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Ruano G, Tononi J, Curcó D, Puiggalí J, Torras J, Alemán C. Doped photo-crosslinked polyesteramide hydrogels as solid electrolytes for supercapacitors. SOFT MATTER 2020; 16:8033-8046. [PMID: 32785400 DOI: 10.1039/d0sm00599a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
High-performance hydrogels play a crucial role as solid electrolytes for flexible electrochemical supercapacitors (ESCs). More specifically, all solid-state ESCs based on renewable, biodegradable and/or biocompatible hydrogels doped with inorganic salts as electrolytes are attractive not only because of their contribution to reducing resource consumption and/or the generation of electronic garbage, but also due to their potential applicability in the biomedical field. Here, computer simulations have been combined with experimental measurements to probe the outstanding capability as solid electrolytes of photo-crosslinked unsaturated polyesteramide hydrogels containing phenylalanine, butenediol and fumarate, and doped with NaCl (UPEA-Phe/NaCl). Atomistic molecular dynamics simulations have shown the influence of the hydrogel pore structure in the migration of Na+ and Cl- ions, suggesting that UPEA-Phe/NaCl hydrogels prepared without completing the photo-crosslinking reaction will exhibit better behavior as solid electrolytes. Theoretical predictions have been confirmed by potentiodynamic and galvanostatic studies on ESCs fabricated using poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) electrodes and UPEA-Phe/NaCl hydrogels, which were obtained using different times of exposure to UV radiation (i.e. 4 and 8 h for incomplete and complete photo-crosslinking reaction). Moreover, the behavior as a solid electrolyte of the UPEA-Phe/NaCl hydrogel prepared using a photo-polymerization time of 4 h has been found to be significantly superior to those exhibited by different polypeptide and polysaccharide hydrogels, which were analyzed using ESCs with identical electrodes and experimental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillem Ruano
- Departament d'Enginyeria Química and Barcelona Research Center for Multiscale Science and Engineering, EEBE, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, C/Eduard Maristany, 10-14, 08019, Barcelona, Spain.
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Hopmann C, Borchmann N, Koch S, Alperstein D. Influencing the environmental stress cracking resistance of amorphous thermoplastic parts by the example of polycarbonate and water. POLYM ENG SCI 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/pen.24984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Christian Hopmann
- Institute of Plastics Processing; RWTH Aachen University, Seffenter Weg 201; 52074 Aachen Germany
| | - Nikolai Borchmann
- Institute of Plastics Processing; RWTH Aachen University, Seffenter Weg 201; 52074 Aachen Germany
| | - Simon Koch
- Institute of Plastics Processing; RWTH Aachen University, Seffenter Weg 201; 52074 Aachen Germany
| | - David Alperstein
- Department of Mechanical Engineering; ORT Braude College, Snunit St 51; Karmiel 2161002 Israel
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Ma J, Nie Y, Wang B. Simulation study on the relationship between the crosslinking degree and structure, hydrophobic behavior for poly (styrene-co-divinylbenzene) copolymer. J Mol Struct 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molstruc.2018.06.053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Pérez-Maciá MA, Curcó D, Bringué R, Iborra M, Alemán C. Atomistic simulations of the structure of highly crosslinked sulfonated poly(styrene-co-divinylbenzene) ion exchange resins. SOFT MATTER 2015; 11:2251-2267. [PMID: 25651925 DOI: 10.1039/c4sm02417f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The microscopic structures of highly crosslinked sulfonated poly(styrene-co-divinylbenzene) resins have been modeled by generating atomistic microstructures using stochastic-like algorithms, which are subsequently relaxed using molecular dynamics. Two different generation algorithms have been tested. The relaxation of the microstructures generated by the first algorithm, which is based on a homogeneous construction of the resin, leads to a significant overestimation of the experimental density as well as to an unsatisfactory description of the porosity. In contrast, the generation approach that combines algorithms for the heterogeneous growing and branching of the chains enables the formation of crosslinks with different topologies. In particular, the intrinsic heterogeneity observed in these resins is efficiently reproduced when the topological loops, which are defined by two or more crosslinks closing a cycle, are present in their microscopic description. Thus, the apparent density, porosity and pore volume estimated using microstructures with these topological loops, called super-crosslinks, are in very good agreement with the experimental results. Although the backbone dihedral angle distribution of the generated and relaxed models is not influenced by the topology, the number and type of crosslinks affect the medium- and long-range atomic disposition of the backbone atoms and the distribution of sulfonic groups. An analysis of the distribution of the local density indicates that super-crosslinks are responsible for the heterogeneous homogenization observed during the MD relaxation. Finally the π-π stacking interactions have been analyzed. Results indicate that those in which the two rings adopt a T-shaped disposition are considerably more abundant as compared to those with the co-facially oriented rings, independently of the resin topology.
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Affiliation(s)
- María A Pérez-Maciá
- Departament d'Enginyeria Química, Facultat de Química, Universitat de Barcelona, Martí i Franqués 1, Barcelona E-08028, Spain.
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Karayiannis NC, Foteinopoulou K, Laso M. Spontaneous crystallization in athermal polymer packings. Int J Mol Sci 2012; 14:332-58. [PMID: 23263666 PMCID: PMC3565267 DOI: 10.3390/ijms14010332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2012] [Accepted: 12/14/2012] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
We review recent results from extensive simulations of the crystallization of athermal polymer packings. It is shown that above a certain packing density, and for sufficiently long simulations, all random assemblies of freely-jointed chains of tangent hard spheres of uniform size show a spontaneous transition into a crystalline phase. These polymer crystals adopt predominantly random hexagonal close packed morphologies. An analysis of the local environment around monomers based on the shape and size of the Voronoi polyhedra clearly shows that Voronoi cells become more spherical and more symmetric as the system transits to the ordered state. The change in the local environment leads to an increase in the monomer translational contribution to the entropy of the system, which acts as the driving force for the phase transition. A comparison of the crystallization of hard-sphere polymers and monomers highlights similarities and differences resulting from the constraints imposed by chain connectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikos Ch. Karayiannis
- Institute of Optoelectronics and Microsystems (ISOM) and ETSII, Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM), José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain; E-Mails: (N.Ch.K.); (K.F.)
| | - Katerina Foteinopoulou
- Institute of Optoelectronics and Microsystems (ISOM) and ETSII, Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM), José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain; E-Mails: (N.Ch.K.); (K.F.)
| | - Manuel Laso
- Institute of Optoelectronics and Microsystems (ISOM) and ETSII, Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM), José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain; E-Mails: (N.Ch.K.); (K.F.)
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Padding JT, Briels WJ. Systematic coarse-graining of the dynamics of entangled polymer melts: the road from chemistry to rheology. JOURNAL OF PHYSICS. CONDENSED MATTER : AN INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS JOURNAL 2011; 23:233101. [PMID: 21613700 DOI: 10.1088/0953-8984/23/23/233101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
For optimal processing and design of entangled polymeric materials it is important to establish a rigorous link between the detailed molecular composition of the polymer and the viscoelastic properties of the macroscopic melt. We review current and past computer simulation techniques and critically assess their ability to provide such a link between chemistry and rheology. We distinguish between two classes of coarse-graining levels, which we term coarse-grained molecular dynamics (CGMD) and coarse-grained stochastic dynamics (CGSD). In CGMD the coarse-grained beads are still relatively hard, thus automatically preventing bond crossing. This also implies an upper limit on the number of atoms that can be lumped together (up to five backbone carbon atoms) and therefore on the longest chain lengths that can be studied. To reach a higher degree of coarse-graining, in CGSD many more atoms are lumped together (more than ten backbone carbon atoms), leading to relatively soft beads. In that case friction and stochastic forces dominate the interactions, and action must be undertaken to prevent bond crossing. We also review alternative methods that make use of the tube model of polymer dynamics, by obtaining the entanglement characteristics through a primitive path analysis and by simulation of a primitive chain network. We finally review super-coarse-grained methods in which an entire polymer is represented by a single particle, and comment on ways to include memory effects and transient forces.
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Affiliation(s)
- J T Padding
- Institut de la Matière Condensée et des Nanosciences, Université Catholique de Louvain, Croix du Sud 1, B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
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Bertran O, Curcó D, Torras J, Ferreira CA, Alemán C. Field-Induced Transport in Sulfonated Poly(styrene-co-divinylbenzene) Membranes. Macromolecules 2010. [DOI: 10.1021/ma102500w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Oscar Bertran
- Departament de Física Aplicada, EEI, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Pça. Rei 15, 08700 Igualada, Spain
| | - David Curcó
- Department d’Enginyeria Química, Facultat de Química, Universitat de Barcelona, Martí Franques 1, Barcelona E-08028, Spain
| | - Juan Torras
- Departament d’Enginyeria Química, EEI, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Pça. Rei 15, 08700 Igualada, Spain
| | - Carlos A. Ferreira
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, PPGEM, Av. Bento Gonçalves, 9500, setor 4, prédio 74, Cep. 91501-970, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Carlos Alemán
- Departament d’Enginyeria Química, E. T. S. d’Enginyers Industrials, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Diagonal 647, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- Center for Research in Nano-Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Campus Sud, Edifici C’, C/Pasqual i Vila s/n, Barcelona E-08028, Spain
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Cortés J, Carrión S, Curcó D, Renaud M, Alemán C. Relaxation of amorphous multichain polymer systems using inverse kinematics. POLYMER 2010. [DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2010.06.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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Karayiannis NC, Kröger M. Combined molecular algorithms for the generation, equilibration and topological analysis of entangled polymers: methodology and performance. Int J Mol Sci 2009; 10:5054-5089. [PMID: 20087477 PMCID: PMC2808023 DOI: 10.3390/ijms10115054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 134] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2009] [Revised: 11/17/2009] [Accepted: 11/20/2009] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
We review the methodology, algorithmic implementation and performance characteristics of a hierarchical modeling scheme for the generation, equilibration and topological analysis of polymer systems at various levels of molecular description: from atomistic polyethylene samples to random packings of freely-jointed chains of tangent hard spheres of uniform size. Our analysis focuses on hitherto less discussed algorithmic details of the implementation of both, the Monte Carlo (MC) procedure for the system generation and equilibration, and a postprocessing step, where we identify the underlying topological structure of the simulated systems in the form of primitive paths. In order to demonstrate our arguments, we study how molecular length and packing density (volume fraction) affect the performance of the MC scheme built around chain-connectivity altering moves. In parallel, we quantify the effect of finite system size, of polydispersity, and of the definition of the number of entanglements (and related entanglement molecular weight) on the results about the primitive path network. Along these lines we approve main concepts which had been previously proposed in the literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikos Ch. Karayiannis
- Institute for Optoelectronics and Microsystems (ISOM) and ETSII, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, E-28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - Martin Kröger
- Polymer Physics, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETH Zurich, Wolfgang-Pauli-Strasse 10, 8049 Zurich, Switzerland
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