Guillaume Fleury

Polypeptide-based block copolymers are promising platforms for creating hierarchical nanostructures because their secondary structures can direct mesoscale self-assembly. This study investigates how polypeptide chain length and thermal annealing govern the hierarchical organization of poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(ε-benzyloxycarbonyl-l-lysine) (PEG-b-PZLL) thin films. Combined FTIR, AFM, AFM-IR, and synchrotron GIWAXS/GISAXS analyses reveal that PZLL segments predominantly form α-helical conformations that assemble into hexagonally packed domains with nearly constant lattice parameters across compositions. Increasing the PZLL degree of polymerization stabilizes the α-helical structure, promotes preferential in-plane orientation of cylindrical domains, and enables the formation of long-range ordered fibrillar morphologies, whereas short PZLL chains partially transform into β-sheet structures during film formation and after high-temperature annealing. These findings establish a direct relationship between the secondary structure, orientational ordering, and mesoscale morphology in self-assembled polypeptide block copolymer films.

Control of hot-spots through polarization-dependent excitation of plasmon modes: toward improved selectivity, molecular orientation probing, and enhanced signal-to-noise ratio in SERS measurements.

Soft confinement by grafted polymer brushes stabilizes metastable out-of-plane lamellae in high-χ PS-b-PDMSB thin films without requiring top-interface neutralization. Brush/BCP interpenetration decouples substrate neutrality from film stability.

Flexible electrocaloric polymers address the demand for greener, more efficient cooling technologies and the growing need for thermal management in wearable electronics. Their compactness, direct electrical integration and conformal adaptability make them a compelling alternative to conventional vapor compression systems for these applications. In this work, we present a fully printed electrocaloric device that exploits the large electrocaloric response of the P(VDF‐TrFE‐CFE) terpolymer near room temperature and across a broad operating range. The device operates through electrostatic actuation, which alternately brings a multilayered screen‐printed flexible P(VDF‐TrFE‐CFE)/PEDOT:PSS membrane into thermal contact with the heat source and sink during each cooling cycle. The fabrication process is entirely industrially scalable and low‐cost, paving the way for a versatile next‐generation cooling solution.

Organocatalyzed group transfer copolymerization of muconate esters enables a solvent-programmed transition, from molecularly dissolved statistical copolymers in homogeneous solution, to nanoparticles formed during copolymer growth in nonpolar media.

Vinylidene Fluoride (VDF)‐based polymers are renowned for their remarkable electroactive properties, encompassing the piezoelectric, pyroelectric, and ferroelectric effects. These properties make them highly sought‐after in a wide range of applications, such as sensors and energy storage. The modulation of their dielectric characteristics is intricately linked to the crystalline polymorphism, which is contingent upon specific processing conditions. Herein, we evaluate the potential for enhancing these dielectric functionalities through modifications of the casting conditions (i.e., solvent and evaporation rate). Our findings demonstrate that superior structural characteristics and enhanced dielectric properties are achieved when casting from highly polar solvents followed by a vacuum annealing treatment. This simple and efficient method eliminates the need for extensive and complex processing methods and holds promise for streamlining industrial integration on a larger scale by reducing energy costs related to common integration processes.

Vinylidene Fluoride (VDF)-based polymers are renowned for their remarkable electroactive properties, encompassing the piezoelectric, pyroelectric, and ferroelectric effects. These properties make them highly sought-after in a wide range of applications, such as sensors and energy storage. The modulation of their dielectric characteristics is intricately linked to the crystalline polymorphism, which is contingent upon specific processing conditions. Herein, we evaluate the potential for enhancing these dielectric functionalities through modifications of the casting conditions (i.e., solvent and evaporation rate). Our findings demonstrate that superior structural characteristics and enhanced dielectric properties are achieved when casting from highly polar solvents followed by a vacuum annealing treatment. This simple and efficient method eliminates the need for extensive and complex processing methods and holds promise for streamlining industrial integration on a larger scale by reducing energy costs related to common integration processes.