1
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Clarke BR, Witt CL, Ilton M, Crosby AJ, Watkins JJ, Tew GN. Bottlebrush Networks: A Primer for Advanced Architectures. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202318220. [PMID: 38588310 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202318220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
Bottlebrush networks (BBNs) are an exciting new class of materials with interesting physical properties derived from their unique architecture. While great strides have been made in our fundamental understanding of bottlebrush polymers and networks, an interdisciplinary approach is necessary for the field to accelerate advancements. This review aims to act as a primer to BBN chemistry and physics for both new and current members of the community. In addition to providing an overview of contemporary BBN synthetic methods, we developed a workflow and desktop application (LengthScale), enabling bottlebrush physics to be more approachable. We conclude by addressing several topical issues and asking a series of pointed questions to stimulate conversation within the community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon R Clarke
- University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts, 01003, United States
| | - Connor L Witt
- University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts, 01003, United States
| | - Mark Ilton
- Department of Physics, Harvey Mudd College, Claremont, CA 91711, United States
| | - Alfred J Crosby
- University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts, 01003, United States
| | - James J Watkins
- University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts, 01003, United States
| | - Gregory N Tew
- University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts, 01003, United States
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2
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Adeli Y, Raman Venkatesan T, Mezzenga R, Nüesch FA, Opris DM. Synthesis of Bottlebrush Polymers with Spontaneous Self-Assembly for Dielectric Generators. ACS APPLIED POLYMER MATERIALS 2024; 6:4999-5010. [PMID: 38752017 PMCID: PMC11091855 DOI: 10.1021/acsapm.3c03053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Cross-linked bottlebrush polymers received significant attention as dielectrics in transducers due to their unique softness and strain stiffening caused by their structure. Despite some progress, there is still a great challenge in increasing their dielectric permittivity beyond 3.5 and cross-linking them to defect-free ultrathin films efficiently under ambient conditions. Here, we report the synthesis of bottlebrush copolymers based on ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) starting from a 5-norbornene-2-carbonitrile and a norbornene modified with a poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) chain as a macromonomer. The resulting copolymer was subjected to a postpolymerization modification, whereby the double bonds were used both for functionalization with thiopropionitrile and subsequent cross-linking via a thiol-ene reaction. The solutions of both bottlebrush copolymers formed free-standing elastic films by simple casting. DMA and broadband impedance spectroscopy revealed two glass transition temperatures uncommon for a random copolymer. The self-segregation of the nonpolar PDMS chains and the polynorbornane backbone is responsible for this and is supported by the interfacial polarization observed in broadband impedance spectroscopy and the scattering peaks observed in small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). Additionally, the modified bottlebrush copolymer was cross-linked to an elastomer that exhibits increased dielectric permittivity and good mechanical properties with significant strain stiffening, an attractive property of dielectric elastomer generators. It has a relative permittivity of 5.24, strain at break of 290%, elastic modulus at 10% strain of 380 kPa, a breakdown field of 62 V μm-1, and a small actuation of 5% at high electric fields of 48.5 V μm-1. All of these characteristics are attractive for dielectric elastomer generator applications. The current work is a milestone in designing functional elastomers based on bottlebrush polymers for transducer applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yeerlan Adeli
- Laboratory
for Functional Polymers, Swiss Federal Laboratories
for Materials Science and Technology Empa, Ueberlandstr. 129, CH-8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Institute
of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, Ecole
Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, EPFL, Station 6, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Thulasinath Raman Venkatesan
- Laboratory
for Functional Polymers, Swiss Federal Laboratories
for Materials Science and Technology Empa, Ueberlandstr. 129, CH-8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Raffaele Mezzenga
- Department
of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zürich,
Laboratory of Food and Soft Materials, Schmelzbergstrasse 9, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Frank A. Nüesch
- Laboratory
for Functional Polymers, Swiss Federal Laboratories
for Materials Science and Technology Empa, Ueberlandstr. 129, CH-8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Institute
of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, Ecole
Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, EPFL, Station 6, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Dorina M. Opris
- Laboratory
for Functional Polymers, Swiss Federal Laboratories
for Materials Science and Technology Empa, Ueberlandstr. 129, CH-8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Department
of Materials, ETH Zurich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 5, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
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3
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Jeon S, Kamble YL, Kang H, Shi J, Wade MA, Patel BB, Pan T, Rogers SA, Sing CE, Guironnet D, Diao Y. Direct-ink-write cross-linkable bottlebrush block copolymers for on-the-fly control of structural color. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2313617121. [PMID: 38377215 PMCID: PMC10907314 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2313617121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Additive manufacturing capable of controlling and dynamically modulating structures down to the nanoscopic scale remains challenging. By marrying additive manufacturing with self-assembly, we develop a UV (ultra-violet)-assisted direct ink write approach for on-the-fly modulation of structural color by programming the assembly kinetics through photo-cross-linking. We design a photo-cross-linkable bottlebrush block copolymer solution as a printing ink that exhibits vibrant structural color (i.e., photonic properties) due to the nanoscopic lamellar structures formed post extrusion. By dynamically modulating UV-light irradiance during printing, we can program the color of the printed material to access a broad spectrum of visible light with a single ink while also creating color gradients not previously possible. We unveil the mechanism of this approach using a combination of coarse-grained simulations, rheological measurements, and structural characterizations. Central to the assembly mechanism is the matching of the cross-linking timescale with the assembly timescale, which leads to kinetic trapping of the assembly process that evolves structural color from blue to red driven by solvent evaporation. This strategy of integrating cross-linking chemistry and out-of-equilibrium processing opens an avenue for spatiotemporal control of self-assembled nanostructures during additive manufacturing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanghyun Jeon
- Department Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL61801
| | - Yash Laxman Kamble
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL61801
| | - Haisu Kang
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL61801
| | - Jiachun Shi
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL61801
| | - Matthew A. Wade
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL61801
| | - Bijal B. Patel
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL61801
| | - Tianyuan Pan
- Department Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL61801
- Department of Molecular Science and Engineering, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL61801
| | - Simon A. Rogers
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL61801
- Department of Molecular Science and Engineering, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL61801
| | - Charles E. Sing
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL61801
- Department of Molecular Science and Engineering, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL61801
| | - Damien Guironnet
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL61801
- Department of Molecular Science and Engineering, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL61801
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL61801
| | - Ying Diao
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL61801
- Department of Molecular Science and Engineering, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL61801
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4
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Adeli Y, Owusu F, Nüesch FA, Opris DM. On-Demand Cross-Linkable Bottlebrush Polymers for Voltage-Driven Artificial Muscles. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023; 15:20410-20420. [PMID: 37042624 PMCID: PMC10141291 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c23026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) generate motion resembling natural muscles in reliability, adaptability, elongation, and frequency of operation. They are highly attractive in implantable soft robots or artificial organs. However, many applications of such devices are hindered by the high driving voltage required for operation, which exceeds the safety threshold for the human body. Although the driving voltage can be reduced by decreasing the thickness and the elastic modulus, soft materials are prone to electromechanical instability (EMI), which causes dielectric breakdown. The elastomers made by cross-linking bottlebrush polymers are promising for achieving DEAs that suppress EMI. In previous work, they were chemically cross-linked using an in situ free-radical UV-induced polymerization, which is oxygen-sensitive and does not allow the formation of thin films. Therefore, the respective actuators were operated at voltages above 4000 V. Herein, macromonomers that can be polymerized by ring-opening metathesis polymerization and subsequently cross-linked via a UV-induced thiol-ene click reaction are developed. They allow us to fast cross-link defect-free thin films with a thickness below 100 μm. The dielectric films give up to 12% lateral actuation at 1000 V and survive more than 10,000 cycles at frequencies up to 10 Hz. The easy and efficient preparation approach of the defect-free thin films under air provides easy accessibility to bottlebrush polymeric materials for future research. Additionally, the desired properties, actuation under low voltage, and long lifetime revealed the potential of the developed materials in soft robotic implantable devices. Furthermore, the C-C double bonds in the polymer backbone allow for chemical modification with polar groups and increase the materials' dielectric permittivity to a value of 5.5, which is the highest value of dielectric permittivity for a cross-linked bottlebrush polymer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yeerlan Adeli
- Laboratory
for Functional Polymers, Swiss Federal Laboratories
for Materials Science and Technology Empa, Ueberlandstr. 129, CH-8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Institute
of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, Ecole
Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, EPFL, Station 6, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Francis Owusu
- Laboratory
for Functional Polymers, Swiss Federal Laboratories
for Materials Science and Technology Empa, Ueberlandstr. 129, CH-8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Institute
of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, Ecole
Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, EPFL, Station 6, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Frank A. Nüesch
- Laboratory
for Functional Polymers, Swiss Federal Laboratories
for Materials Science and Technology Empa, Ueberlandstr. 129, CH-8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Institute
of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, Ecole
Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, EPFL, Station 6, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Dorina M. Opris
- Laboratory
for Functional Polymers, Swiss Federal Laboratories
for Materials Science and Technology Empa, Ueberlandstr. 129, CH-8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
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5
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Ge H, Shi W, He C, Feng A, Thang SH. Star-Shaped Thermoplastic Elastomers Prepared via RAFT Polymerization. Polymers (Basel) 2023; 15:polym15092002. [PMID: 37177150 PMCID: PMC10180775 DOI: 10.3390/polym15092002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2023] [Revised: 04/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Styrene-based thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) demonstrate excellent overall performance and account for the largest industrial output. The traditional methods of preparation styrene-based thermoplastic elastomers mainly focused on anionic polymerization, and strict equipment conditions were required. In recent years, controlled/living radical polymerization (CRP) has developed rapidly, enabling the synthesis of polymers with various complex topologies while controlling their molecular weight. Herein, a series of core crosslinked star-shaped poly(styrene-b-isoprene-b-styrene)s (SISs) was synthesized for the first time via reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. Meanwhile, linear triblock SISs with a similar molecular weight were synthesized as a control. We achieved not only the controlled/living radical polymerization of isoprene but also investigated the factors influencing the star-forming process. By testing the mechanical and thermal properties and characterizing the microscopic fractional phase structure, we found that both the linear and star-shaped SISs possessed good tensile properties and a certain phase separation structure, demonstrating the characteristics of thermoplastic elastomers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Ge
- State Key Laboratory of Organic-Inorganic Composites, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
- Center of Advanced Elastomer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Wencheng Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Organic-Inorganic Composites, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
- Center of Advanced Elastomer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Chen He
- Aerospace Research Institute of Materials & Processing Technology, Beijing 100076, China
| | - Anchao Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Organic-Inorganic Composites, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
- Center of Advanced Elastomer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - San H Thang
- School of Chemistry, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
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6
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Tan Y, Chen H, Kang W, Wang X. Versatile Light-Mediated Synthesis of Dry Ion-Conducting Dynamic Bottlebrush Networks with High Elasticity, Interfacial Adhesiveness, and Flame Retardancy. Macromolecules 2022. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.2c01234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yu Tan
- National Engineering Research Center for Colloidal Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong250100, China
| | - Huan Chen
- National Engineering Research Center for Colloidal Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong250100, China
| | - Wenbing Kang
- National Engineering Research Center for Colloidal Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong250100, China
| | - Xu Wang
- National Engineering Research Center for Colloidal Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong250100, China
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7
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Temperature-Responsive Polymer Brush Coatings for Advanced Biomedical Applications. Polymers (Basel) 2022; 14:polym14194245. [PMID: 36236192 PMCID: PMC9571834 DOI: 10.3390/polym14194245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2022] [Revised: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Modern biomedical technologies predict the application of materials and devices that not only can comply effectively with specific requirements, but also enable remote control of their functions. One of the most prospective materials for these advanced biomedical applications are materials based on temperature-responsive polymer brush coatings (TRPBCs). In this review, methods for the fabrication and characterization of TRPBCs are summarized, and possibilities for their application, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of the TRPBCs, are presented in detail. Special attention is paid to the mechanisms of thermo-responsibility of the TRPBCs. Applications of TRPBCs for temperature-switchable bacteria killing, temperature-controlled protein adsorption, cell culture, and temperature-controlled adhesion/detachment of cells and tissues are considered. The specific criteria required for the desired biomedical applications of TRPBCs are presented and discussed.
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8
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Jian Hu, Gu Q, Guo Q, Fan Y, Yang L, Lv C, Mai C, Jiang Y, Zhang H. Preparation of the Pincushion-Like Multilayer Structure Materials by Amphiphilic Polymer for Biomimetic Super-Hydrophobic Materials. POLYMER SCIENCE SERIES B 2022. [DOI: 10.1134/s1560090422020014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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9
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Ma H, Ha S, Jeong J, Wang V, Kim KT. Synthesis of discrete bottlebrush polymers via the iterative convergent growth technique and post-functionalization. Polym Chem 2022. [DOI: 10.1039/d2py00573e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The formation of discrete bottlebrush polymers (Step 1: Iterative convergent growth. Step 2: Post-functionalization using thiol–ene click chemistry.)
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyunji Ma
- Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
| | - Sungmin Ha
- Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
| | - Jisu Jeong
- Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
| | - Valene Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
| | - Kyoung Taek Kim
- Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
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10
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Self J, Reynolds VG, Blankenship J, Mee E, Guo J, Albanese K, Xie R, Hawker CJ, de Alaniz JR, Chabinyc ML, Bates CM. Carbon Nanotube Composites with Bottlebrush Elastomers for Compliant Electrodes. ACS POLYMERS AU 2021; 2:27-34. [PMID: 36855747 PMCID: PMC9954388 DOI: 10.1021/acspolymersau.1c00034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Wearable electronics and biointerfacing technology require materials that are both compliant and conductive. The typical design strategy exploits polymer composites containing conductive particles, but the addition of a hard filler generally leads to a substantial increase in modulus that is not well-matched to biological tissue. Here, we report a new class of supersoft, conductive composites comprising carbon nanotubes (CNT) embedded in bottlebrush polymer networks. By virtue of the bottlebrush polymer architecture, these materials are several orders of magnitude softer than comparable composites in the literature involving linear polymer networks. For example, a CNT content of 0.25 wt % yields a shear modulus of 66 kPa while maintaining a typical conductivity for a CNT composite (ca. 10-2 S/m). An added benefit of this bottlebrush matrix chemistry is the presence of dynamic polyester bonds that facilitate thermal (re)processing. This unique strategy of designing soft composites provides new opportunities to tailor the structure and properties of sustainable advanced materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey
L. Self
- Department
of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University
of California, Santa
Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Veronica G. Reynolds
- Materials
Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Jacob Blankenship
- Department
of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University
of California, Santa
Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Erin Mee
- Materials
Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Jiaqi Guo
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Kaitlin Albanese
- Department
of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University
of California, Santa
Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Renxuan Xie
- Materials
Research Laboratory, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Craig J. Hawker
- Department
of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University
of California, Santa
Barbara, California 93106, United States,Materials
Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States,Materials
Research Laboratory, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Javier Read de Alaniz
- Department
of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University
of California, Santa
Barbara, California 93106, United States
| | - Michael L. Chabinyc
- Materials
Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States,
| | - Christopher M. Bates
- Department
of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University
of California, Santa
Barbara, California 93106, United States,Materials
Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States,Materials
Research Laboratory, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States,Department
of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, United States,
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11
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Mei H, Mahalik JP, Lee D, Laws TS, Terlier T, Stein GE, Kumar R, Verduzco R. Understanding interfacial segregation in polymer blend films with random and mixed side chain bottlebrush copolymer additives. SOFT MATTER 2021; 17:9028-9039. [PMID: 34523659 DOI: 10.1039/d1sm01146d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Bottlebrush polymers are complex macromolecules with tunable physical properties dependent on the chemistry and architecture of both the side chains and the backbone. Prior work has demonstrated that bottlebrush polymer additives can be used to control the interfacial properties of blends with linear polymers but has not specifically addressed the effects of bottlebrush side chain microstructures. Here, using a combination of experiments and self-consistent field theory (SCFT) simulations, we investigated the effects of side chain microstructures by comparing the segregation of bottlebrush additives having random copolymer side chains with bottlebrush additives having a mixture of two different homopolymer side chain chemistries. Specifically, we synthesized bottlebrush polymers with either poly(styrene-ran-methyl methacrylate) side chains or with a mixture of polystyrene (PS) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) side chains. The bottlebrush additives were matched in terms of PS and PMMA compositions, and they were blended with linear PS or PMMA chains that ranged in length from shorter to longer than the bottlebrush side chains. Experiments revealed similar behaviors of the two types of bottlebrushes, with a slight preference for mixed side-chain bottlebrushes at the film surface. SCFT simulations were qualitatively consistent with experimental observations, predicting only slight differences in the segregation of bottlebrush additives driven by side chain microstructures. Specifically, these slight differences were driven by the chemistries of the bottlebrush polymer joints and side chain end-groups, which were entropically repelled and attracted to interfaces, respectively. Using SCFT, we also demonstrated that the interfacial behaviors were dominated by entropic effects with high molecular weight linear polymers, leading to enrichment of bottlebrush near interfaces. Surprisingly, the SCFT simulations showed that the chemistry of the joints connecting the bottlebrush backbones and side chains played a more significant role compared with the side chain end groups in affecting differences in surface excess of bottlebrushes with random and mixed side chains. This work provides new insights into the effects of side chain microstructure on segregation of bottlebrush polymer additives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Mei
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA.
| | - Jyoti P Mahalik
- Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
- Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37830, USA.
| | - Dongjoo Lee
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA.
| | - Travis S Laws
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Tanguy Terlier
- SIMS Lab, Shared Equipment Authority, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - Gila E Stein
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Rajeev Kumar
- Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37830, USA.
| | - Rafael Verduzco
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA.
- Materials Science and NanoEngineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
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12
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Wang B, Liu T, Chen H, Yin B, Zhang Z, Russell TP, Shi S. Molecular Brush Surfactants: Versatile Emulsifiers for Stabilizing and Structuring Liquids. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021; 60:19626-19630. [PMID: 34184386 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202104653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2021] [Revised: 06/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Using amphiphilic molecular brushes to stabilize emulsions usually requires the synthesis of specific side chains, which can be a time-consuming and difficult challenge to meet. By taking advantage of the electrostatic interactions between water-soluble molecular brushes and oil-soluble oligomeric ligands, the in situ formation, assembly and jamming of molecular brush surfactants (MBSs) at the oil-water interface is described. With MBSs, stable emulsions including o/w, w/o and o/w/o can be easily prepared by varying the molar ratios of the molecular brushes to the ligands. Moreover, when jammed, the binding energy of MBSs at the interface is sufficiently strong to allow the stabilization of liquids in nonequilibrium shapes, i.e., structuring liquids, producing an elastic film at the interface with exceptional mechanical properties. These structured liquids have numerous potential applications, including chemical biphasic reactions, liquid electronics, and all-liquid biomimetic system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beibei Wang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Tan Liu
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Hao Chen
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Bangqi Yin
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Zhao Zhang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Thomas P Russell
- Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA.,Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Shaowei Shi
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China
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13
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Mei H, Laws TS, Terlier T, Verduzco R, Stein GE. Characterization of polymeric surfaces and interfaces using
time‐of‐flight
secondary ion mass spectrometry. JOURNAL OF POLYMER SCIENCE 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/pol.20210282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hao Mei
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Rice University Houston Texas USA
| | - Travis S. Laws
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering University of Tennessee Knoxville Tennessee USA
| | - Tanguy Terlier
- Shared Equipment Authority Rice University Houston Texas USA
| | - Rafael Verduzco
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Rice University Houston Texas USA
- Shared Equipment Authority Rice University Houston Texas USA
- Materials Science and NanoEngineering Rice University Houston Texas USA
| | - Gila E. Stein
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering University of Tennessee Knoxville Tennessee USA
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14
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Wang B, Liu T, Chen H, Yin B, Zhang Z, Russell TP, Shi S. Molecular Brush Surfactants: Versatile Emulsifiers for Stabilizing and Structuring Liquids. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202104653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Beibei Wang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering College of Materials Science and Engineering Beijing University of Chemical Technology Beijing 100029 China
| | - Tan Liu
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering College of Materials Science and Engineering Beijing University of Chemical Technology Beijing 100029 China
| | - Hao Chen
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering College of Materials Science and Engineering Beijing University of Chemical Technology Beijing 100029 China
| | - Bangqi Yin
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering College of Materials Science and Engineering Beijing University of Chemical Technology Beijing 100029 China
| | - Zhao Zhang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering College of Materials Science and Engineering Beijing University of Chemical Technology Beijing 100029 China
| | - Thomas P. Russell
- Department of Polymer Science and Engineering University of Massachusetts Amherst MA 01003 USA
- Materials Sciences Division Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory 1 Cyclotron Road Berkeley CA 94720 USA
| | - Shaowei Shi
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering College of Materials Science and Engineering Beijing University of Chemical Technology Beijing 100029 China
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