thicknesses between 0.3 mm to 0.5 mm were produced via CAD-CAM and cemented with resin cement. Four specimens of each group were taken to a universal testing machine to determine the fracture load of the laminates. For the development of a fatigue methodology, a series of pilot tests was performed using different parameters such as: type of antagonist (natural teeth or metal roller), applied load (20, 30 or 40 N), and type of masticatory cycle (incision or sliding). Failure modes were analysed using a stereomicroscope. Fracture load data were analysed by ANOVA and Tukey\'s test. Results: the mean fracture load obtained for the glass-ceramic was 431.8 ± 217.9 N, while that obtained for the porcelain was 454.4 ± 72.1 N. There was no statistical difference between the mean fracture load values; however, the standard deviation and the coefficient of the variation of the glass-ceramic were both higher than those obtained for the porcelain. There was also a difference in the failure modes for the two materials tested. The porcelain showed a higher number of factures due to chipping and the lithium disilicate showed a higher number of tooth structure failure. The fatigue experiment showed different results depending on the condition analysed. In the incision cycle, the antagonists (natural tooth) fractured when loads of 30 N and 40 N were applied. In the slide type of cycle, the antagonist (natural tooth) suffered wear on the incisal edge after applying 30 N of load. For the metal roller antagonist, when a 30 N load was applied, the ceramic laminate fractured, and when a 20 N load was applied, an excessive wear of the metal roller occurred. Conclusion: (1) The material used did not affect the fracture load of ultra-thin ceramic laminates when the static test was used. However, the failure mode was significantly different, as porcelain suffered more chipping than the lithium disilicate; which, in turn, showed most fails related to the tooth structure. (2) It was not possible to determine the combination of the mechanical cycling parameters that would allow the determination of fatigue parameters for ultra-thin ceramic laminates, since the maximum number of cycles reached was 536,818 cycles. In this way, future studies need to be carried out so that a clinically relevant methodology can be developed to determine the fatigue parameters of ultra-thin ceramic laminates in the anterior teeth.