Assemblies in dense environments

In 2 Dimensions

Understanding the adsorption processes of biopolymers (cellulose, hemicelluloses, gum arabic, dextran) on surfaces and the development of multilayer thin films, focusing on i) the effect of charge distribution and biopolymer structure on hydration to probe mechanical properties ii) the construction of multilayer films with a modular structure or iii) mastering the asymmetric structuring of elementary building blocks (gradient or multi-component films) for the manufacture of stimulable materials or actuators.

In 3 Dimensions

The directed self-assembly of biopolymers enables anisotropic constructions such as the alignment of nanocrystals (liquid crystals) or cellulose nanofibrils (cryogels oriented by freeze-casting). These constructions will make it possible i) to understand long-distance organisation as a function of various factors (charge density, hydration, etc.), ii) to study the impact of a constrained environment on the diffusion of small molecules such as enzymes or on the mechanical and sorption properties of materials (cryogels). Micro- and millifluidic tools can be used to study phases concentrated in single- or multiphase droplets in reasonable volumes. These microreactors will be used for two purposes: to probe the dynamics of phase separation in relation to enzymatic activity and to monitor possible variations in enzymatic activity in a dense, organised liquid crystal-type medium.