1
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Cheng S, Kogut D, Zheng J, Patil S, Yang F, Lu W. Dynamics of polylactic acid under ultrafine nanoconfinement: The collective interface effect and the spatial gradient. J Chem Phys 2024; 160:114904. [PMID: 38506298 DOI: 10.1063/5.0189762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Polymers under nanoconfinement can exhibit large alterations in dynamics from their bulk values due to an interface effect. However, understanding the interface effect remains a challenge, especially in the ultrafine nanoconfinement region. In this work, we prepare new geometries with ultrafine nanoconfinement ∼10nm through controlled distributions of the crystalline phases and the amorphous phases of a model semi-crystalline polymer, i.e., the polylactic acid. The broadband dielectric spectroscopy measurements show that ultrafine nanoconfinement leads to a large elevation in the glass transition temperature and a strong increment in the polymer fragility index. Moreover, new relaxation time profile analyses demonstrate a spatial gradient that can be well described by either a single-exponential decay or a double-exponential decay functional form near the middle of the film with a collective interface effect. However, the dynamics at the 1-2 nm vicinity of the interface exhibit a power-law decay that is different from the single-exponential decay or double-exponential decay functional forms as predicted by theories. Thus, these results call for further investigations of the interface effect on polymer dynamics, especially for interfaces with perturbed chain packing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiwang Cheng
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, USA
| | - David Kogut
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, USA
| | - Juncheng Zheng
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, USA
| | - Shalin Patil
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, USA
| | - Fuming Yang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, USA
| | - Weiyi Lu
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, USA
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, USA
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2
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Saito M, Ito K, Yokoyama H. Film thickness and strain rate dependences of the mechanical properties of polystyrene-b-polyisoprene-b-polystyrene block copolymer ultrathin films forming a spherical domain. POLYMER 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2022.125302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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3
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Joung H, Kim C, Yu J, Lee S, Paeng K, Yang J. Impact of Chain Conformation on Structural Heterogeneity in Polymer Network. NANO LETTERS 2022; 22:5487-5494. [PMID: 35748615 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.2c01574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Polymer networks generally consist of an ensemble of single chains. However, understanding how chain conformation affects the structure and properties of polymer networks remains a challenge for optimizing their functionality. Here, we present the fabrication and comparative study of a polymer network composed of collapsed self-entangled chains (intrachain entangled network) and a standard polymer network in which random-coil chains are entangled with each other (interchain entangled network). For poly(methyl methacrylate) thin films composed of these networks, we coupled solvent vapor swelling and single-molecule tracking techniques to examine the anomalies in the dynamics of a small-molecular probe included in the system. We demonstrate that when compared to the interchain entangled network the intrachain one exhibits a more substantial structural heterogeneity, particularly under highly crowded conditions. This network also exhibits physical compactness, which keeps the heterogeneous network structure frozen over time and impedes network plasticization through solvent uptake by the film.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyeyoung Joung
- Department of Chemistry, Yonsei University, Wonju, Gangwon 26493, Korea
| | - Chanwoo Kim
- Department of Chemistry, Yonsei University, Wonju, Gangwon 26493, Korea
| | - Jaesang Yu
- Department of Chemistry, Yonsei University, Wonju, Gangwon 26493, Korea
| | - Soohyun Lee
- Department of Chemistry, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Korea
| | - Keewook Paeng
- Department of Chemistry, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Korea
| | - Jaesung Yang
- Department of Chemistry, Yonsei University, Wonju, Gangwon 26493, Korea
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4
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Valdez S, Robertson M, Qiang Z. Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer Measurements in Polymer Science: A Review. Macromol Rapid Commun 2022; 43:e2200421. [PMID: 35689335 DOI: 10.1002/marc.202200421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2022] [Revised: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) is a non-invasive characterization method for studying molecular structures and dynamics, providing high spatial resolution at nanometer scale. Over the past decades, FRET-based measurements are developed and widely implemented in synthetic polymer systems for understanding and detecting a variety of nanoscale phenomena, enabling significant advances in polymer science. In this review, the basic principles of fluorescence and FRET are briefly discussed. Several representative research areas are highlighted, where FRET spectroscopy and imaging can be employed to reveal polymer morphology and kinetics. These examples include understanding polymer micelle formation and stability, detecting guest molecule release from polymer host, characterizing supramolecular assembly, imaging composite interfaces, and determining polymer chain conformations and their diffusion kinetics. Finally, a perspective on the opportunities of FRET-based measurements is provided for further allowing their greater contributions in this exciting area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Valdez
- School of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, 39406, USA
| | - Mark Robertson
- School of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, 39406, USA
| | - Zhe Qiang
- School of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, 39406, USA
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5
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Agajew O, Sikorski A. Percolation in Polydisperse Polymer Systems. A Computer Simulation Study. MACROMOL THEOR SIMUL 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/mats.202100094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Oliwia Agajew
- Faculty of Chemistry University of Warsaw Pasteura 1 Warsaw 02–093 Poland
| | - Andrzej Sikorski
- Faculty of Chemistry University of Warsaw Pasteura 1 Warsaw 02–093 Poland
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6
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Kim J, Kim JM, Baig C. Intrinsic structure and dynamics of monolayer ring polymer melts. SOFT MATTER 2021; 17:10703-10715. [PMID: 34783328 DOI: 10.1039/d1sm01192h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
We present the general structural and dynamical characteristics of flexible ring polymers in narrowly confined two-dimensional (2D) melt systems using atomistic molecular dynamics simulations. The results are further analyzed via direct comparison with the 2D linear analogue as well as the three-dimensional (3D) ring and linear melt systems. It is observed that dimensional restriction in 2D confined systems results in an increase in the intrinsic chain stiffness of the ring polymer. Fundamentally, this arises from an entropic penalty on polymer chains along with a reduction in the available chain configuration states in phase space and spatial choices for individual segmental walks. This feature in combination with the intermolecular interactions between neighboring ring chains leads to an overall extended interpenetrated chain configuration for the 2D ring melt. In contrast to the generally large differences in structural and dynamical properties between ring and linear polymers in 3D melt systems, relatively similar local-to-global chain structures and dynamics are observed for the 2D ring and linear melts. This is attributed to the general structural similarity (i.e., extended double-stranded chain conformations), the less effective role of the chain ends, and the absence of complex topological constraints between chains (i.e., interchain entanglement and mutual ring threading) in the 2D confined systems compared with the corresponding 3D bulk systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinseong Kim
- School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), UNIST-gil 50, Eonyang-eup, Ulju-gun, Ulsan 44919, South Korea.
| | - Jun Mo Kim
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Kyonggi University, 154-42 Gwanggyosan-ro, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon, Kyonggi-do 16227, South Korea
| | - Chunggi Baig
- School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), UNIST-gil 50, Eonyang-eup, Ulju-gun, Ulsan 44919, South Korea.
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7
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Chan JM, Kordon AC, Zhang R, Wang M. Direct visualization of bottlebrush polymer conformations in the solid state. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2109534118. [PMID: 34599105 PMCID: PMC8501853 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2109534118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Although the behavior of single chains is integral to the foundation of polymer science, a clear and convincing image of single chains in the solid state has still not been captured. For bottlebrush polymers, understanding their conformation in bulk materials is especially important because their extended backbones may explain their self-assembly and mechanical properties that have been attractive for many applications. Here, single-bottlebrush chains are visualized using single-molecule localization microscopy to study their conformations in a polymer melt composed of linear polymers. By observing bottlebrush polymers with different side chain lengths and grafting densities, we observe the relationship between molecular architecture and conformation. We show that bottlebrushes are significantly more rigid in the solid state than previously measured in solution, and the scaling relationships between persistence length and side chain length deviate from those predicted by theory and simulation. We discuss these discrepancies using mechanisms inspired by polymer-grafted nanoparticles, a conceptually similar system. Our work provides a platform for visualizing single-polymer chains in an environment made up entirely of other polymers, which could answer a number of open questions in polymer science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan M Chan
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208
| | - Avram C Kordon
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208
| | - Ruimeng Zhang
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208
| | - Muzhou Wang
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208
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8
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Frolova A, Ksendzov E, Kostjuk S, Efremov Y, Solovieva A, Rochev Y, Timashev P, Kotova S. Thin Thermoresponsive Polymer Films for Cell Culture: Elucidating an Unexpected Thermal Phase Behavior by Atomic Force Microscopy. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2021; 37:11386-11396. [PMID: 34533951 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.1c02003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Application of poly-N-isopropylacrylamide (PNIPAM) and its more hydrophobic copolymers with N-tert-butylacrylamide (NtBA) as supports for cell sheets has been validated in numerous studies. The binary systems of these polymers with water are characterized by a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) in a physiologically favorable region. Upon lowering the temperature below the LCST, PNIPAM chains undergo a globule-to-coil transition, causing the film dissolution and cell sheet detachment. The character of the PNIPAM-water miscibility behavior is rather complex and not completely understood. Here, we applied atomic force microscopy to track the phase transition in thin films of linear thermoresponsive (co)polymers (PNIPAM and PNIPAM-co-NtBA) prepared by spin-coating. We studied the films' Young's modulus, roughness, and thickness in air and in distilled water in a full thermal cycle. In dry films, in the absence of water, all the measured parameters remained invariant. The swollen films in water above the LCST were softer by 2-3 orders of magnitude and about 10 times rougher than the corresponding dry films. Upon lowering the temperature to the LCST, the films passed through the phase transition observed as a drastic drop of Young's modulus (about an order of magnitude) and decrease in roughness in both polymers in a narrow temperature range. However, the films did not lose their integrity and demonstrated almost fully reversible changes in the mechanical properties and roughness. The thermal dependence of the films' thickness confirmed that they dissolved only partially and required an external force to induce the complete destruction. The reversible thermal behavior which is generally not expected from non-cross-linked polymers is a key finding, especially with respect to their practical application in cell culture. Both the thermodynamic and kinetic factors, as well as the confinement effect, may be responsible for this peculiar film robustness, which requires overcooling and the aid of an external force to destroy the film.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia Frolova
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), 8-2 Trubetskaya Street, Moscow 119991, Russia
- World-Class Research Center "Digital Biodesign and Personalized Healthcare", Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), 8-2 Trubetskaya Street, Moscow 119991, Russia
| | - Evgenii Ksendzov
- Department of Chemistry, Belarusian State University, 14 Leningradskaya Street, Minsk 220006, Belarus
- Research Institute for Physical Chemical Problems of the Belarusian State University, 14 Leningradskaya Street, Minsk 220006, Belarus
| | - Sergei Kostjuk
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), 8-2 Trubetskaya Street, Moscow 119991, Russia
- Department of Chemistry, Belarusian State University, 14 Leningradskaya Street, Minsk 220006, Belarus
- Research Institute for Physical Chemical Problems of the Belarusian State University, 14 Leningradskaya Street, Minsk 220006, Belarus
| | - Yuri Efremov
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), 8-2 Trubetskaya Street, Moscow 119991, Russia
- World-Class Research Center "Digital Biodesign and Personalized Healthcare", Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), 8-2 Trubetskaya Street, Moscow 119991, Russia
| | - Anna Solovieva
- N.N. Semenov Federal Research Center for Chemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, 4 Kosygin Street, Moscow 119991, Russia
| | - Yuri Rochev
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), 8-2 Trubetskaya Street, Moscow 119991, Russia
- National University of Ireland Galway, Galway H91 CF50, Ireland
| | - Peter Timashev
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), 8-2 Trubetskaya Street, Moscow 119991, Russia
- World-Class Research Center "Digital Biodesign and Personalized Healthcare", Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), 8-2 Trubetskaya Street, Moscow 119991, Russia
- N.N. Semenov Federal Research Center for Chemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, 4 Kosygin Street, Moscow 119991, Russia
- Chemistry Department, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskiye Gory 1-3, Moscow 119991, Russia
| | - Svetlana Kotova
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), 8-2 Trubetskaya Street, Moscow 119991, Russia
- N.N. Semenov Federal Research Center for Chemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, 4 Kosygin Street, Moscow 119991, Russia
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9
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Kim JM. Influence of chain stiffness on semiflexible polymer melts in two dimensions via molecular dynamics simulation. MOLECULAR SIMULATION 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/08927022.2021.1970155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jun Mo Kim
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Kyonggi University, Suwon, South Korea
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10
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Zhong W, Liu F, Wang C. Probing morphology and chemistry in complex soft materials with in situresonant soft x-ray scattering. JOURNAL OF PHYSICS. CONDENSED MATTER : AN INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS JOURNAL 2021; 33:313001. [PMID: 34140434 DOI: 10.1088/1361-648x/ac0194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Small angle scattering methodologies have been evolving at fast pace over the past few decades due to the ever-increasing demands for more details on the complex nanostructures of multiphase and multicomponent soft materials like polymer assemblies and biomaterials. Currently, element-specific and contrast variation techniques such as resonant (elastic) soft/tender x-ray scattering, anomalous small angle x-ray scattering, and contrast-matching small angle neutron scattering, or combinations of above are routinely used to extract the chemical composition and spatial arrangement of constituent elements at multiple length scales and examine electronic ordering phenomena. Here we present some recent advances in selectively characterizing structural architectures of complex soft materials, which often contain multi-components with a wide range of length scales and multiple functionalities, where novel resonant scattering approaches have been demonstrated to decipher a higher level of structural complexity that correlates to functionality. With the advancement of machine learning and artificial intelligence assisted correlative analysis, high-throughput and autonomous experiments would open a new paradigm of material research. Further development of resonant x-ray scattering instrumentation with crossplatform sample environments will enable multimodalin situ/operando characterization of the system dynamics with much improved spatial and temporal resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenkai Zhong
- Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules, In-situ Center for Physical Science, and Center of Hydrogen Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, People's Republic of China
- Advanced Light Source, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, United States of America
| | - Feng Liu
- Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules, In-situ Center for Physical Science, and Center of Hydrogen Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, People's Republic of China
| | - Cheng Wang
- Advanced Light Source, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, United States of America
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11
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Mears M, Zhang ZJ, Jackson RCD, Si Y, Bradford TJB, Torkelson JM, Geoghegan M. Lateral diffusion of single poly(ethylene oxide) chains on the surfaces of glassy and molten polymer films. J Chem Phys 2021; 154:164902. [PMID: 33940801 DOI: 10.1063/5.0051351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy was used to show that the temperature-dependent diffusion coefficient of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) adsorbed on polystyrene and different poly(alkyl methacrylate) (PAMA) films in aqueous solution exhibited a maximum close to (but below) the surface glass transition temperature, Tgs, of the film. This elevated diffusion was observed over a small range of temperatures below Tgs for these surfaces, and at other temperatures, the diffusion was similar to that on silicon, although the diffusion coefficient for PEO on polystyrene at temperatures above Tgs did not completely decrease to that on silicon, in contrast to the PAMA surfaces. It is concluded that the enhanced surface mobility of the films near the surface glass transition temperature induces conformational changes in the adsorbed PEO. The origin of this narrow and dramatic increase in diffusion coefficient is not clear, but it is proposed that it is caused by a coupling of a dominant capillary mode in the liquid surface layer with the polymer. Friction force microscopy experiments also demonstrate an unexpected increase in friction at the same temperature as the increase in diffusion coefficient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Mears
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S3 7RH, United Kingdom
| | - Zhenyu J Zhang
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S3 7RH, United Kingdom
| | - Ryan C D Jackson
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S3 7RH, United Kingdom
| | - Yuchen Si
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S3 7RH, United Kingdom
| | - Tigerlily J B Bradford
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S3 7RH, United Kingdom
| | - John M Torkelson
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA
| | - Mark Geoghegan
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S3 7RH, United Kingdom
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12
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Wang F, Jiang Z, Lin X, Zhang C, Tanaka K, Zuo B, Zhang W, Wang X. Suppressed Chain Entanglement Induced by Thickness of Ultrathin Polystyrene Films. Macromolecules 2021. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.1c00224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Fengliang Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Zhenwei Jiang
- Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Xuanyu Lin
- Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Cuiyun Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Keiji Tanaka
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Center for Polymer Interface and Molecular Adhesion Science, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
| | - Biao Zuo
- Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Xinping Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China
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13
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Abstract
The molecular structure of bound layers at attractive polymer-nanoparticle interfaces strongly influences the properties of nanocomposites. Thus, a unifying theoretical framework that can provide insights into the correlations between the molecular structure of the bound layers, their thermodynamics, and macroscopic properties is highly desirable. In this work, molecular dynamics simulations were used in combination with local fingerprint analysis of configurational entropy and interaction energy at the segmental scale, with the goal to establish such physical grounds. The thickness of bound polymer layers is found to be independent of the polymer chain length, as deduced from density oscillations at the surface of a nanotube. The local configurational entropy of layers is estimated from pair correlations in equilibrium structures. By plotting mean layer entropy vs internal energy on a phase diagram, a one-to-one equivalence is established between the local structures of layers and their thermodynamic properties. Moreover, a gradient in local dynamics of segments in bound layers under equilibrium is observed normal to the nanoparticle surface. The relaxation times of individual layers show correspondence to their phase diagram fingerprints, thus suggesting that a unified perspective can be envisioned for such materials built on the grounds of locally heterogeneous interfaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Gooneie
- Laboratory of Advanced Fibers, Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Lerchenfeldstrasse 5, CH-9014 St. Gallen, Switzerland
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14
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Kim J, Kim JM, Baig C. Intrinsic chain stiffness in flexible linear polymers under extreme confinement. POLYMER 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2020.123308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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15
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Geisler M, Plüschke L, Merna J, Lederer A. The Role of Solubility in Thermal Field-Flow Fractionation: A Revisited Theoretical Approach for Tuning the Separation of Chain Walking Polymerized Polyethylene. Anal Chem 2020; 92:14822-14829. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.0c03686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Martin Geisler
- Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e.V., Hohe Str. 6, 01069 Dresden, Germany
- Faculty of Chemistry and Food Chemistry, Technische Universität Dresden, 01162 Dresden, Germany
| | - Laura Plüschke
- Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e.V., Hohe Str. 6, 01069 Dresden, Germany
- Faculty of Chemistry and Food Chemistry, Technische Universität Dresden, 01162 Dresden, Germany
| | - Jan Merna
- Department of Polymers, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Technická 5, 166 28 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Albena Lederer
- Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e.V., Hohe Str. 6, 01069 Dresden, Germany
- Faculty of Chemistry and Food Chemistry, Technische Universität Dresden, 01162 Dresden, Germany
- Department of Chemistry and Polymer Science, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland 7602, South Africa
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16
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17
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Chandran S, Reiter G. Segmental Rearrangements Relax Stresses in Nonequilibrated Polymer Films. ACS Macro Lett 2019; 8:646-650. [PMID: 35619518 DOI: 10.1021/acsmacrolett.9b00116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
We probed the relaxation of preparation-induced residual stresses in nonequilibrated polymer films through dewetting experiments. While we observed fast relaxations at temperatures close to or below the glass transition, at elevated temperatures these relaxation times were orders of magnitude longer than the reptation time. Intriguingly, applying appropriate scaling of preparation conditions allowed us to present all relaxation times, including published data, from various complementary experiments on a single master curve exhibiting an Arrhenius-type behavior. The corresponding activation energy (75 ± 10 kJ/mol) is similar to values obtained for the relaxation of segments in polystyrene. The observed long relaxation times suggest that residual stresses, a consequence of nonequilibrium conformations inherited from preparation, relax via concerted rearrangements of many segments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sivasurender Chandran
- Institute of Physics, University of Freiburg, Herman Herder Str. 3, Freiburg, 79104, Germany
| | - Günter Reiter
- Institute of Physics, University of Freiburg, Herman Herder Str. 3, Freiburg, 79104, Germany
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18
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Nguyen HK, Inutsuka M, Kawaguchi D, Tanaka K. Direct Observation of Conformational Relaxation of Polymer Chains at Surfaces. ACS Macro Lett 2018; 7:1198-1202. [PMID: 35651272 DOI: 10.1021/acsmacrolett.8b00411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Sum-frequency generation spectroscopy was employed to follow the conformation evolution of polystyrene chains at the surface of a spin-coated film in a temperature-ramping mode as well as under isothermal annealing. The conformation of surface chains in an as-cast film was observed to be in a nonequilibrium state, in accordance with reported results for polymer chains in thin spin-coated films. While the relaxation of surface nonequilibrium chains was induced by the enhanced surface mobility, the whole chain motion such as reptation might be a key factor in determining the time scale for equilibrating the surface chain conformation.
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19
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Liu Y, Cao K, Karpova S, Olkhov A, Filatova A, Zhulkina A, Burkov A, Fomin SV, Rosa DS, Iordanskii AL. Comparative Characterization of Melt Electrospun Fibers and Films Based on PLA-PHB Blends: Diffusion, Drug Release, and Structural Features. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/masy.201800130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yong Liu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Polymer Composites; Beijing University of Chemical Technology; Beijing 100029 China
| | - Kuan Cao
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Polymer Composites; Beijing University of Chemical Technology; Beijing 100029 China
| | - Svetlana Karpova
- Emanuel Institute of Biochemical Physics; Kosygin Str. 4 Moscow 119991 RF
| | - Anatoliy Olkhov
- Semenov Institute of Chemical Physics; Kosygin Str. 4 Moscow 119991 RF
| | - Anna Filatova
- Semenov Institute of Chemical Physics; Kosygin Str. 4 Moscow 119991 RF
| | - Anna Zhulkina
- Semenov Institute of Chemical Physics; Kosygin Str. 4 Moscow 119991 RF
| | - Andrey Burkov
- Vyatskiy State University; Moskovskaya ul. 36 Kirov (obl.) 610000 RF
| | - Sergey V. Fomin
- Vyatskiy State University; Moskovskaya ul. 36 Kirov (obl.) 610000 RF
| | - Derval S. Rosa
- Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC).; Av. dos Estados, 5001 Santo André Sao Paulo Brazil
| | - Alexey L. Iordanskii
- Semenov Institute of Chemical Physics; Kosygin Str. 4 Moscow 119991 RF
- Vyatskiy State University; Moskovskaya ul. 36 Kirov (obl.) 610000 RF
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20
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Chang J, Toga KB, Paulsen JD, Menon N, Russell TP. Thickness Dependence of the Young’s Modulus of Polymer Thin Films. Macromolecules 2018. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.8b00602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Joseph D. Paulsen
- Department of Physics and Soft and Living Matter Program, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 13244, United States
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21
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Bay RK, Shimomura S, Liu Y, Ilton M, Crosby AJ. Confinement Effect on Strain Localizations in Glassy Polymer Films. Macromolecules 2018. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.8b00385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- R. Konane Bay
- Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
| | - Shinichiro Shimomura
- Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
| | - Yujie Liu
- Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
| | - Mark Ilton
- Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
| | - Alfred J. Crosby
- Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
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22
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Zhang Y, Parnell AJ, Blaszczyk O, Musser AJ, Samuel IDW, Lidzey DG, Bernardo G. Effect of fullerene acceptor on the performance of solar cells based on PffBT4T-2OD. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2018; 20:19023-19029. [DOI: 10.1039/c8cp02195c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
We have studied organic solar cells composed of PffBT4T-2OD as electron donor and three different electron accepting fullerenes, in order to understand the impact of different fullerenes on the morphology and efficiency of the corresponding photovoltaic devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiwei Zhang
- Department of Physics and Astronomy
- The University of Sheffield
- UK
- Organic Semiconductor Centre
- SUPA
| | | | - Oskar Blaszczyk
- Organic Semiconductor Centre
- SUPA
- School of Physics & Astronomy
- University of St Andrews
- St Andrews KY16 9SS
| | - Andrew J. Musser
- Department of Physics and Astronomy
- The University of Sheffield
- UK
| | - Ifor D. W. Samuel
- Organic Semiconductor Centre
- SUPA
- School of Physics & Astronomy
- University of St Andrews
- St Andrews KY16 9SS
| | - David G. Lidzey
- Department of Physics and Astronomy
- The University of Sheffield
- UK
| | - Gabriel Bernardo
- Department of Physics and Astronomy
- The University of Sheffield
- UK
- LEPABE
- Department of Chemical Engineering
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23
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Abstract
Polymers confined to the liquid/vapor interface are studied using molecular dynamics simulations. We show that for polymers which are weakly immiscible with the solvent, the density profile perpendicular to the liquid/vapor interface is strongly asymmetric. On the vapor side of the interface, the density distribution falls off as a Gaussian with a decay length on the order of the bead diameter, whereas on the liquid side, the density profile decays as a simple exponential. This result differs from that of a polymer absorbed from a good solvent with the density profile decaying as a power law. As the surface coverage increases, the average end-to-end distance and chain mobility systematically decreases toward that of the homopolymer melt.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon L. Peters
- Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185, United States
| | - Darin Q. Pike
- Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185, United States
| | - Michael Rubinstein
- Department
of Chemistry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Gary S. Grest
- Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185, United States
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24
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Aoki H. Conformation and dynamics of single polymer chain studied by optical microscopy techniques beyond the diffraction limit. Microscopy (Oxf) 2017; 66:223-233. [PMID: 28582514 DOI: 10.1093/jmicro/dfx016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2017] [Accepted: 05/26/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The origin of the unique properties of a polymer material is the large entropic term of a single molecule, which has a chain-like structure with a large molecular weight. From the viewpoint of understanding the fundamental polymer physics, conformation of the single polymer chain is one of the most important matters; however, it has been difficult to examine the behavior of a single chain because of the limitation of conventional experimental methods. Recent developments in optical microscopy allow the fluorescence imaging beyond the diffraction limit of light, and the author's group showed that the conformation and the dynamics of a single polymer chain can be examined by the high-resolution fluorescence imaging. This review presents the application of optical microscopy with nanometric spatial resolution to study the polymer materials at the single-chain level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroyuki Aoki
- Materials and Life Science Division, Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex (J-PARC) Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Tokai, Ibaraki 319-1195, Japan
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25
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Hasegawa H, Ohta T, Ito K, Yokoyama H. Stress-strain measurement of ultra-thin polystyrene films: Film thickness and molecular weight dependence of crazing stress. POLYMER 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2017.07.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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26
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Chebil MS, Vignaud G, Bal JK, Beuvier T, Delorme N, Grohens Y, Gibaud A. Reversibility in glass transition behavior after erasing stress induced by spin coating process. POLYMER 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2017.06.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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27
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Russell TP, Chai Y. 50th Anniversary Perspective: Putting the Squeeze on Polymers: A Perspective on Polymer Thin Films and Interfaces. Macromolecules 2017. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.7b00418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas P. Russell
- Polymer
Science and Engineering Department, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
- Materials
Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- Beijing
Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Yu Chai
- Materials
Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
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28
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Zhang Y, Parnell AJ, Pontecchiani F, Cooper JFK, Thompson RL, Jones RAL, King SM, Lidzey DG, Bernardo G. Understanding and controlling morphology evolution via DIO plasticization in PffBT4T-2OD/PC 71BM devices. Sci Rep 2017; 7:44269. [PMID: 28287164 PMCID: PMC5347161 DOI: 10.1038/srep44269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2016] [Accepted: 02/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
We demonstrate that the inclusion of a small amount of the co-solvent 1,8-diiodooctane in the preparation of a bulk-heterojunction photovoltaic device increases its power conversion efficiency by 20%, through a mechanism of transient plasticisation. We follow the removal of 1,8-diiodooctane directly after spin-coating using ellipsometry and ion beam analysis, while using small angle neutron scattering to characterise the morphological nanostructure evolution of the film. In PffBT4T-2OD/PC71BM devices, the power conversion efficiency increases from 7.2% to above 8.7% as a result of the coarsening of the phase domains. This coarsening process is assisted by thermal annealing and the slow evaporation of 1,8-diiodooctane, which we suggest, acts as a plasticiser to promote molecular mobility. Our results show that 1,8-diiodooctane can be completely removed from the film by a thermal annealing process at temperatures ≤100 °C and that there is an interplay between the evaporation rate of 1,8-diiodooctane and the rate of domain coarsening in the plasticized film which helps elucidate the mechanism by which additives improve device efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiwei Zhang
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Sheffield, S3 7RH, UK
| | - Andrew J Parnell
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Sheffield, S3 7RH, UK
| | - Fabio Pontecchiani
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Sheffield, S3 7RH, UK
| | - Joshaniel F K Cooper
- ISIS Pulsed Neutron and Muon Source, STFC, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Campus, Oxon, OX11 0QX, UK
| | | | - Richard A L Jones
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Sheffield, S3 7RH, UK
| | - Stephen M King
- ISIS Pulsed Neutron and Muon Source, STFC, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Campus, Oxon, OX11 0QX, UK
| | - David G Lidzey
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Sheffield, S3 7RH, UK
| | - Gabriel Bernardo
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Sheffield, S3 7RH, UK
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29
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Vogiatzis GG, Theodorou DN. Multiscale Molecular Simulations of Polymer-Matrix Nanocomposites: or What Molecular Simulations Have Taught us About the Fascinating Nanoworld. ARCHIVES OF COMPUTATIONAL METHODS IN ENGINEERING : STATE OF THE ART REVIEWS 2017; 25:591-645. [PMID: 29962833 PMCID: PMC6003436 DOI: 10.1007/s11831-016-9207-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2016] [Accepted: 12/20/2016] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Following the substantial progress in molecular simulations of polymer-matrix nanocomposites, now is the time to reconsider this topic from a critical point of view. A comprehensive survey is reported herein providing an overview of classical molecular simulations, reviewing their major achievements in modeling polymer matrix nanocomposites, and identifying several open challenges. Molecular simulations at multiple length and time scales, working hand-in-hand with sensitive experiments, have enhanced our understanding of how nanofillers alter the structure, dynamics, thermodynamics, rheology and mechanical properties of the surrounding polymer matrices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgios G. Vogiatzis
- School of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 9 Heroon Polytechniou Street, Zografou Campus, 15780 Athens, Greece
- Present Address: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, PO Box 513, 5600MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Doros N. Theodorou
- School of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 9 Heroon Polytechniou Street, Zografou Campus, 15780 Athens, Greece
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30
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Liu D, Qin H, Zhang J, Wang T. Thickness-dependent glass transition temperature and charge mobility in cross-linked polyfluorene thin films. Phys Rev E 2016; 94:052503. [PMID: 27967096 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.94.052503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
We report thickness-dependent glass transition temperature (T_{g}) and charge mobility in cross-linked thin films made of conjugated polymer poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene-co-N-(4-butylphenyl)diphenylamine) (TFB). Monotonic T_{g} depressions with reducing film thickness in thermally and UV cross-linked TFB thin films supported on Si-SiOx substrates are observed through ellipsometry measurements, suggesting that a surface mobile layer with enhanced chain dynamics still exists in cross-linked TFB thin films, even with a high cross-linking percentage. Data fitting using a three-layer model shows that the T_{g} in the interface, bulk and surface layer both increases with increasing cross-linking, while the thickness of the interface and surface layer increases and reduces, respectively. Cross-linking of TFB thin film generates traps that hinder charge transport and consequently reduce charge mobility. The charge mobility converges in thick (>140 nm) and thin (<40 nm) TFB films but shows strong thickness dependence in between, reducing from 4.0×10^{-4}cm^{2}/Vs in a 180-nm film to 0.1×10^{-4}cm^{2}/Vs in a 20-nm thin film.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Liu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Hui Qin
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Jinghui Zhang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Tao Wang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China
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31
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Magerl D, Philipp M, Metwalli E, Gutfreund P, Qiu XP, Winnik FM, Müller-Buschbaum P. Influence of Confinement on the Chain Conformation of Cyclic Poly( N-isopropylacrylamide). ACS Macro Lett 2015; 4:1362-1365. [PMID: 35614783 DOI: 10.1021/acsmacrolett.5b00676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
In thin and ultrathin supported films, the conformations of flexible linear polymer chains might be considerably confined, in particular, for film thicknesses smaller than a few times the radius of gyration. For ring polymers in solution or in melt, the radii of gyration are significantly reduced as compared to those of their linear counterparts. We study here the influence of geometrical confinement on the chain conformation of cyclic PNIPAM in silicon-supported films. Measurements are performed by grazing incidence small angle neutron scattering (GISANS). For all films, the component of the radius of gyration parallel to the substrate, Rgc∥, is significantly higher than the unperturbed Rgc determined under theta solvent or melt conditions. We attribute this effect to a preferential selection of stretched PNIPAM ring conformations in thin films and a preferential orientation of macromolecules parallel to the film interfaces with the substrate and air.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Magerl
- Lehrstuhl
für Funktionelle Materialien, Physik-Department, Technische Universität München, James-Franck-Str. 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Martine Philipp
- Lehrstuhl
für Funktionelle Materialien, Physik-Department, Technische Universität München, James-Franck-Str. 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Ezzeldin Metwalli
- Lehrstuhl
für Funktionelle Materialien, Physik-Department, Technische Universität München, James-Franck-Str. 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Philipp Gutfreund
- Institut Laue-Langevin, 71 avenue
des Martyrs, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Xing-Ping Qiu
- Faculty
of Pharmacy and Department of Chemistry, Université de Montréal, CP 6128 Succursale Centre Ville, Montréal QC H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Françoise M. Winnik
- Faculty
of Pharmacy and Department of Chemistry, Université de Montréal, CP 6128 Succursale Centre Ville, Montréal QC H3C 3J7, Canada
- World Premier International
(WPI) Research Center Initiative, International Center for Materials
Nanoarchitectonics (MANA) and National Institute for Materials Science
(NIMS), 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba 305-0044, Japan
| | - Peter Müller-Buschbaum
- Lehrstuhl
für Funktionelle Materialien, Physik-Department, Technische Universität München, James-Franck-Str. 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
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32
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Carrillo JMY, Cheng S, Kumar R, Goswami M, Sokolov AP, Sumpter BG. Untangling the Effects of Chain Rigidity on the Structure and Dynamics of Strongly Adsorbed Polymer Melts. Macromolecules 2015. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.5b00624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Alexei P. Sokolov
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, United States
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33
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Xia Y, Li M, Kučerka N, Li S, Nieh MP. In-situ temperature-controllable shear flow device for neutron scattering measurement--an example of aligned bicellar mixtures. THE REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS 2015; 86:025112. [PMID: 25725893 DOI: 10.1063/1.4908165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
We have designed and constructed a temperature-controllable shear flow cell for in-situ study on flow alignable systems. The device has been tested in the neutron diffraction and has the potential to be applied in the small angle neutron scattering configuration to characterize the nanostructures of the materials under flow. The required sample amount is as small as 1 ml. The shear rate on the sample is controlled by the flow rate produced by an external pump and can potentially vary from 0.11 to 3.8 × 10(5) s(-1). Both unidirectional and oscillational flows are achievable by the setting of the pump. The instrument is validated by using a lipid bicellar mixture, which yields non-alignable nanodisc-like bicelles at low T and shear-alignable membranes at high T. Using the shear cell, the bicellar membranes can be aligned at 31 °C under the flow with a shear rate of 11.11 s(-1). Multiple high-order Bragg peaks are observed and the full width at half maximum of the "rocking curve" around the Bragg's condition is found to be 3.5°-4.1°. It is noteworthy that a portion of the membranes remains aligned even after the flow stops. Detailed and comprehensive intensity correction for the rocking curve has been derived based on the finite rectangular sample geometry and the absorption of the neutrons as a function of sample angle [See supplementary material at http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4908165 for the detailed derivation of the absorption correction]. The device offers a new capability to study the conformational or orientational anisotropy of the solvated macromolecules or aggregates induced by the hydrodynamic interaction in a flow field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Xia
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269, USA
| | - Ming Li
- Polymer Program, Institute of Material Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269, USA
| | - Norbert Kučerka
- Canadian Neutron Beam Centre, National Research Council Canada, Chalk River Laboratories, Chalk River, Ontario K0J 1J0, Canada
| | - Shutao Li
- Canadian Neutron Beam Centre, National Research Council Canada, Chalk River Laboratories, Chalk River, Ontario K0J 1J0, Canada
| | - Mu-Ping Nieh
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269, USA
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34
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Xu J, Ding L, Chen J, Gao S, Li L, Zhou D, Li X, Xue G. Sensitive Characterization of the Influence of Substrate Interfaces on Supported Thin Films. Macromolecules 2014. [DOI: 10.1021/ma500864k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jie Xu
- Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, School
of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of High Performance
Polymer Materials and Technology, and The State Key Laboratory of
Coordination Chemistry, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, P. R. China
| | - Lei Ding
- Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, School
of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of High Performance
Polymer Materials and Technology, and The State Key Laboratory of
Coordination Chemistry, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, P. R. China
| | - Jiao Chen
- Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, School
of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of High Performance
Polymer Materials and Technology, and The State Key Laboratory of
Coordination Chemistry, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, P. R. China
| | - Siyang Gao
- Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, School
of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of High Performance
Polymer Materials and Technology, and The State Key Laboratory of
Coordination Chemistry, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, P. R. China
| | - Linling Li
- Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, School
of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of High Performance
Polymer Materials and Technology, and The State Key Laboratory of
Coordination Chemistry, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, P. R. China
| | - Dongshan Zhou
- Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, School
of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of High Performance
Polymer Materials and Technology, and The State Key Laboratory of
Coordination Chemistry, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, P. R. China
| | - Xiang Li
- Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, School
of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of High Performance
Polymer Materials and Technology, and The State Key Laboratory of
Coordination Chemistry, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, P. R. China
| | - Gi Xue
- Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, School
of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of High Performance
Polymer Materials and Technology, and The State Key Laboratory of
Coordination Chemistry, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, P. R. China
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35
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Bayramoglu B, Faller R. Modeling of Polystyrene under Confinement: Exploring the Limits of Iterative Boltzmann Inversion. Macromolecules 2013. [DOI: 10.1021/ma400831g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Beste Bayramoglu
- Department of Chemical Engineering & Materials Science, UC Davis, Davis, California 95616, United States
- Department
of Food Engineering, Izmir Institute of Technology, Izmir, Turkey 35430
| | - Roland Faller
- Department of Chemical Engineering & Materials Science, UC Davis, Davis, California 95616, United States
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36
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Aoki H, Mori K, Takahashi T, Ito S. Quantitative analysis of end-to-end distance of single polymer chain in ultra-thin film by super-resolution fluorescence imaging. Chem Phys 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chemphys.2012.12.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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37
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Olds DP, Duxbury PM, Kiel JW, Mackay ME. Percolating bulk heterostructures from neutron reflectometry and small-angle scattering data. PHYSICAL REVIEW. E, STATISTICAL, NONLINEAR, AND SOFT MATTER PHYSICS 2012; 86:061803. [PMID: 23367969 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.86.061803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
We generate percolating fullerene-polymer bulk heterostructures that are consistent with the experimental characterization of a nanostructure, in particular neutron reflectometry and small-angle neutron scattering data from as-cast and annealed poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and [6,6]-phenyl C61-butyric acid methyl ester systems. Transport simulations correlate changes in exciton dissociation efficiency and charge collection efficiency with morphological features including characteristic domain size, fullerene concentration profile, degree of fullerene sequestration, and degree of P3HT crystallization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel P Olds
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, USA.
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38
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Sugihara K, Kumaki J. Visualization of two-dimensional single chain conformations solubilized in a miscible polymer blend monolayer by atomic force microscopy. J Phys Chem B 2012; 116:6561-8. [PMID: 22568743 DOI: 10.1021/jp303063c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Polymer Langmuir monolayers spread on a water surface are one of the best models for two-dimensional (2D) polymer and have been extensively studied. However, the most fundamental issue in understanding a 2D film, the polymer chain packing in the film, is still not well-understood, especially from the experimental point of view. Direct observation of the chain packing by microscopy at a molecular level, such as by atomic force microscopy (AFM), might be one of the most promising ways to study this issue; however, because of the limited resolution of the method, the chain packing of polymer cannot be resolved by AFM, except for especially large polymers. Here, we show that a mixed monolayer of vinyl polymers, poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and poly(n-nonyl acrylate) (PNA), was miscible at a low surface pressure, and if a small amount of PMMA chains was solubilized in a PNA monolayer, the isolated PMMA chains in the PNA monolayer were, for the first time, successfully visualized by AFM with a clear contrast, which originated from a difference of rigidities of the polymers due to their different glass transition temperatures (105 °C(PMMA) and -89 °C(PNA)). The PMMA chains were found to strongly interpenetrate into the PNA monolayer, with a radius of gyration (R(g(PMMA))) that was several times larger than that of the 2D ideal chain (segregated-chain). Furthermore, the radius scaled with the molecular weight of the PMMA (M(PMMA)) as R(g(PMMA)) ∝ M(PMMA)(0.63), which was between the scaling of the 2D ideal chain (segregated chain), R(g) ∝ M(0.5), and the 2D chain in good solvent, R(g) ∝ M(0.75). On the other hand, R(g(PMMA)) was independent of the molecular weight of the PNA matrix over a wide range. These results indicate that the PNA/PMMA monolayer is a strongly miscible system, although the R(g(PMMA)) scaling with M(PMMA) (0.63) is somewhat smaller than that expected for a 2D chain in good solvent systems (0.75). The generation of molecular level information by direct observation of polymer chains in 2D blend films should improve our understanding of polymer 2D films.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kouki Sugihara
- Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Yamagata University, Yonezawa, Yamagata 992-8510, Japan
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39
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Tsuruta H, Fujii Y, Kai N, Kataoka H, Ishizone T, Doi M, Morita H, Tanaka K. Local Conformation and Relaxation of Polystyrene at Substrate Interface. Macromolecules 2012. [DOI: 10.1021/ma3007202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Hiroshi Kataoka
- Polymeric and Organic Materials
Department, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo 152-8552, Japan
| | - Takashi Ishizone
- Polymeric and Organic Materials
Department, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo 152-8552, Japan
| | - Masao Doi
- Department of Applied Physics, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Morita
- Nanotechnology
Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Ibaraki 305-8568, Japan
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Katzenstein JM, Janes DW, Hocker HE, Chandler JK, Ellison CJ. Nanoconfined Self-Diffusion of Poly(isobutyl methacrylate) in Films with a Thickness-Independent Glass Transition. Macromolecules 2012. [DOI: 10.1021/ma202362j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Joshua M. Katzenstein
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712,
United States
| | - Dustin W. Janes
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712,
United States
| | - Haley E. Hocker
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712,
United States
| | - Justin K. Chandler
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712,
United States
| | - Christopher J. Ellison
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712,
United States
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Karatrantos A, Composto RJ, Winey KI, Clarke N. Structure and Conformations of Polymer/SWCNT Nanocomposites. Macromolecules 2011. [DOI: 10.1021/ma201359s] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Argyrios Karatrantos
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S3 7RH, United Kingdom
| | - Russell J. Composto
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Karen I. Winey
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Nigel Clarke
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S3 7RH, United Kingdom
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Inoue R, Kawashima K, Matsui K, Nakamura M, Nishida K, Kanaya T, Yamada NL. Interfacial properties of polystyrene thin films as revealed by neutron reflectivity. PHYSICAL REVIEW. E, STATISTICAL, NONLINEAR, AND SOFT MATTER PHYSICS 2011; 84:031802. [PMID: 22060395 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.84.031802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2011] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
We have studied the glass transition temperature (T(g)) and molecular mobility of polystyrene (PS) thin films near the interface between the polymer thin film and substrate with bilayer thin films consisting of surface hydrogenated PS (h-PS) and bottom deuterated PS (d-PS) using neutron reflectivity. With decreasing the thickness of the bottom d-PS layer, T(g) near the interface between the polymer thin film and substrate increased compared to bulk T(g) and a drastic increase of T(g) was observed for the bottom d-PS layer <155 Å thick. The orientation of polymer chains at the interface is supposed to be related to the increase of T(g) near the interface between the polymer and substrate. The polymer chain mobility decreased with thickness even for the bottom d-PS layer with no discernible change of T(g). It is considered that the numerous contacts between polymer chains and substrate are related to the decrease of mobility near the interface between the polymer thin film and substrate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rintaro Inoue
- Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto-fu 611-0011, Japan.
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Pejcic B, Crooke E, Doherty CM, Hill AJ, Myers M, Qi X, Ross A. The impact of water and hydrocarbon concentration on the sensitivity of a polymer-based quartz crystal microbalance sensor for organic compounds. Anal Chim Acta 2011; 703:70-9. [PMID: 21843677 DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2011.07.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2011] [Revised: 07/06/2011] [Accepted: 07/10/2011] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Long-term environmental monitoring of organic compounds in natural waters requires sensors that respond reproducibly and linearly over a wide concentration range, and do not degrade with time. Although polymer coated piezoelectric based sensors have been widely used to detect hydrocarbons in aqueous solution, very little information exists regarding their stability and suitability over extended periods in water. In this investigation, the influence of water aging on the response of various polymer membranes [polybutadiene (PB), polyisobutylene (PIB), polystyrene (PS), polystyrene-co-butadiene (PSB)] was studied using the quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). QCM measurements revealed a modest increase in sensitivity towards toluene for PB and PIB membranes at concentrations above 90 ppm after aging in water for 4 days. In contrast, the sensitivity of PS and PSB coated QCM sensors depended significantly on the toluene concentration and increased considerably at concentrations above 90 ppm after aging in water for 4 days. Attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) showed that there is a change in the sorption mechanism at higher toluene levels for PS and PSB. Positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS) studies were performed to investigate the free volume properties of all polymers and to monitor any changes in the free volume size and distribution due to water and toluene exposure. The PALS did not detect any considerable variation in the free volume properties of the polymer films as a function of solution composition and soaking time, implying that viscoelastic and/or interfacial processes (i.e. surface area changes) are probably responsible for variations in the QCM sensitivity at high hydrocarbon concentrations. The results suggest that polymer membrane conditioning in water is an issue that needs to be considered when performing QCM measurements in the aqueous phase. In addition, the study shows that the hydrocarbon response is concentration dependant for polymers with a high glass transition temperature, and this feature is often neglected when comparing sensor sensitivity in the literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bobby Pejcic
- CSIRO, Earth Science and Resource Engineering, Bentley, WA, Australia.
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YANG Y, SUN Z, AN L. MONTE CARLO STUDIES OF THE CONFINEMENT EFFECTS ON THE ENTANGLEMENT OF POLYMER CHAINS. ACTA POLYM SIN 2011. [DOI: 10.3724/sp.j.1105.2011.10134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Bayramoglu B, Faller R. Structural properties of polystyrene oligomers in different environments: a molecular dynamics study. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2011; 13:18107-14. [DOI: 10.1039/c1cp21724k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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Influence of hydrophilic silica nanoparticles to the conformation of hydrophilic polymer chain in dilute solution system. J Colloid Interface Sci 2011; 353:52-60. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2010.09.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2010] [Revised: 09/06/2010] [Accepted: 09/09/2010] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Nusser K, Neueder S, Schneider GJ, Meyer M, Pyckhout-Hintzen W, Willner L, Radulescu A, Richter D. Conformations of Silica−Poly(ethylene−propylene) Nanocomposites. Macromolecules 2010. [DOI: 10.1021/ma101898c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Klaus Nusser
- Institut für Festkörperforschung, Neutronenstreuung, and Jülich Centre for Neutron Science, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Susanne Neueder
- Institut für Festkörperforschung, Neutronenstreuung, and Jülich Centre for Neutron Science, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Gerald J. Schneider
- Institut für Festkörperforschung, Neutronenstreuung, and Jülich Centre for Neutron Science, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Mathias Meyer
- Institut für Festkörperforschung, Neutronenstreuung, and Jülich Centre for Neutron Science, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Wim Pyckhout-Hintzen
- Institut für Festkörperforschung, Neutronenstreuung, and Jülich Centre for Neutron Science, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Lutz Willner
- Institut für Festkörperforschung, Neutronenstreuung, and Jülich Centre for Neutron Science, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Aurel Radulescu
- Institut für Festkörperforschung, Neutronenstreuung, and Jülich Centre for Neutron Science, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Dieter Richter
- Institut für Festkörperforschung, Neutronenstreuung, and Jülich Centre for Neutron Science, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52425 Jülich, Germany
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Jouault N, Dalmas F, Said S, Di Cola E, Schweins R, Jestin J, Boué F. Direct Measurement of Polymer Chain Conformation in Well-Controlled Model Nanocomposites by Combining SANS and SAXS. Macromolecules 2010. [DOI: 10.1021/ma101682t] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Jouault
- Laboratoire Léon Brillouin CEA/CNRS (LLB), CEA Saclay 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France
| | - Florent Dalmas
- Institut de Chimie et des Matériaux Paris-Est (ICMPE), UMR 7182 CNRS/Université Paris-Est, 2-8 rue Henri Dunant 94320 Thiais, France
| | - Sylvère Said
- Laboratoire d’Ingénierie des Matériaux de Bretagne (LIMTAB), Université de Bretagne Sud (UBS), Centre de Recherche, Rue Saint Maudé, BP 92116, 56321 Lorient cedex, France
| | - Emanuela Di Cola
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF), BP 220, 38043 Grenoble, France
| | - Ralf Schweins
- Institut Laue Langevin (ILL) DS/LSS 6 rue Jules Horowitz, 38042 Grenoble Cedex 9, France
| | - Jacques Jestin
- Laboratoire Léon Brillouin CEA/CNRS (LLB), CEA Saclay 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France
| | - François Boué
- Laboratoire Léon Brillouin CEA/CNRS (LLB), CEA Saclay 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France
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Kiel JW, Eberle APR, Mackay ME. Nanoparticle agglomeration in polymer-based solar cells. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2010; 105:168701. [PMID: 21231021 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.105.168701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2010] [Revised: 09/09/2010] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
We show that the morphology of polymer-based solar cells substantially changes after annealing using small angle neutron scattering. Phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) is found reasonably well dispersed within the poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) rich phase after initial processing (spin coating). However, the PCBM structure coarsens after annealing, clearly evidenced by the increase in scattering intensity at a small wave vector. The change in morphology at the nanoscale is related to improved device performance and the simultaneous, contradictory, increase in photoluminescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathon W Kiel
- Materials Science and Engineering Department, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware 19716, USA
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