Effects of concentration and chain length of the sequence copolymer on interfacial properties of homopolymers/sequence copolymers ternary blends: A DPD simulation study

The effect of the concentration and chain length of the copolymer AB with sequence length τ = 8 on the interfacial properties of the ternary mixtures A₁₀/AB/B₁₀ are investigated by the dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) simulations. It is found that: i) As the copolymer concentration varies from 0.05 to 0.15, increasing the copolymer enrichment at the center of the interface enlarges the interface width ω and reduces the interfacial tension. However, as the concentration of the sequence copolymers further increases to 0.2, because the interface has formed micelles and the micellization could lower the efficiency of copolymers as a compatibilizer, the interfacial tension exhibits a slightly increase; ii) elevating the copolymer chain length, the copolymer volumes vary from a cylinder shape to a pancake shape. The blends of the copolymer with chain length N_cp = 24 exhibit a wider interfacial width w and a lower interfacial tension γ, which indicates that the sequenced copolymer N_cp = 24 exhibits a better performance as the compatibilizers. This study illustrates the correlations between the reduction in interfacial tension produced by the sequence copolymers and their molecular parameters, which guide a rational design of an efficient compatibilizer.

Effect of sequence distribution of block copolymers on the interfacial properties of ternary mixtures: a dissipative particle dynamics simulation

In this paper, the dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) simulations method is used to study the effect of sequence distribution of block copolymers on the interfacial properties between immiscible homopolymers. Five block copolymers with the same composition but different sequence lengths are utilized for simulation. The sequence distribution is varied from the alternating copolymer to the symmetric diblock copolymer. Our simulations show that the efficiency of the block copolymer in reducing the interfacial tension is highly dependent on both the degree of penetration of the copolymer chain into the homopolymer phase and the number of copolymers at the interface per area. The linear block copolymers AB with the sequence length of τ = 8 could both sufficiently extend into the homopolymer phases and exhibit a larger number of copolymers at the interface per area. Thereby the copolymer with the sequence length τ = 8 is more effective in reducing the interfacial tension compared to that of diblock copolymers and the alternating copolymers at the same concentration. This work offers useful tips for copolymer compatibilizer selection at the immiscible homopolymer mixture interfaces.

DPD Study on the Interfacial Properties of PEO/PEO-PPO-PEO/PPO Ternary Blends: Effects of Pluronic Structure and Concentration

Using the method of dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) simulations, we investigated the interfacial properties of PEO/PEO-PPO-PEO/PPO ternary blends composed of the Pluronics L64(EO₁₃PO₃₀EO₁₃), F68(EO₇₆PO₂₉EO₇₆), F88(EO₁₀₄PO₃₉EO₁₀₄), or F127(EO₁₀₆PO₇₀EO₁₀₆) triblock copolymers. Our simulations show that: (i) The interfacial tensions (γ) of the ternary blends obey the relationship γF68 < γL64 < γF88 < γF127, which indicates that triblock copolymer F68 is most effective in reducing the interfacial tension, compared to L64, F88, and F127; (ii) For the blends of PEO/L64/PPO and the F64 copolymer concentration ranging from c_cp = 0.2 to 0.4, the interface exhibits a saturation state, which results in the aggregation and micelle formation of F64 copolymers added to the blends, and a lowered efficiency of the L64 copolymers as a compatibilizer, thus, the interfacial tension decreases slightly; (iii) For the blends of PEO/F68/PPO, elevating the Pluronic copolymer concentration can promote Pluronic copolymer enrichment at the interfaces without forming the micelles, which reduces the interfacial tension significantly. The interfacial properties of the blends contained the PEO-PPO-PEO triblock copolymer compatibilizers are, thus, controlled by the triblock copolymer structure and the concentration. This work provides important insights into the use of the PEO-PPO-PEO triblock copolymer as compatibilizers in the PEO and PPO homopolymer blend systems.

Effects of Repulsion Parameter and Chain Length of Homopolymers on Interfacial Properties of An/Ax/2BxAx/2/Bm Blends: A DPD Simulation Study

We explored the effects of the repulsion parameter (aAB) and chain length (N_HA or N_HB) of homopolymers on the interfacial properties of A_n/A_x/2B_xA_x/2/B_m ternary polymeric blends using dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) simulations. Our simulations show that: (i) The ternary blends exhibit the significant segregation at the repulsion parameter (aAB = 40). (ii) Both the interfacial tension and the density of triblock copolymer at the center of the interface increase to a plateau with increasing the homopolymer chain length, which indicates that the triblock copolymers with shorter chain length exhibit better performance as the compatibilizers for stabilizing the blends. (iii) For the case of N_HA = 4 (chain length of homopolymers A_n) and N_HB (chain length of homopolymers B_m) ranging from 16 to 64, the blends exhibit larger interfacial widths with a weakened correlation between bead A_n and B_m of homopolymers, which indicates that the triblock copolymer compatibilizers (A_x/2B_xA_x/2) show better performance in reducing the interfacial tension. The effectiveness of triblock copolymer compatibilizers is, thus, controlled by the regulation of repulsion parameters and the homopolymer chain length. This work raises important considerations concerning the use of the triblock copolymer as compatibilizers in the immiscible homopolymer blend systems.

Understanding and controlling the glass transition of HTPB oligomers

In this paper, we use a combination of experiment and simulation to achieve enhanced levels of synthetic control on the microstructure of the much-used binder material hydroxyl terminated polybutadiene (HTPB).

Synthesis and characterization of carboxylated PBAMO copolymers as promising prepolymers for energetic binders

The carboxylated poly[3,3-bis(3-azidomethyl)oxetane] (PBAMO) copolymers (poly(BAMO-carboxylate)) were synthesized by substitution of poly[3,3-bis(3-chloromethyl)oxetane] (PBCMO) with potassium carboxylate and sodium azide in DMSO. The synthesized compounds were characterized using various analytical techniques, such as Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, inverse-gated decoupling ¹³C-nuclear magnetic resonance (¹³C NMR) spectroscopy, gel permeation chromatography (GPC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), calorimetry, friction, and impact sensitivity analysis. These poly(BAMO-carboxylate) compounds have better thermal properties, with lower glass transition temperatures (ranging from −43 °C to −51 °C) than PBAMO (−37 °C) and higher thermal decomposition temperatures (233–237 °C) than PBAMO (211 °C). Moreover, poly(BAMO_0.80-octanoate_0.20) and poly(BAMO_0.78-decanoate_0.22) have higher heats of combustion (5226 and 5665 kJ mol⁻¹, respectively) and negative formation enthalpies (−0.17 and −0.55 kJ g⁻¹, respectively), while PBAMO has lower heat of combustion (3125 kJ mol⁻¹) and positive formation enthalpy (0.06 kJ g⁻¹). The poly(BAMO-carboxylate) compounds have higher values (38–50 J) than that of PBAMO (14 J) in the impact sensitivities. This is a valuable study for improving the properties of PBAMO, which is a high energetic polymeric binder but difficult to handle because of its sensitivity. Therefore, poly(BAMO-carboxylate) could be a good candidate as a prepolymer for designing the energetic polymeric binder.

The carboxylated poly[3,3-bis(3-azidomethyl)oxetane] (PBAMO) copolymers (poly(BAMO-carboxylate)) were synthesized by substitution of poly[3,3-bis(3-chloromethyl)oxetane] (PBCMO) with potassium carboxylate and sodium azide in DMSO.

Simulation of GAP/HTPB phase behaviors in plasticizers and its application in composite solid propellant

Dissipative particle dynamics and molecular simulations were carried out to investigate the phase behaviors of glycidyl azide polymer (GAP)/hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) polymer blend in dioctyl sebacate (DOS), and mixture of DOS and bis(2,2-dinitropropyl)formal/acetal (A3), respectively. The rheology of GAP/HTPB propellant slurry plasticized by A3/DOS was studied. First, single-phase aggregations of GAP and HTPB appear slightly in A3/DOS whereas it is conspicuous in DOS, which results from the small surface tension between the GAP/HTPB plasticized by A3/DOS and the weak thermal diffusion of this blend. Furthermore, with the plasticizing ratio (po/pl) increasing to 1.2, the GAP/HTPB propellant slurry plasticized by A3/DOS exhibits small viscosity and yield stress, and the Newtonian-like behavior of slurry improves its manufacturability. Finally, integral GAP/HTPB-based propellant can be obtained using A3/DOS as plasticizers.

Ecofriendly synthesis and characterization of carboxylated GAP copolymers

Carboxylated GAP copolymers (polyGA-carboxylate) compounds (1–7), were synthesized by the simultaneous substitution reaction with PECH, sodium azide, and sodium carboxylate in DMSO. The synthesized compounds (1–7) were characterized by various analysis tools, such as Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), inverse gated decoupling ¹³C-nuclear magnetic resonance (¹³C NMR), gel permeation chromatography (GPC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), calorimetry, and friction and impact sensitivity. These poly(GA-carboxylate) compounds (1–7) have better thermal properties owing to their lower glass transition temperatures, from −48 °C to −55 °C, compared to glycidyl azide polymer (GAP) (−49 °C) and similar first thermal decomposition temperatures (228–230 °C) in comparison to GAP (227 °C), regardless of the introduction of the carboxylate group in GAP. Moreover, poly(GA_0.8-butyrate_0.2) and poly(GA_0.8-decanoate_0.2) have higher heats of combustion (2331 and 2976 kJ mol⁻¹) and negative formation enthalpies (−0.75 and −2.02 kJ g⁻¹), while GAP has a lower heat of combustion (2029 kJ mol⁻¹) and positive formation enthalpy (1.33 kJ g⁻¹). Therefore, poly(GA-carboxylate) could be a good candidate for the polymeric binder in solid propellants.

Carboxylated GAP copolymers (polyGA-carboxylate) compounds (1–7), were synthesized by the simultaneous substitution reaction with PECH, sodium azide, and sodium carboxylate in DMSO.

Design of new aliphatic azido nitro compounds as plasticizer: an initial exploration on AFCTEE (1-azido-formic acid 1,1,1-trinitro-ethyl ester)

To explore new high-energy azido nitro compounds as plasticizers for propellants, AFCTEE (1-azido-formic acid 1,1,1-trinitro-ethyl ester) was designed and studied using density functional theory. The predicted density of AFCTEE, 1.90 gcm−3, is comparable to that of HMX (1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetraazacyclooctane) and much higher than that of general organic azido compounds. AFCTEE possesses higher energetic properties and chemical stability than the promising azido nitro plasticizer DAMNP (1,3-diazido-2-methyl-2-nitropropane) and the conventional plasticizer NG (nitroglycerine), and it has a moderate thermal stability. The pyrolysis of AFCTEE starts from the rupture of C–NO2 and then the breakage of N–N2 via Curtius rearrangement. This work is the initial exploration for AFCTEE, aiming at the energetics, spectra (IR, NMR, and UV), stability, and decomposition mechanism. Compared with DAMNP, the advantages of superior energetic properties and chemical stability suggest AFCTEE is a promising energetic azido nitro compound and is worth further investigation.

Remarkable efficacy of graft block copolymers as surfactants for reducing interfacial tension

This work provides a standard model for experimental applications of graft copolymers as surfactants, especially for reducing the interfacial tension.

Molecular dynamics and dissipative particle dynamics simulations of the miscibility and mechanical properties of GAP/DIANP blending systems

Prediction of miscibility and mechanical properties of GAP/DIANP blends.