The development of membranes for nanofiltration with ionic transport properties that combine ionic permeability and selectivity is essential for improving the performance of water desalination or blue energy generation systems [1]. Besides, lab-on-chips using one or a few nano-channels combining ionic and electronic transport could open up a whole field of fundamental explorations in bio-iono-electronics and its potential applications: single-molecule detection, artificial synapses/neurons, .... etc [2]. Within this general framework, our aim is to study the ion transport properties of a bioinspired artificial nano-channel consisting of a single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) inside which a biological ion channel (BIC) is confined. The first phase of this project consists of verifying whether or not it is possible to confine such a channel in a SWCNT. The BIC being studied is gramicidin. It is a small, well-characterised protein having a helicoidal structure when inserted into the cytoplasmic membrane [3]. Its outer ring is particularly hydrophobic and hence should facilitate its insertion into a SWCNT. The SWCNTs used are purified EC-15 eDIPS whose average diameter, i.e. ~2.1-2.2 nm, is expected to be large enough to accommodate the protein in its helicoidal form. The results presented here show that gramicidin strongly interacts with SWCNTs and gets inserted. This outcome is obtained using a range of technics: XRD, Raman, XPS, TEM and Water Sorption Isotherms. Particular emphasis will be made on the use of Water Sorption Isotherms as a powerful tool for characterising confinement in SWCNT.

L’écoconception est une démarche qui consiste à développer un produit ou système en minimisant ses impacts environnementaux sur l’ensemble de son cycle de vie à service rendu équivalent. Elle nécessite l’utilisation d’outils d’analyse de cycle de vie permettant de quantifier les impacts environnementaux par une approche multicritère à partir d’un inventaire des flux entrants et sortants du produit ou système. Ainsi, le but est de traduire les consommations et les rejets recensés lors de l'inventaire en impacts environnementaux. La présentation introduira le principe de la démarche d’écoconception, le calcul des impacts environnementaux d’un produit et les limites de l’approche.

Cette intervention introduit l’écoconception ses enjeux et ses limites. Elle permet de comprendre les grands principes de l’ACV des produits et des systèmes, la méthode multicritère et prospective permettant de calculer des impacts environnementaux.

Mesoporous organosilica nanoparticles (MO-Nps) are classically formed by grafting method and by co-condensation of organosilanes with TEOS. The hydrolysis of organo-bridged silanes gives TEOS-free hybrids called Bridged silsesquioxanes (BS). Using the soft template route, hybrid silica called PMO (Periodic Mesoporous Organosilica) with interesting high organic content are formed and PMO-Nps with hierarchical structures can be designed1. Recently mesoporous hybrid silica Nps with variable structures have been reported (Core/shell and Yolk/shell, etc)2 and PMO-Nps turned out to be a promising platform for nanothermometry applications. We are interested in controlling the relation between the structure and physical and chemical properties of such multifunctional nanoplatforms after encapsulation for further biological applications. Our work is focused firstly on the synthesis of Hollow PMO Nps (HPMO-NPs) with a controlled core cavity and a PMO shell. To engineer these porosities, we used subsequently two templating routes: (1) silica spheres as hard template to form the core cavity and (2) CTAB as soft template and BTEB (1,4-Bis-triethoxysilylbenzene) to achieve the mesoporous PMO shell (Figure). Na2CO3 and HCl are used to successively deliver the two kinds of porosity. Core silica with fixed diameters allow to control both HPMO-NPs sizes and core cavity hollow diameter. We will present the results of a multiscale study of the relation between the structure and the physical properties of HPMO-NPs from structural and optical investigations. Nanothermometry properties of such systems after encapsulation of up-converting nanoparticles will be finally introduced.

Hollow Periodic Mesoporous Organosilica Nanoparticles (HPMO-NPs) with a controlled core cavity and a Periodic Mesoporous Organosilica (PMO) shell have been synthesized using a dual templating approach. A dense silica hard template is firstly prepared following classical Stöber sol-gel protocol. The hybrid silica shell is then deposited through a one-pot strategy by the co-condensation of the organosilane precursor with surfactant. HPMO-NPs are then obtained after the final etching steps of the hard and soft templates. In this work, we demonstrate that this strategy can be applied to synthesize:a/ HPMO-NPs with controlled diameter sizes ranging from 600 nm to 40 nm, b/ HPMO-NPs with various shell composition by adjusting the nature of the organosilane precursor, c/ Yolk shell structures with a functional central nanoparticle. We will detail the structural properties of the HPMO-NPs using a multi-scale experimental study at the various stages of synthesis, highlighting the role of mesoporosity and the structural organization of the PMO shell on its properties.Finally, in view of medical applications, we will also present endocytosis and biocompatibility preliminary results.

Recent advancements in materials science have shed light on the potential of exploring hierarchical assemblies of molecules on surfaces, driven by both fundamental and applicative challenges. This field encompasses diverse areas including molecular storage, drug delivery, catalysis, and nanoscale chemical reactions. In this context, the utilization of nanotube templates (NTs) has emerged as promising platforms for achieving advanced one-dimensional (1D) molecular assemblies. NTs offer cylindrical, crystalline structures with high aspect ratios, capable of hosting molecules both externally and internally (Mol@NT). Furthermore, NTs possess a wide array of available diameters, providing tunability for tailored assembly. This review underscores recent breakthroughs in the field of Mol@NT. The first part focuses on the diverse panorama of structural properties in Mol@NT synthesized in the last decade. The advances in understanding encapsulation, adsorption, and ordering mechanisms are detailed. In a second part, the review highlights the physical interactions and photophysics properties of Mol@NT obtained by the confinement of molecules and nanotubes in the van der Waals distance regime. The last part of the review describes potential applicative fields of these 1D heterostructures, providing specific examples in photovoltaics, luminescent materials, and bio-imaging. A conclusion gathers current challenges and perspectives of the field to foster discussion in related communities.