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Polimerització, Polimerización, Polymerization, Pel·lícules fines, Películas delgadas, Thin films, Plasma (Gasos ionitzats), Plasma (Gases ionizados), Plasma (Ionized gases), and Ciències Experimentals i Matemàtiques

Plasma Polymerization is a novel technique for the preparation of polymer-like thin film coatings at low temperatures onto almost any type of substrates: plastic, metal, semiconductors, wood, textile fibers or membranes, to cite just a few. The films can be grown directly from liquid monomers that are introduced in the vapor phase into a vacuum chamber equipped with one or more electrodes that generate the plasma after a high voltage in continuous current mode (DC), low-frequency (AC) or high frequency (RF) is applied. The plasma state is a high-energy gas state in which the density of electrons, ions, excited species and radical fragments is abundant. The introduction of an organic monomer vapor into the plasma triggers the formation of molecular fragments capable of initiating multiple reactions: in the gas phase, recombination of radicals, oligomerization of high-weight molecules and aggregation into nanoscopic dust can occur, whereas adsorption and reaction onto any solid surface will result in the growth of highly adherent thin films. The structural, chemical and functional properties of these coatings are determined by the composition of the precursor gas mixture and the type of monomer, and also by several technological parameters that can be fine-tuned, such as the pressure, plasma power, frequency of change of electrode polarization, substrate location, flux of gas, etc... By controlling these technological parameters it is possible to modulate the value of the magnitudes that govern the physico-chemical mechanisms which are responsible for film growth: residence time of molecules, available energy per molecule, degree of monomer fragmentation, density and energy of ion bombardment on the substrates, and gas transport in the reactor, among others. Plasma polymerization allows to grow films from virtually any kind of organic molecule which can be evaporated at low temperatures (<80 °C) and introduced in the reactor at sufficient flow rates (> lsccm), even when that molecule would not be the characteristic repeating unit of any conventional polymer synthesized by other physical or chemical means. The technique is also applicable to other types of monomers (non-carbon based), such as organosilicon or organometallic molecules. The use of organosilicon monomers allows to obtain films with a wide spectrum of properties, from those frequently attributed to an elastomeric polymer such as silicone (polydimethylsiloxane, PDMS) to those associated to a hard inorganic material, such as glass (amorphous silicon dioxide, silica). Regardless of their apparently opposed nature, these two materials share an extremely similar chemical backbone based on silicon-oxygen chemical bonds. During the investigations conducted in our study, different organosilicon monomers have been employed for plasma polymerization: hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO), hexamethyldisilazane (HMDSN) and tetraethoxysilane (TEOS), but the only results presented within the scope of this Thesis are those obtained for ppHMDSO films. This is due to the fact that HMDSO is the only monomer allowing the growth of polymer-like films, inorganic-like films, intermediate stoichiometry films and even graded films with properties varying with depth in a single plasma process. With respect to power sources for plasma generation, most published works choose high frequency electrical power sources, such as radiofrequency (RF) or microwaves (MW), although plasma polymerization can also be carried on with direct-current high-voltage sources (HV-DC), from 500 V to 3000 V. In our investigations, these three types of sources have been employed, as can be found in our related publications, but again only results with the DC plasma source will be presented due to their simple design and use in industrial applications. A main objective of this Thesis is to establish its limitations, such as the limited film thickness attainable or the excessive heating of substrates, depending on the reactor configuration and the operating parameters. As a consequence, the scope of this Thesis covers two main objectives: first, the study of DC plasma polymerization of hexamethyldisiloxane (DC ppHMDSO) with and without addition of carrier gases in the precursor mixture, in order to obtain polymer-like or inorganic silica-like coatings with specific mechanical, optical and corrosion protective functional properties, for further application to solving some practical problems of industrial interest; secondly, the study of modifications produced by a different non-additive post-treatments in a polymer-like ppHMDSO film, in order to obtain a film with graded properties varying with depth.

Endocitosis, Endocitosi, Endocytosis, Polimerització, Polimerización, Polymerization, Actina, Miosines-I, Miosinas-I, Myosines-I, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Ciències Experimentals i Matemàtiques

S. cerevisiae (budding yeast) is particularly powerful to study the relation between the molecular mechanisms of actin regulation and its biological significance due to its powerful molecular and genetic methods, well-established biochemical techniques, and development of live cell imaging and immuno-electron microscopy. Further, budding yeast has a simple cytoskeleton but the molecular mechanisms controlling its remodeling are conserved from yeast to mammals. Interestingly, a dynamic actin cytoskeleton is mandatory for endocytosis in S. cerevisiae. In this organism the formation of the primary endocytic profiles in yeast occurs concomitant with the assembly of a complex actin structure (the endocytic actin module), which includes the actin nucleator Arp2/3 complex. Consistent with observations indicating that the myosin-I Myo5 in complex with the WIP homolog Vrp1 is a major Arp2/3-dependent actin nucleating promoting factor (NPF) driving productive membrane invagination, our laboratory has demonstrated that the C-terminal domain of Myo5 immobilized on the surface of Sepharose beads induces assembly of the endocytic actin module in the presence of yeast extracts. Analysis of the in vitro actin assembly assay demonstrated that Myo5 is phosphorylated by the casein kinase CK2 at the serine 1205 during the assay. In this study, we have characterized the CK2 activity that phosphorylates Myo5 at the C-terminus and investigated the functional significance of this phosphorylation in vivo and in vitro. Our results indicate that a non-tetrameric and particulate-associated CK2 activity that includes the catalytic subunit Cka2 but not Cka1 or the regulatory subunits Ckb1 and Ckb2 phosphorylates Myo5 S1205. Our results also indicate that this phosphorylation event down-regulates the assembly of complex actin structures in vitro and slows down the internalization process and the dissociation of the myosin from the plasma membrane in vivo. The Cka2-mediated phosphorylation at Myo5 S1205 does not seem to regulate the affinity of the NPF for the Arp2/3 complex but rather down-regulates the interaction of Myo5 with its co-activator Vrp1. This phosphorylation also increases directly or indirectly the binding of the myosin to the endocytic coat components Sla1 and Pan1 and to the syndapin Bzz1, suggesting that the phosphorylation event occurs late during the maturation of the endocytic invagination. Finally, our data suggest that Cka2 have endocytic targets other than Myo5 and that its activity might also regulate early steps during the assembly of the endocytic coat.

polímers dendrítics, polimerització, radicalària controlada, polimerització per obertura d'anell, termoestables, and reïnes epoxi

Aquest treball s'emmarca en el camp dels materials termoestables amb aplicacions com a recobriments o encapsulants per microelectrònica i pretén l'obtenció de materials amb una millor durabilitat i que puguin ser degradats un cop finalitzada la seva vida útil, permetent la recuperació del dispositiu electrònic. L'estratègia escollida s’ha basat en la modificació de la reïna comercial diglicidilèter de bisfenol A (DGEBA) amb estructures dendrítiques de tipus hiperramificat i estrella. Aquesta estratègia permet la introducció de grups ester, tèrmicament làbils així com reduir l'encongiment que es produeix durant el curat. A més, la incorporació d’aquest tipus d’estructures augmenta el volum lliure de la xarxa polimèrica fent augmentar la tenacitat del material sense empitjorar el processat de la mescla reactiva ni les propietats termomecàniques del material.

resina de polièster insaturat, calorimetria diferencial d'escombrat, cinètica, curat, termoestable, polimerització, curado de resinas, poliéster insaturado, and anàlisi tèrmica

Se ha estudiado la eficiencia de diferentes sistemas de iniciación química y térmica del curado de resinas de poliéster insaturado. Mediante calorimetría diferencial de barrido (DSC), se ha curado isotérmicamente y dinámicamente una resina de poliéster insaturado con peroxido de benzoilo como iniciador. Se ha calculado parámetros cinéticos por ajuste de los resultados calorimétricos, según diferentes métodos de análisis. Se ha establecido que método aporta mejores resultados. En curados dinámicos de varias resinas se ha investigado el efecto que provoca el tipo y la cantidad de promotor y de iniciador y en la iniciación y en el curado. Se ha estudiado la influencia del contenido de estireno y de la composición de la resina en el proceso de curado y en las propiedades del material curado, determinando la tg (DSC) y el modulo elástico (ensayos mecánicos de flexión). Se ha realizado un estudio de la degradación térmica de varias resinas por termogravimetría. Se ha determinado también el grado de conversión último mediante DSC y GPC. En curados isotérmicos de una resina con iniciador y diferentes tipos de promotor, se ha investigado la influencia del carácter nucleófilo de la amina y el tamaño de los sustituyentes en el mecanismo de iniciación Redox. Finalmente se ha investigado por DSC el mecanismo de inhibición de la hidroquinona y la influencia del contenido de hidroquinona en el curado y en los parámetros cinéticos del curado. A partir de los parámetros cinéticos obtenidos, se ha simulado el curado isotérmico, dentro y fuera del intervalo experimental de temperaturas utilizado para establecer la cinética.

polieter, polimerització, and microestructura

S'ha estudiat la polimerització del 3-fenoxi-1,2-epoxipropà (PGE) racèmic i òpticament actiu en un dissolvent eteri utilitzant com a catalitzador una combinació de isopropòxid d'alumini i diferents halurs de zinc (clorur, bromur, iodur i acetat) en diferents proporcions. Sa relacionat la conversió i el pes molecular de les fraccions isotàctiques de polímer obtingut (PPGE) amb la capacitat coordinativa del sistema iniciador utilitzat. En presencia d'aigua com a codificador s'aconsegueix desactivar selectivament els llocs no estereoselectius del catalitzador i en conseqüència augmenta la conversió i el pes molecular del polímer. S'ha estudiat la cristallinitat de les mostres de PPGE mitjançant raig X i DSC. Encara que ambdós tipus de mostres mostren un patró semblant per raig X, presenten diferencies significatives per DSC. En tots el casos s'ha pogut relacionar la conversió de polímer isotàctic, el pes molecular y el grau de cristallinitat amb les condicions de polimerització i el mecanisme de polimerització.La microestructura dels polímers obtinguts s'ha analitzat mitjançant tècniques de RMN de 1H i 13C, determinant-ne el seu grau de tacticitat i el contingut de unions irregulars. En el cas de les fraccions solubles s'han pogut identificar i quantificar els diferents grups finals de cadena mitjançant tècniques de derivatització "in situ" i anàlisis per RMN de 19F. La naturalesa del extrems de cadena s'ha pogut relacionar amb el mecanisme de polimerització.També s'han preparat polímers entrecreuats per copolimerització del fenilglicidiléter i diferents diglicidiléters aromàtics utilitzant l'iniciador i les condicions estudiades anteriorment. S'ha pogut determinar que el percentatge d'incorporació del comonomer a la xarxa depèn de la seva estructura. La caracterització dels materials per RMN de 13C i DSC ha permès determinar que es tracta de cadenes altament regular amb un percentatge de isotacticitat molt elevat (80%) lo que es tradueix en una elevada cristalllinitat de les mostres.

Floculació (Química), Acrilamida, and Polimerització