The purpose of the research task carried out during this thesis was to synthesize sub-micrometric polystyrene droplets containing quantum dots, so called QDs. This technique is called encapsulation. It corresponds to trap one or more QDs in the polymeric matrix of the polystyrene droplets. The QDs exhibit fluorescence with a wavelength depending on chemical composition and the size of the crystal. The QDs employed are CdSe emitting in the range of 500nm-630nm. For the realization of these droplets with QDs, we chose a mini-emulsion process which enables us to produce latex balls in great quantity and a high monodispersity. The optical properties of the QDs during the encapsulation process must then be preserved. The major difficulty consisted in carrying out a homogeneous dispersion of QDs in the droplets. For that, it is necessary to obtain a statistical distribution of the QDs in each ball. The utility to develop these sub-micrometric size composite droplets (QDs incorporated into polymers balls), is to produce a material with QDs, soluble in water for application as markers in biology. These objects could then be functionalized with the grafting of a functional grouping which will present a specific affinity for a precise biological material. This fonctionnalisation will be ensured via the surfactant which ensures the production of mini-emulsion. Finally, we synthesized self-assemblies of QDs with charged copolymers blocks. We explored the possibility of synthesizing aggregates of QDs and magnetic particles.
