1
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Krott LB, Puccinelli T, Bordin JR. Core-softened colloid under extreme geometrical confinement. SOFT MATTER 2024; 20:4681-4691. [PMID: 38739368 DOI: 10.1039/d4sm00339j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
Geometrical constraints offer a promising strategy for assembling colloidal crystal structures that are not typically observed in bulk or under 2D conditions. Core-softened colloids, in particular, have emerged as versatile chemical building blocks with applications across various scientific and technological areas. In this study, we investigate the behavior of a core-softened model confined between two parallel walls. Employing molecular dynamics simulations, we analyze the system's response under extreme confinement, where only one or two layers of colloids are permitted. The system comprises particles modeled by a ramp-like potential confined within slit nanoslits created by two flat, purely repulsive walls with a lateral side L separated by a distance Lz. Through a systematic analysis of the phase behavior as Lz increases, or as the system undergoes decompression, for different values of L, we identified a mono-to-bilayer transition associated with changes in the colloidal structure. In the monolayer regime, we observed solid phases at lower densities than those observed in the 2D case. Importantly, we demonstrated that confinement at specific Lz values, allowing particle arrangement into two layers, can lead to the emergence of the square phase, which was not observed under monolayer or 2D conditions. By correlating thermodynamic, translational, and orientational ordering, as well as the dynamics of this confined colloidal system, our findings offer valuable insights into the utilization of geometrical constraints to induce and manipulate structural changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leandro B Krott
- Centro de Ciências, Tecnologias e Saúde, Campus Araranguá, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina. Rua Pedro João Pereira, 150, CEP 88905120, Araranguá, SC, Brazil.
| | - Thiago Puccinelli
- Departamento de Física, Instituto de Física e Matemática, Universidade Federal de Pelotas. Caixa Postal 354, CEP 96001-970, Pelotas, RS, Brazil.
| | - José Rafael Bordin
- Departamento de Física, Instituto de Física e Matemática, Universidade Federal de Pelotas. Caixa Postal 354, CEP 96001-970, Pelotas, RS, Brazil.
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2
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Vo T. Theory and simulation of ligand functionalized nanoparticles - a pedagogical overview. SOFT MATTER 2024; 20:3554-3576. [PMID: 38646950 DOI: 10.1039/d4sm00177j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
Synthesizing reconfigurable nanoscale synthons with predictive control over shape, size, and interparticle interactions is a holy grail of bottom-up self-assembly. Grand challenges in their rational design, however, lie in both the large space of experimental synthetic parameters and proper understanding of the molecular mechanisms governing their formation. As such, computational and theoretical tools for predicting and modeling building block interactions have grown to become integral in modern day self-assembly research. In this review, we provide an in-depth discussion of the current state-of-the-art strategies available for modeling ligand functionalized nanoparticles. We focus on the critical role of how ligand interactions and surface distributions impact the emergent, pre-programmed behaviors between neighboring particles. To help build insights into the underlying physics, we first define an "ideal" limit - the short ligand, "hard" sphere approximation - and discuss all experimental handles through the lens of perturbations about this reference point. Finally, we identify theories that are capable of bridging interparticle interactions to nanoscale self-assembly and conclude by discussing exciting new directions for this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thi Vo
- Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.
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3
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Borówko M, Staszewski T. Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Different Nanoparticles at Substrates. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4550. [PMID: 38674134 PMCID: PMC11050098 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25084550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2024] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
We report the results of large-scale molecular dynamics simulations of adsorption nanoparticles on solid surfaces. The particles were modeled as stiff aggregates of spherical segments. Three types of particles were studied: rods, rectangles, and triangles built of the same number of segments. We show how the particle shape affects the adsorption, the structure of the surface layer, and the degree of the removal of particles from the solvent. The systems with different segment-segment and segment-surface interactions and different concentrations of particles were investigated. The ordered structures formed in adsorption monolayers were also analyzed. The results are consistent with experimental observations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Małgorzata Borówko
- Department of Theoretical Chemistry, Institute of Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Chemistry, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin, 20-031 Lublin, Poland;
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4
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Moussavi A, Pal S, Wu Z, Keten S. Characterizing the shear response of polymer-grafted nanoparticles. J Chem Phys 2024; 160:134903. [PMID: 38573850 DOI: 10.1063/5.0188494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Grafting polymer chains to the surface of nanoparticles overcomes the challenge of nanoparticle dispersion within nanocomposites and establishes high-volume fractions that are found to enable enhanced material mechanical properties. This study utilizes coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations to quantify how the shear modulus of polymer-grafted nanoparticle (PGN) systems in their glassy state depends on parameters such as strain rate, nanoparticle size, grafting density, and chain length. The results are interpreted through further analysis of the dynamics of chain conformations and volume fraction arguments. The volume fraction of nanoparticles is found to be the most influential variable in deciding the shear modulus of PGN systems. A simple rule of mixture is utilized to express the monotonic dependence of shear modulus on the volume fraction of nanoparticles. Due to the reinforcing effect of nanoparticles, shortening the grafted chains results in a higher shear modulus in PGNs, which is not seen in linear systems. These results offer timely insight into calibrating molecular design parameters for achieving the desired mechanical properties in PGNs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arman Moussavi
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA
| | - Subhadeep Pal
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA
| | - Zhenghao Wu
- Department of Chemistry, Xi'an Jiaotong Liverpool University, Suzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Sinan Keten
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA
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5
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Moinuddin M, Rane K. Effect of shape anisotropy on the precipitation of dimeric nanoparticles. SOFT MATTER 2023; 19:8604-8616. [PMID: 37909104 DOI: 10.1039/d3sm00827d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
We use grand canonical transition matrix Monte Carlo simulations to study the precipitation of dimeric nanoparticles. The dimers are composed of two particles having different chemical features and separated by a fixed distance. The non-attractive and attractive parts of the dimer are modeled using hard-sphere and square-well potentials, respectively. The shape anisotropy is altered by changing the relative sizes of the two particles. We observe that the stability of the nanosuspension increases with the increase in the size of the non-attractive part of the dimer. The precipitates of dimers having larger non-attractive parts have lower packing densities, contain large cavities, and show evidence of self-assembly in the bulk and on the surface. We also use the results from our simulations and the classical nucleation theory to study the kinetics of precipitation. At a given temperature and relative supersaturation, the rate of homogeneous nucleation increases with the increase in the size of the non-attractive parts. Finally, we use an example to show how our results can guide the design of nanosuspensions containing chemically anisotropic dimers that are stable under particular conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Moinuddin
- Discipline of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Gujarat, 382355, India.
| | - Kaustubh Rane
- Discipline of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Gujarat, 382355, India.
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6
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Bordin JR. A DPD model of soft spheres with waterlike anomalies and poly(a)morphism. SOFT MATTER 2023; 19:7613-7624. [PMID: 37772324 DOI: 10.1039/d3sm00972f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/30/2023]
Abstract
Core-softened approaches have been employed to understand the behavior of a large variety of systems in soft condensed matter, from biological molecules to colloidal crystals, glassy phases, and water-like anomalies. At the same time, dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) is a powerful tool suitable for studying larger length and time scales. In this sense, we propose a simple model of soft molecules that exhibits a wide range of interesting phenomena: polyamorphism, with three amorphous phases, polymorphysm, including a recently found gyroid phase and a cubic diamond structure, reentrant liquid phase, and density, diffusion, and structural water-like anomalies. Each molecule is constituted by two collapsing beads, representing a harder central core and a softer corona. This induces a competition between distinct conformations that leads to their unique behavior. This provides a basis for the development of more accurate water-like DPD models that can then be parameterized for specific systems and even used to model and understand the self-assembly of colloidal crystals.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Rafael Bordin
- Departamento de Física, Instituto de Física e Matemática, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Caixa Postal 354, CEP 96001-970, Pelotas, RS, Brazil.
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7
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Hybrid Nanoparticles at Fluid-Fluid Interfaces: Insight from Theory and Simulation. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24054564. [PMID: 36901995 PMCID: PMC10003740 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24054564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Hybrid nanoparticles that combine special properties of their different parts have numerous applications in electronics, optics, catalysis, medicine, and many others. Of the currently produced particles, Janus particles and ligand-tethered (hairy) particles are of particular interest both from a practical and purely cognitive point of view. Understanding their behavior at fluid interfaces is important to many fields because particle-laden interfaces are ubiquitous in nature and industry. We provide a review of the literature, focusing on theoretical studies of hybrid particles at fluid-fluid interfaces. Our goal is to give a link between simple phenomenological models and advanced molecular simulations. We analyze the adsorption of individual Janus particles and hairy particles at the interfaces. Then, their interfacial assembly is also discussed. The simple equations for the attachment energy of various Janus particles are presented. We discuss how such parameters as the particle size, the particle shape, the relative sizes of different patches, and the amphiphilicity affect particle adsorption. This is essential for taking advantage of the particle capacity to stabilize interfaces. Representative examples of molecular simulations were presented. We show that the simple models surprisingly well reproduce experimental and simulation data. In the case of hairy particles, we concentrate on the effects of reconfiguration of the polymer brushes at the interface. This review is expected to provide a general perspective on the subject and may be helpful to many researchers and technologists working with particle-laden layers.
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8
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Moinuddin M, Tripathy M. Effect of Architecture and Topology on the Self-Assembly of Polymer-Grafted Nanoparticles. Macromolecules 2022. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.2c01243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Md Moinuddin
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai400076, Maharashtra, India
| | - Mukta Tripathy
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai400076, Maharashtra, India
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9
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Sato T, Esashika K, Yamamoto E, Saiki T, Arai N. Theoretical Design of a Janus-Nanoparticle-Based Sandwich Assay for Nucleic Acids. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23158807. [PMID: 35955941 PMCID: PMC9369376 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23158807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Nanoparticles exhibit diverse self-assembly attributes and are expected to be applicable under unique settings. For instance, biomolecules can be sandwiched between dimer nanoparticles and detected by surface-enhanced Raman scattering. Controlling the gap between extremely close dimers and stably capturing the target molecule in the gap are crucial aspects of this strategy. Therefore, polymer-tethered nanoparticles (PTNPs), which show promise as high-performance materials that exhibit the attractive features of both NPs and polymers, were targeted in this study to achieve stable biomolecule sensing. Using coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations, the dependence of the PTNP interactions on the length of the grafted polymer, graft density, and coverage ratio of a hydrophobic tether were examined. The results indicated that the smaller the tether length and graft density, the smaller was the distance between the PTNP surfaces (Rsurf). In contrast, Rsurf decreased as the coverage ratio of the hydrophobic surface (ϕ) increased. The sandwiching probability of the sensing target increased in proportion to the coverage ratio. At high ϕ values, the PTNPs aggregated into three or more particles, which hindered their sensing attributes. These results provide fundamental insight into the sensing applications of NPs and demonstrate the usefulness of PTNPs in sensing biomolecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takumi Sato
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Keio University, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama 223-8522, Japan
| | - Keiko Esashika
- Department of Electrical and Information Engineering, Keio University, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama 223-8522, Japan
| | - Eiji Yamamoto
- Department of System Design Engineering, Keio University, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama 223-8522, Japan
| | - Toshiharu Saiki
- Department of Electrical and Information Engineering, Keio University, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama 223-8522, Japan
| | - Noriyoshi Arai
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Keio University, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama 223-8522, Japan
- Correspondence:
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10
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Shape Transformations and Self-Assembly of Hairy Particles under Confinement. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23147919. [PMID: 35887260 PMCID: PMC9319024 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23147919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Molecular dynamics simulations are used to investigate the behavior of polymer-tethered nanoparticles between two inert or attractive walls. The confinement in pores creates new possibilities for controlling the shape transformation of individual hairy particles and their self-organization. We introduce a minimalistic model of the system; only chain-wall interactions are assumed to be attractive, while the others are softly repulsive. We show how the shape of isolated particles can be controlled by changing the wall separation and the strength of the interaction with the surfaces. For attractive walls, we found two types of structures, “bridges” and “mounds”. The first structures are similar to flanged spools in which the chains are connected with both walls and form bridges between them. We observed various bridges, symmetrical and asymmetrical spools, hourglasses, and pillars. The bridge-like structures can be “nano-oscillators” in which the cores jump from one wall to the other. We also study the self-assembly of a dense fluid of hairy particles in slit-like pores and analyze how the system morphology depends on interactions with the surfaces and the wall separation. The hairy particles form layers parallel to the walls. Different ordered structures, resembling two-dimensional crystalline lattices, are reported. We demonstrate that hairy particles are a versatile soft component forming a variety of structures in the slits.
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11
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Abstract
![]()
We explore the behavior
of polymer-tethered particles on solid
surfaces using coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations. Segment–segment,
segment–core, and core–core interactions are assumed
to be purely repulsive, while the segment–substrate interactions
are attractive. We analyze changes in the internal structure of single
hairy particles on the surfaces with the increasing strength of the
segment–substrate interactions. For this purpose, we calculate
the density profiles along the x, y, z axes and the mass dipole moments. The adsorbed
hairy particles are found to be symmetrical in a plane parallel to
the substrate but strongly asymmetric in the vertical direction. On
stronger adsorbents, the particle canopies become flattened and the
cores lie closer to the wall. We consider the adsorption of hairy
nanoparticles dispersed in systems of different initial particle densities.
We show how the strength of segment–substrate interactions
affects the structure of the adsorbed phase, the particle–wall
potential of the average force, the excess adsorption isotherms, and
the real adsorption isotherms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomasz Staszewski
- Department of Theoretical Chemistry, Institute of Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Chemistry, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin, 20-031 Lublin, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Borówko
- Department of Theoretical Chemistry, Institute of Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Chemistry, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin, 20-031 Lublin, Poland
| | - Patrycja Boguta
- Institute of Agrophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Doświadczalna 4, 20-290 Lublin, Poland
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12
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Menath J, Eatson J, Brilmayer R, Andrieu-Brunsen A, Buzza DMA, Vogel N. Defined core-shell particles as the key to complex interfacial self-assembly. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2113394118. [PMID: 34949640 PMCID: PMC8719876 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2113394118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The two-dimensional self-assembly of colloidal particles serves as a model system for fundamental studies of structure formation and as a powerful tool to fabricate functional materials and surfaces. However, the prevalence of hexagonal symmetries in such self-assembling systems limits its structural versatility. More than two decades ago, Jagla demonstrated that core-shell particles with two interaction length scales can form complex, nonhexagonal minimum energy configurations. Based on such Jagla potentials, a wide variety of phases including cluster lattices, chains, and quasicrystals have been theoretically discovered. Despite the elegance of this approach, its experimental realization has remained largely elusive. Here, we capitalize on the distinct interfacial morphology of soft particles to design two-dimensional assemblies with structural complexity. We find that core-shell particles consisting of a silica core surface functionalized with a noncrosslinked polymer shell efficiently spread at a liquid interface to form a two-dimensional polymer corona surrounding the core. We controllably grow such shells by iniferter-type controlled radical polymerization. Upon interfacial compression, the resulting core-shell particles arrange in well-defined dimer, trimer, and tetramer lattices before transitioning into complex chain and cluster phases. The experimental phase behavior is accurately reproduced by Monte Carlo simulations and minimum energy calculations, suggesting that the interfacial assembly interacts via a pairwise-additive Jagla-type potential. By comparing theory, simulation, and experiment, we narrow the Jagla g-parameter of the system to between 0.9 and 2. The possibility to control the interaction potential via the interfacial morphology provides a framework to realize structural features with unprecedented complexity from a simple, one-component system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes Menath
- Institute of Particle Technology, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Jack Eatson
- G. W. Gray Centre for Advanced Materials, Department of Physics and Mathematics, University of Hull, Hull HU6 7RX, United Kingdom
| | - Robert Brilmayer
- Macromolecular Chemistry, Smart Membranes, Technical University of Darmstadt, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Annette Andrieu-Brunsen
- Macromolecular Chemistry, Smart Membranes, Technical University of Darmstadt, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - D Martin A Buzza
- G. W. Gray Centre for Advanced Materials, Department of Physics and Mathematics, University of Hull, Hull HU6 7RX, United Kingdom
| | - Nicolas Vogel
- Institute of Particle Technology, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91058 Erlangen, Germany;
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13
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Lakkas AT, Sgouros AP, Revelas CJ, Theodorou DN. Structure and thermodynamics of grafted silica/polystyrene dilute nanocomposites investigated through self-consistent field theory. SOFT MATTER 2021; 17:4077-4097. [PMID: 33729266 DOI: 10.1039/d1sm00078k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Polymer/matrix nanocomposites (PNCs) are materials with exceptional properties. They offer a plethora of promising applications in key industrial sectors. In most cases, it is preferable to disperse the nanoparticles (NPs) homogeneously across the matrix phase. However, under certain conditions NPs might lump together and lead to a composite material with undesirable properties. A common strategy to stabilize the NPs is to graft on their surface polymer chains of the same chemical constitution as the matrix chains. There are several unresolved issues concerning the optimal molar mass and areal density of grafted chains that would ensure best dispersion, given the nanoparticles and the polymer matrix. We propose a model for the prediction of key structural and thermodynamic properties of PNC and apply it to a single spherical silica (SiO2) nanoparticle or planar surface grafted with polystyrene chains embedded at low concentration in a matrix phase of the same chemical constitution. Our model is based on self-consistent field theory, formulated in terms of the Edwards diffusion equation. The properties of the PNC are explored across a broad parameter space, spanning the mushroom regime (low grafting densities, small NPs and chain lengths), the dense brush regime, and the crowding regime (large grafting densities, NP diameters, and chain lengths). We extract several key quantities regarding the distributions and the configurations of the polymer chains, such as the radial density profiles and their decomposition into contributions of adsorbed and free chains, the chains/area profiles, and the tendency of end segments to segregate at the interfaces. Based on our predictions concerning the brush thickness, we revisit the scaling behaviors proposed in the literature and we compare our findings with experiment, relevant simulations, and analytic models, such as Alexander's model for incompressible brushes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Apostolos T Lakkas
- School of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), GR-15780 Athens, Greece.
| | - Aristotelis P Sgouros
- School of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), GR-15780 Athens, Greece.
| | - Constantinos J Revelas
- School of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), GR-15780 Athens, Greece.
| | - Doros N Theodorou
- School of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), GR-15780 Athens, Greece.
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14
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Medidhi KR, Padmanabhan V. Viscosity of polyelectrolyte-grafted nanoparticle solutions. SOFT MATTER 2021; 17:3455-3462. [PMID: 33650625 DOI: 10.1039/d0sm02142c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The effect of charges and hydrogen bonding on viscosity in solutions containing polyelectrolyte-grafted nanoparticles (PENP) has been investigated using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The electrostatic interaction between the charged monomers on the grafted chains, which increases with the degree of ionization, causes the grafted polymers to stretch and increases the hydrodynamic size of the nanoparticles. The viscosity of the solution is partially governed by the balance between the entanglement of grafted chains and the electrostatic repulsion. Moreover, the charge-assisted hydrogen bonds between the monomers of different particles further enhance the viscosity of the solution. For shorter grafted chains, a majority of hydrogen bonds are formed within the same particle and thus show no significant enhancement in viscosity. The addition of polymer chains with hydrogen bonding sites has been shown to bridge multiple nanoparticles, creating a network structure, that increases viscosity. The chain stiffness has been shown to have a direct correlation with bridging and thus the viscosity of the solution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koteswara Rao Medidhi
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Tennessee Technological University, Cookeville, Tennessee 38501, USA.
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15
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Hansoge NK, Gupta A, White H, Giuntoli A, Keten S. Universal Relation for Effective Interaction between Polymer-Grafted Nanoparticles. Macromolecules 2021. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.0c02600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nitin K. Hansoge
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208-3109, United States
- Center for Hierarchical Materials Design, Northwestern University, 2205 Tech Drive, Evanston, Illinois 60208-3109, United States
| | - Agam Gupta
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208-3109, United States
| | - Heather White
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208-3109, United States
| | - Andrea Giuntoli
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208-3109, United States
| | - Sinan Keten
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208-3109, United States
- Center for Hierarchical Materials Design, Northwestern University, 2205 Tech Drive, Evanston, Illinois 60208-3109, United States
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208-3109, United States
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16
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Craven NC, Gilmer JB, Spindel CJ, Summers AZ, Iacovella CR, McCabe C. Examining the self-assembly of patchy alkane-grafted silica nanoparticles using molecular simulation. J Chem Phys 2021; 154:034903. [PMID: 33499609 DOI: 10.1063/5.0032658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
In this work, molecular dynamics simulations are used to examine the self-assembly of anisotropically coated "patchy" nanoparticles. Specifically, we use a coarse-grained model to examine silica nanoparticles coated with alkane chains, where the poles of the grafted nanoparticle are bare, resulting in strongly attractive patches. Through a systematic screening process, the patchy nanoparticles are found to form dispersed, string-like, and aggregated phases, dependent on the combination of alkane chain length, coating chain density, and the fractional coated surface area. Correlation analysis is used to identify the ability of various particle descriptors to predict bulk phase behavior from more computationally efficient single grafted nanoparticle simulations and demonstrates that the solvent-accessible surface area of the nanoparticle core is a key predictor of bulk phase behavior. The results of this work enhance our knowledge of the phase space of patchy nanoparticles and provide a powerful approach for future screening of these materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas C Craven
- Interdisciplinary Materials Science Program, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, USA
| | - Justin B Gilmer
- Interdisciplinary Materials Science Program, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, USA
| | - Caroline J Spindel
- Multiscale Modeling and Simulation (MuMS) Center, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, USA
| | - Andrew Z Summers
- Multiscale Modeling and Simulation (MuMS) Center, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, USA
| | - Christopher R Iacovella
- Multiscale Modeling and Simulation (MuMS) Center, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, USA
| | - Clare McCabe
- Multiscale Modeling and Simulation (MuMS) Center, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, USA
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17
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Lee BHJ, Arya G. Analytical van der Waals interaction potential for faceted nanoparticles. NANOSCALE HORIZONS 2020; 5:1628-1642. [PMID: 33185642 DOI: 10.1039/d0nh00526f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Our ability to synthesize faceted nanoparticles of tunable shapes and sizes has opened up many intriguing applications of such particles. However, our progress in understanding, modeling, and simulating their collective rheology, phase behavior, and self-assembly has been hindered by the lack of analytical interparticle interaction potentials. Here, we present one of the first analytical models for the van der Waals interaction energy between faceted nanoparticles. The model was derived through various approximations that reduce the usual six-dimensional integral over particle volumes to a series of two-dimensional integrals over particle interaction areas with closed-form solutions. Comparison and analyses of energies obtained from the analytical model with those computed from exact atomistic calculations show that the model approximations lead to insignificant errors in predicted energies across all relevant particle configurations. We demonstrate that the model yields accurate energies for diverse particle shapes including nanocubes, triangular prisms, faceted rods, and square pyramids, while yielding many orders of magnitude improvement in computational efficiency compared to atomistic calculations. To make the model more accessible and to demonstrate its applicability, an open-source graphical user interface application implementing the model for nanocubes in arbitrary configurations has been developed. We expect that the analytical model will accelerate future investigations of faceted nanoparticles that require accurate calculation of interparticle interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian Hyun-Jong Lee
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
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18
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Midya J, Rubinstein M, Kumar SK, Nikoubashman A. Structure of Polymer-Grafted Nanoparticle Melts. ACS NANO 2020; 14:15505-15516. [PMID: 33084300 PMCID: PMC8056455 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c06134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
The structure of neat melts of polymer-grafted nanoparticles (GNPs) is studied via coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations. We systematically vary the degree of polymerization and grafting density at fixed nanoparticle (NP) radius and study in detail the shape and size of the GNP coronas. For sufficiently high grafting density, chain sections close to the NP core are extended and form a dry layer. Further away from the NP, there is an interpenetration layer, where the polymer coronas of neighboring GNPs overlap and the chain sections have almost unperturbed conformations. To better understand this partitioning, we develop a two-layer model, representing the grafted polymer around an NP by spherical dry and interpenetration layers. This model quantitatively predicts that the thicknesses of the two layers depend on one universal parameter, x, the degree of overcrowding of grafted chains relative to chains in the melt. Both simulations and theory show that the chain extension free energy is nonmonotonic with increasing chain length at a fixed grafting density, with a well-defined maximum. This maximum is indicative of the crossover from the dry layer-dominated to interpenetration layer-dominated regime, and it could have profound consequences on our understanding of a variety of anomalous transport properties of these GNPs. Our theoretical approach therefore provides a facile means for understanding and designing solvent-free GNP-based materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiarul Midya
- Institute of Physics, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Staudingerweg 7, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Michael Rubinstein
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Biomedical Engineering, Chemistry, and Physics, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708-0300, USA
| | - Sanat K. Kumar
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, USA
| | - Arash Nikoubashman
- Institute of Physics, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Staudingerweg 7, 55128 Mainz, Germany
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Singhania A, Dutta M, Saha S, Sahoo P, Bora B, Ghosh S, Fujita D, Bandyopadhyay A. Speedy one-pot electrochemical synthesis of giant octahedrons from in situ generated pyrrolidinyl PAMAM dendrimer. SOFT MATTER 2020; 16:9140-9146. [PMID: 32926056 DOI: 10.1039/d0sm00819b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
A novel electrochemical synthesis via a radical generation pathway is described here for the generation of a quaternary megamer structure from secondary dendrimers. The reaction is rapid and completes in <5 min. We have used lower/higher generation poly(amido)amine (PAMAM) dendrimers with carboxylic acid groups at the terminals. A precise electrocatalytic reaction at >3.5 V activates the carboxylic groups to undergo anodic oxidation (-e-) and produce radical carboxylate anions on the dendrimer surface. The reaction further goes through a decarboxylative elimination. Successive self-assembly creates billions of polydispersed and extremely stable ∼500 nm octahedron nanostructures, which we failed to destroy even by using a 20 kV electron beam. This is a new route for the speedy synthesis of important futuristic materials of well-defined shape. It has applications in building designer organic crystals for solar cells, organic electronics, rapid protein gelation, rapid protein crystallization, etc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anup Singhania
- Chemical Science & Technology Division, CSIR-North East Institute of Science & Technology, Jorhat, Assam-785006, India. and Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), CSIR-NEIST Campus, Jorhat, Assam 785006, India
| | - Mrinal Dutta
- PV Metrology Group, Advanced Materials Devices and Metrology Division, CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi-110012, India and Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), CSIR-NPL Campus, New Delhi-110012, India
| | - Supriya Saha
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), CSIR-NEIST Campus, Jorhat, Assam 785006, India and Advanced Computation and Data Sciences Division, CSIR-North East Institute of Science & Technology, Jorhat, Assam-785006, India
| | - Pathik Sahoo
- International Center for Materials and Nanoarchitectronics (MANA) and Research Center for Advanced Measurement and Characterization (RCAMC), National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), 1-2-1 Sengen, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Bharati Bora
- Chemical Science & Technology Division, CSIR-North East Institute of Science & Technology, Jorhat, Assam-785006, India.
| | - Subrata Ghosh
- Chemical Science & Technology Division, CSIR-North East Institute of Science & Technology, Jorhat, Assam-785006, India. and Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), CSIR-NEIST Campus, Jorhat, Assam 785006, India
| | - Daisuke Fujita
- Research Center for Advanced Measurement and Characterization (RCAMC), National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), 1-2-1 Sengen, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Anirban Bandyopadhyay
- International Center for Materials and Nanoarchitectronics (MANA) and Research Center for Advanced Measurement and Characterization (RCAMC), National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), 1-2-1 Sengen, Tsukuba, Japan
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20
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Nogueira TPO, Frota HO, Piazza F, Bordin JR. Tracer diffusion in crowded solutions of sticky polymers. Phys Rev E 2020; 102:032618. [PMID: 33075900 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.102.032618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Macromolecular diffusion in strongly confined geometries and crowded environments is still to a large extent an open subject in soft matter physics and biology. In this paper, we employ large-scale Langevin dynamics simulations to investigate how the diffusion of a tracer is influenced by the combined action of excluded-volume and weak attractive crowder-tracer interactions. We consider two species of tracers, standard hard-core particles described by the Weeks-Chandler-Andersen (WCA) repulsive potential and core-softened (CS) particles, which model, e.g., globular proteins, charged colloids, and nanoparticles covered by polymeric brushes. These systems are characterized by the presence of two length scales in the interaction and can show waterlike anomalies in their diffusion, stemming from the inherent competition between different length scales. Here we report a comprehensive study of both diffusion and structure of these two tracer species in an environment crowded by quenched configurations of polymers at increasing density. We analyze in detail how the tracer-polymer affinity and the system density affect transport as compared to the emergence of specific static spatial correlations. In particular, we find that, while hardly any differences emerge in the diffusion properties of WCA and CS particles, the propensity to develop structural order for large crowding is strongly frustrated for CS particles. Surprisingly, for large enough affinity for the crowding matrix, the diffusion coefficient of WCA tracers display a nonmonotonic trend as their density is increased when compared to the zero affinity scenario. This waterlike anomaly turns out to be even larger than what observed for CS particle and appears to be rooted in a similar competition between excluded-volume and affinity effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- T P O Nogueira
- Departamento de Física, Instituto de Física e Matemática, Universidade Federal de Pelotas. Caixa Postal 354, 96001-970, Pelotas, Brazil
| | - H O Frota
- Department of Physics, Federal University of Amazonas, 69077-000 Manaus, AM, Brazil
| | - Francesco Piazza
- Université d'Orléans, Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire (CBM), CNRS UPR4301, Rue C. Sadron, 45071 Orléans, France
| | - José Rafael Bordin
- Departamento de Física, Instituto de Física e Matemática, Universidade Federal de Pelotas. Caixa Postal 354, 96001-970, Pelotas, Brazil
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21
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Das T, Bandi MM. Steady state dynamic dependence between local mobility and non-affine fluctuations in two-dimensional aggregates. JOURNAL OF PHYSICS. CONDENSED MATTER : AN INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS JOURNAL 2020; 32:214004. [PMID: 31968328 DOI: 10.1088/1361-648x/ab6e94] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Motivated by qualitative experimental observations in collective behavior of self-propelled camphor particles at air-water interfaces, we study a generic aggregate forming system in two dimensions using canonical ensemble constant temperature molecular dynamics simulation. The aggregates form due to the competition between short-range attraction and long-range repulsion of pair-wise interactions as a generic proxy for the specific case of short-range capillary attraction competing with long-range Marangoni-assisted repulsion in camphor boat systems. Choosing the appropriate set of interaction parameters, we focus on characterising the local dynamics in two specific limiting morphologies, viz. compact and string-like aggregates. We focus on the temporal evolution of the mobility of an individual particle and the dynamic change in its nearest neighbourhood, measured in terms of the Debye-Waller factor ([Formula: see text]) and the non-affine parameter ([Formula: see text]), respectively (both defined in the text), and their interrelation over several lengths of observation time [Formula: see text]. The distribution for both measures are found to follow the relation: [Formula: see text] for the measured quantity x. The exponent [Formula: see text] is equal to two and one respectively, for the compact and string-like morphologies following the respective ideal fractal dimension of these aggregates. A functional dependence between these two observables is determined from a detailed statistical analysis of their joint and conditional distributions. The results obtained can readily be used and verified by experiments on aggregate forming systems more generic than the specific camphor boat system that motivated us, such as globular proteins, nanoparticle self-assembly etc. Further, the insights gained from this study might be useful to understand the evolution of collective dynamics in diverse glass-forming systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamoghna Das
- Center for Soft and Living Matter, Institute for Basic Sciences, Ulju-gun, Ulsan 44911, Republic of Korea
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22
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Staszewski T, Borówko M. Adsorption-induced co-assembly of hairy and isotropic particles. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2020; 22:8757-8767. [PMID: 32281995 DOI: 10.1039/c9cp06854f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
We use coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations to study the behavior of polymer-tethered particles immersed in fluids of isotropic particles. Particles modified with weakly anchored, mobile ligands are considered. We discuss how the concentration of fluid particles affects the morphology of an isolated hairy particle. It is shown that hairy particles present different morphologies including typical core-shell, octopus-like and corn-like, depending on fluid-segment interactions and the fluid density. The mechanism of changes in the shape of hairy particles is explained. The reconfiguration of the polymer corona arises from adsorption of fluid particles "on chains". The adsorbed fluid particles form bridges between the chains. This causes the mobile ligands to merge into clusters on the core surface. A part of the core remains empty so the hairy particle becomes a Janus-like object. We also study co-assembly in mixtures of hairy and isotropic particles. Depending on the strength of fluid-segment interactions, hairy particles with fluid particles trapped inside their coronas remain isolated or form mixed clusters of different structures. The aggregation of hairy particles results from the formation of bridges between chains belonging to different cores by fluid particles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomasz Staszewski
- Department of Theoretical Chemistry, Institute of Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Chemistry, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin, Poland.
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23
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Malescio G, Sciortino F. Aggregate formation in fluids with bounded repulsive core and competing interactions. J Mol Liq 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molliq.2020.112601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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24
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Yi C, Yang Y, Liu B, He J, Nie Z. Polymer-guided assembly of inorganic nanoparticles. Chem Soc Rev 2019; 49:465-508. [PMID: 31845685 DOI: 10.1039/c9cs00725c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 123] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The self-assembly of inorganic nanoparticles is of great importance in realizing their enormous potentials for broad applications due to the advanced collective properties of nanoparticle ensembles. Various molecular ligands (e.g., small molecules, DNAs, proteins, and polymers) have been used to assist the organization of inorganic nanoparticles into functional structures at different hierarchical levels. Among others, polymers are particularly attractive for use in nanoparticle assembly, because of the complex architectures and rich functionalities of assembled structures enabled by polymers. Polymer-guided assembly of nanoparticles has emerged as a powerful route to fabricate functional materials with desired mechanical, optical, electronic or magnetic properties for a broad range of applications such as sensing, nanomedicine, catalysis, energy storage/conversion, data storage, electronics and photonics. In this review article, we summarize recent advances in the polymer-guided self-assembly of inorganic nanoparticles in both bulk thin films and solution, with an emphasis on the role of polymers in the assembly process and functions of resulting nanostructures. Precise control over the location/arrangement, interparticle interaction, and packing of inorganic nanoparticles at various scales are highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenglin Yi
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, P. R. China.
| | - Yiqun Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, P. R. China.
| | - Ben Liu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Power Batteries, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Biomedical Functional Materials, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China and Department of Chemistry and Polymer Program, Institute of Materials Science, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06268, USA.
| | - Jie He
- Department of Chemistry and Polymer Program, Institute of Materials Science, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06268, USA.
| | - Zhihong Nie
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, P. R. China.
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25
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Zhang C, Yang S, Padmanabhan V, Akcora P. Solution Rheology of Poly(acrylic acid)-Grafted Silica Nanoparticles. Macromolecules 2019. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.9b01309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Chongfeng Zhang
- Department of Chemical Engineering & Materials Science, Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, New Jersey 07030, United States
| | - Siyang Yang
- Department of Chemical Engineering & Materials Science, Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, New Jersey 07030, United States
| | - Venkat Padmanabhan
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Tennessee Technological University, Cookeville, Tennessee 38505, United States
| | - Pinar Akcora
- Department of Chemical Engineering & Materials Science, Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, New Jersey 07030, United States
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26
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Lee BHJ, Arya G. Orientational phase behavior of polymer-grafted nanocubes. NANOSCALE 2019; 11:15939-15957. [PMID: 31417994 DOI: 10.1039/c9nr04859f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Surface functionalization of nanoparticles with polymer grafts was recently shown to be a viable strategy for controlling the relative orientation of shaped nanoparticles in their higher-order assemblies. In this study, we investigated in silico the orientational phase behavior of coplanar polymer-grafted nanocubes confined in a thin film. We first used Monte Carlo simulations to compute the two-particle interaction free-energy landscape of the nanocubes and identify their globally stable configurations. The nanocubes were found to exhibit four stable phases: those with edge-edge and face-face orientations, and those exhibiting partially overlapped slanted and parallel faces previously assumed to be metastable. Moreover, the edge-edge configuration originally thought to involve kissing edges instead displayed partly overlapping edges, where the extent of the overlap depends on the attachment positions of the grafts. We next formulated analytical scaling expressions for the free energies of the identified configurations, which were used for constructing a comprehensive phase diagram of nanocube orientation in a multidimensional parameter space comprising of the size and interaction strength of the nanocubes and the Kuhn length and surface density of the grafts. The morphology of the phase diagram was shown to arise from an interplay between polymer- and surface-mediated interactions, especially differences in their scalings with respect to nanocube size and grafting density across the four phases. The phase diagram provided insights into tuning these interactions through the various parameters of the system for achieving target configurations. Overall, this work provides a framework for predicting and engineering interparticle configurations, with possible applications in plasmonic nanocomposites where control over particle orientation is critical.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian Hyun-Jong Lee
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
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27
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Faghiri F, Ghorbani F. Colorimetric and naked eye detection of trace Hg 2+ ions in the environmental water samples based on plasmonic response of sodium alginate impregnated by silver nanoparticles. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2019; 374:329-340. [PMID: 31022633 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2019.04.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2018] [Revised: 03/31/2019] [Accepted: 04/14/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Water pollution with mercury is a global concern. Therefore, establishing a rapid and accurate detection method is urgently required. Nanosensors can be a perfect alternative to instrument detection. In order to overcome low sustainability of sensors, a new composite nanosensor of sodium alginate- silver nanoparticles (SA-AgNPs) was synthesized by solvent casting method and used in colorimetric and naked eye detection of trace Hg2+ ions in water samples. The structural features of the produced nanosensor were characterized by instrumental techniques. The obtained results confirmed the formation of AgNPs with an average size of 13.34 nm. The colorimetric sensing of Hg2+ was carried out under specific conditions (pH = 6 and reaction time of 7 min) with a linear correlation obtained between the absorbance at 402 nm and different Hg2+ ion concentrations within the range of 0.025 μM-60 μM. The synthesized composite nanosensor of SA-AgNPs detected Hg2+ ions with a detection limit (LOD) of 5.29 nM. In addition, this sensor was successfully applied to detect Hg2+ ions in the environmental water samples with recoveries within the range of 81.58% to 114.73%. The produced nanosensor exhibited good selectivity toward Hg2+ ions in the presence of several competing ions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faranak Faghiri
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Resource, University of Kurdistan, 66177-15177, Sanandaj, Iran
| | - Farshid Ghorbani
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Resource, University of Kurdistan, 66177-15177, Sanandaj, Iran.
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28
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29
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Summers AZ, Iacovella CR, Cane OM, Cummings PT, McCabe C. A Transferable, Multi-Resolution Coarse-Grained Model for Amorphous Silica Nanoparticles. J Chem Theory Comput 2019; 15:3260-3271. [PMID: 30916968 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.8b01269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Despite the ubiquity of nanoparticles in modern materials research, computational scientists are often forced to choose between simulations featuring detailed models of only a few nanoparticles or simplified models with many nanoparticles. Herein, we present a coarse-grained model for amorphous silica nanoparticles with parameters derived via potential matching to atomistic nanoparticle data, thus enabling large-scale simulations of realistic models of silica nanoparticles. Interaction parameters are optimized to match a range of nanoparticle diameters in order to increase transferability with nanoparticle size. Analytical functions are determined such that interaction parameters can be obtained for nanoparticles with arbitrary coarse-grained fidelity. The procedure is shown to be extensible to the derivation of cross-interaction parameters between coarse-grained nanoparticles and other moieties and validated for systems of grafted nanoparticles. The optimization procedure used is available as an open-source Python package and should be readily extensible to models of non-silica nanoparticles.
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30
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Banerjee D, Lindquist BA, Jadrich RB, Truskett TM. Assembly of particle strings via isotropic potentials. J Chem Phys 2019; 150:124903. [DOI: 10.1063/1.5088604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- D. Banerjee
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, USA
| | - B. A. Lindquist
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, USA
| | - R. B. Jadrich
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, USA
| | - T. M. Truskett
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, USA
- Department of Physics, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, USA
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31
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Hou G, Xia X, Liu J, Wang W, Dong M, Zhang L. Designing Superlattice Structure via Self-Assembly of One-Component Polymer-Grafted Nanoparticles. J Phys Chem B 2019; 123:2157-2168. [PMID: 30742436 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.8b11118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The control of the self-assembly of the nanocrystals into ordered structures has been extensively investigated, but fewer efforts have been devoted to studying one-component polymer-grafted nanoparticles (OPNPs). Herein, through coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulation, we design a novel nanoparticle (NP) grafted with polymer chains, focusing on its self-assembled structures. First, we examine the effects of length and density of grafted polymer chains by calculating the radial distribution function between NPs, as well as through direct visualization. We observe a monotonic change of the arranged morphology of grafted-NPs as a function of the density of grafted polymer chains, which indicates that the increase of the grafting density contributes to the order of the morphology. Meanwhile, we find that much longer grafted polymer chains worsen the regularity of the morphology. Then, we probe the influence of the stiffness of grafted polymer chains (denoted by K ranging from 0 to 500) on the order of grafted-NPs, finding that the order of the structure exhibits a nonmonotonic behavior as a function of K at moderate grafting density. For high grafting density, the order of the morphology is initially enhanced and becomes saturated as a function of K. For the effect of K on the stress-strain behavior, the system with the lowest order demonstrates the most remarkable reinforced mechanical behavior for both low and high grafting density. Last, we establish the phase diagram by varying the stiffness and density of the grafted polymer chains, which contains the amorphous, ordered, and superlattice structures, respectively. In general, our simulated results provide guidelines to tailor the self-assembly of the OPNPs by taking advantage of the length, density, and stiffness of grafted polymer chains.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Xiuyang Xia
- Chemical Engineering, School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering , Nanyang Technological University , 62 Nanyang Drive , 637459 , Singapore
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32
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Ethier JG, Hall LM. Structure and Entanglement Network of Model Polymer-Grafted Nanoparticle Monolayers. Macromolecules 2018. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.8b01373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey G. Ethier
- William G. Lowrie Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | - Lisa M. Hall
- William G. Lowrie Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
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33
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Jiao Y, Tibbits A, Gillman A, Hsiao MS, Buskohl P, Drummy LF, Vaia RA. Deformation Behavior of Polystyrene-Grafted Nanoparticle Assemblies with Low Grafting Density. Macromolecules 2018. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.8b01524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Yang Jiao
- Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratories, WPAFB, Ohio 45433, United States
- UES, Inc., Dayton, Ohio 45432, United States
| | - Andrew Tibbits
- Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratories, WPAFB, Ohio 45433, United States
- UES, Inc., Dayton, Ohio 45432, United States
| | - Andrew Gillman
- Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratories, WPAFB, Ohio 45433, United States
- UES, Inc., Dayton, Ohio 45432, United States
| | - Ming-Siao Hsiao
- Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratories, WPAFB, Ohio 45433, United States
- UES, Inc., Dayton, Ohio 45432, United States
| | - Philip Buskohl
- Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratories, WPAFB, Ohio 45433, United States
| | - Lawrence F. Drummy
- Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratories, WPAFB, Ohio 45433, United States
| | - Richard A. Vaia
- Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratories, WPAFB, Ohio 45433, United States
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34
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Staszewski T, Borówko M. Molecular dynamics simulations of mono-tethered particles at solid surfaces. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2018; 20:20194-20204. [PMID: 30027950 DOI: 10.1039/c8cp03007c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
We use molecular dynamics simulations to study the behavior of mono-tethered nanoparticles on solid surfaces. In our model particle-particle and particle-chain interactions are repulsive, while chain-chain interactions are attractive. Two surfaces are considered: the first one attracts particles and the other attracts chains. Excess adsorption isotherms are presented for both the surfaces and different lengths of tethers. The mechanism of adsorption is discussed. We find that depending on the assumed parameters the mono-tethered particles can be adsorbed as single particles or as different aggregates. Our main goal is to explore the structure of surface films. We show that the morphology of the adsorbed layer depends mainly on the type of the surface but the influence of the particle diameter, the chain length and the density is also important. We prove that the shape of aggregates changes near the substrate. For certain parameters the aggregates can break under the influence of the surface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomasz Staszewski
- Department for the Modelling of Physico-Chemical Processes, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, 20-031 Lublin, Poland.
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35
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Desgranges C, Delhommelle J. Non-monotonic variations of the nucleation free energy in a glass-forming ultra-soft particles fluid. SOFT MATTER 2018; 14:5977-5985. [PMID: 29911716 DOI: 10.1039/c8sm00887f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Using molecular dynamics simulation, we study the impact of the degree of supercooling on the crystal nucleation of ultra-soft particles, modeled with the Gaussian core potential. Focusing on systems with a high number density, our simulations reveal dramatically different behaviors as the degree of supercooling is varied. In the moderate supercooling regime, crystal nucleation proceeds as expected from classical nucleation theory, with a decrease in the free energy of nucleation, as well as in the size of the critical nucleus, as supercooling is increased. On the other hand, in the large supercooling regime, we observe an unusual reversal of behavior with an increase in the free energy of nucleation and in the critical size, as supercooling is increased. This unexpected result is analyzed in terms of the interplay between the glass transition and the crystal nucleation process. Specifically, medium range order crystal-like domains, with structural features different from that of the crystal nucleus, are found to form throughout the system when the supercooling is very large. These, in turn, play a pivotal role in the increase in the free energy of nucleation, as well as in the critical size, as the temperature gets closer to the glass transition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Desgranges
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND 58202, USA.
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36
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Baran Ł, Sokołowski S. Effective interactions between a pair of particles modified with tethered chains. J Chem Phys 2018; 147:044903. [PMID: 28764361 DOI: 10.1063/1.4994919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Using molecular dynamics, we evaluate the potential of mean force for two models of hybrid nanoparticles, namely, for the models with fixed and movable chain ligands. We also investigate the structure of segments of chains around nanoparticles and its change when one nanoparticle approaches the other. In the case of an isolated particle, we also employ a density functional theory to compute the segment density profiles. Moreover, to determine the structure of segments around a core, we have employed the concept of the so-called mass dipoles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ł Baran
- Department for the Modelling of Physico-Chemical Processes, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Gliniana 33, Lublin, Poland
| | - S Sokołowski
- Department for the Modelling of Physico-Chemical Processes, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Gliniana 33, Lublin, Poland
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Kumar SK, Ganesan V, Riggleman RA. Perspective: Outstanding theoretical questions in polymer-nanoparticle hybrids. J Chem Phys 2018; 147:020901. [PMID: 28711055 DOI: 10.1063/1.4990501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
This topical review discusses the theoretical progress made in the field of polymer nanocomposites, i.e., hybrid materials created by mixing (typically inorganic) nanoparticles (NPs) with organic polymers. It primarily focuses on the outstanding issues in this field and is structured around five separate topics: (i) the synthesis of functionalized nanoparticles; (ii) their phase behavior when mixed with a homopolymer matrix and their assembly into well-defined superstructures; (iii) the role of processing on the structures realized by these hybrid materials and the role of the mobilities of the different constituents; (iv) the role of external fields (electric, magnetic) in the active assembly of the NPs; and (v) the engineering properties that result and the factors that control them. While the most is known about topic (ii), we believe that significant progress needs to be made in the other four topics before the practical promise offered by these materials can be realized. This review delineates the most pressing issues on these topics and poses specific questions that we believe need to be addressed in the immediate future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanat K Kumar
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, New York 10025, USA
| | - Venkat Ganesan
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas, Austin, Texas 78712, USA
| | - Robert A Riggleman
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
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Chen Y, Xu Q, Jin Y, Qian X, Liu L, Liu J, Ganesan V. Design of End-to-End Assembly of Side-Grafted Nanorods in a Homopolymer Matrix. Macromolecules 2018. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.8b00292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Yulong Chen
- College of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China
| | - Qian Xu
- College of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China
| | - Yangfu Jin
- College of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China
| | - Xin Qian
- College of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China
| | - Li Liu
- Key Laboratory of Beijing City on Preparation and Processing of Novel Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Jun Liu
- Key Laboratory of Beijing City on Preparation and Processing of Novel Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Venkat Ganesan
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
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39
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Borówko M, Rżysko W, Sokołowski S, Staszewski T. Self-assembly of hairy disks in two dimensions - insights from molecular simulations. SOFT MATTER 2018; 14:3115-3126. [PMID: 29624197 DOI: 10.1039/c8sm00213d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
We report the results of large scale molecular dynamics simulations conducted for sparsely grafted disks in two-dimensional systems. The main goal of this work is to show how the ligand mobility influences the self-assembly of particles decorated with short chains. We also analyze the impact of the chain length on the structure of dense phases. A crossover between the systems controlled by the core-core or by the segment-segment interactions is discussed. We prove that the ligand mobility determines the structure of the system. The particles with fixed tethers are found to order into different structures, an amorphous phase, hexagonal or honeycomb lattices, and a "spaghetti"-like phase containing single strings of cores, depending on the length of attached chains. The disks with mobile monomers assemble into a hexagonal structure, while the particles with longer mobile chains attached to them form a lamellar phase consisting of double strings of cores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Małgorzata Borówko
- Department for the Modelling of Physico-Chemical Processes, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, 20-031 Lublin, Poland.
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Yang G, Kim K, Wang W, Chen B, Mattoussi H, Hallinan DT. Scaling Laws for Polymer Chains Grafted onto Nanoparticles. MACROMOL CHEM PHYS 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/macp.201700417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Guang Yang
- Aero‐Propulsion, Mechatronics, and Energy Center Florida State University 2003 Levy Avenue Tallahassee FL 32310 USA
- Chemical and Biomedical Engineering Department FAMU‐FSU College of Engineering 2525 Pottsdamer Street Tallahassee FL 32310 USA
| | - Kyoungmin Kim
- Aero‐Propulsion, Mechatronics, and Energy Center Florida State University 2003 Levy Avenue Tallahassee FL 32310 USA
- Chemical and Biomedical Engineering Department FAMU‐FSU College of Engineering 2525 Pottsdamer Street Tallahassee FL 32310 USA
| | - Wentao Wang
- Chemistry and Biochemistry Department Florida State University 95 Chieftan Way Tallahassee FL 32306‐4390 USA
| | - Banghao Chen
- Chemistry and Biochemistry Department Florida State University 95 Chieftan Way Tallahassee FL 32306‐4390 USA
| | - Hedi Mattoussi
- Chemistry and Biochemistry Department Florida State University 95 Chieftan Way Tallahassee FL 32306‐4390 USA
| | - Daniel T. Hallinan
- Aero‐Propulsion, Mechatronics, and Energy Center Florida State University 2003 Levy Avenue Tallahassee FL 32310 USA
- Chemical and Biomedical Engineering Department FAMU‐FSU College of Engineering 2525 Pottsdamer Street Tallahassee FL 32310 USA
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41
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Ethier JG, Hall LM. Modeling individual and pairs of adsorbed polymer-grafted nanoparticles: structure and entanglements. SOFT MATTER 2018; 14:643-652. [PMID: 29271451 DOI: 10.1039/c7sm02116j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
We analyze the canopy structure and entanglement network of isolated polymer-grafted nanoparticles (PGNs) adsorbed on a surface. As expected, increasing the monomer-surface adsorption strength causes the polymer chains to spread out to increase contact with the surface, leading to a canopy shape that is in qualitative agreement with recent experimental results. We compare height profiles and other structural features of four PGN systems to show the separate and combined effects of increasing chain length and graft density. At moderate graft density and low surface attraction strength, nearby PGN canopies interpenetrate substantially and their combined shape is similar to that of a single PGN canopy. At high graft density or surface interaction, the interparticle spacing increases significantly. We use a geometrical primitive path analysis to calculate average entanglement properties including canopy-canopy entanglements between pairs of PGNs. The longer chain systems are well entangled at both graft densities considered, and we find that as the monomer-surface interaction strength is increased (and the interparticle distance increases), entanglements between the two PGNs are reduced. We find that the number of inter-PGN entanglements per chain is slightly larger at the lower graft density, likely because steric constraints at high graft density tend to reduce interparticle entanglements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey G Ethier
- William G. Lowrie Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA.
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Borówko M, Rżysko W, Sokołowski S, Staszewski T. Self-assembly of Janus disks induced by small molecules in two-dimensional systems. J Chem Phys 2017; 147:014904. [PMID: 28688378 DOI: 10.1063/1.4990415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- M. Borówko
- Department for the Modelling of Physico-Chemical Processes, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, 20-031 Lublin, Poland
| | - W. Rżysko
- Department for the Modelling of Physico-Chemical Processes, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, 20-031 Lublin, Poland
| | - S. Sokołowski
- Department for the Modelling of Physico-Chemical Processes, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, 20-031 Lublin, Poland
| | - T. Staszewski
- Department for the Modelling of Physico-Chemical Processes, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, 20-031 Lublin, Poland
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Yadav HOS, Chakravarty C. Thiolated gold nanoparticle solvation in near-critical fluids: The role of density, temperature, and topology. J Chem Phys 2017; 146:174902. [DOI: 10.1063/1.4982755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Hari O. S. Yadav
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi, New Delhi 110016, India
| | - Charusita Chakravarty
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi, New Delhi 110016, India
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Bordin JR, Krott LB. How Competitive Interactions Affect the Self-Assembly of Confined Janus Dumbbells. J Phys Chem B 2017; 121:4308-4317. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.7b01696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- José Rafael Bordin
- Campus Caçapava
do Sul, Universidade Federal do Pampa, Av. Pedro Anunciação,
111, CEP 96570-000, Caçapava do Sul, RS, Brazil
| | - Leandro B. Krott
- Centro Araranguá, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Rua Pedro João Pereira, 150, CEP 88905-120, Araranguá, SC, Brazil
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Shi R, Qian HJ, Lu ZY. Computer simulation study on the self-assembly of unimodal and bimodal polymer-grafted nanoparticles in a polymer melt. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2017; 19:16524-16532. [DOI: 10.1039/c7cp01905j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
By performing comprehensive molecular dynamics simulations, the self-assembly behavior of polymer-grafted nanoparticles in a polymer matrix is investigated in this study. Short grafted chains on bimodal grafted NP surfaces favor the dispersion of NPs in the polymer matrix.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials
- Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry
- Institute of Theoretical Chemistry
- Changchun
- China
| | - Hu-Jun Qian
- State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials
- Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry
- Institute of Theoretical Chemistry
- Changchun
- China
| | - Zhong-Yuan Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials
- Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry
- Institute of Theoretical Chemistry
- Changchun
- China
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47
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Das T, Lookman T, Bandi MM. Morphology dictated heterogeneous dynamics in two-dimensional aggregates. SOFT MATTER 2016; 12:9674-9682. [PMID: 27858040 DOI: 10.1039/c6sm02239a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Particulate aggregates occur in a variety of non-equilibrium steady-state morphologies ranging from finite-size compact crystalline structures to non-compact string-like conformations. This diversity is due to the competition between pair-wise short range attraction and long range repulsion between particles. We identify different microscopic mechanisms in action by following the simulated particle trajectories for different morphologies in two dimensions at a fixed density and temperature. In particular, we show that the compact clusters are governed by symmetric caging of particles by their nearest neighbors while sidewise asymmetric binding of particles leads to non-compact aggregates. The measured timescales for these two mechanisms are found to be distinctly different providing phenomenological evidence of a relation between microstructure and dynamics of particulate aggregates. Supporting these findings, the time dependent diffusivity is observed to differ across the morphological hierarchy, while the average long-time dynamics is, in general, sub-diffusive at 'low' temperatures. Finally, one generic relation between diffusivity and structural randomness, applicable to simple equilibrium systems, is validated for complex aggregate forming systems through further analysis of the same system at different temperatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamoghna Das
- Collective Interactions Unit, OIST Graduate University, Onna, Okinawa 9040495, Japan.
| | - T Lookman
- Theoretical Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA.
| | - M M Bandi
- Collective Interactions Unit, OIST Graduate University, Onna, Okinawa 9040495, Japan.
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Chremos A, Douglas JF. Self-assembly of polymer-grafted nanoparticles in solvent-free conditions. SOFT MATTER 2016; 12:9527-9537. [PMID: 27841418 PMCID: PMC5341081 DOI: 10.1039/c6sm02063a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Grafting of polymer chains onto the surface of spherical nanoparticles leads to a hybrid type of fluid that exhibits properties of both particle suspensions and melts of star polymers-these properties being controlled by the relative dimensions of the grafted polymer chains to the nanoparticle diameter, D, and the number of the number of chains grafted on the nanoparticle surface, f. While polymer-grafted nanoparticles (GNP) of this kind typically have a spherical average shape after grafting even a moderate number of chains, their instantaneous molecular shape can fluctuate significantly due to the deformation of the grafted chains. Both simulations and measurements have previously revealed that these "conformationally polarizable" particles can exhibit self-assembly into large scale polymeric structures in both solution and in polymer melts, and we simulate polymer-grafted nanoparticles with D and temperature (T) variations without a dispersing solvent to better understand the nature of this self-assembly process. We observe a reversible self-assembly into linear and branched dynamic GNP structures, where the extent of the assembly and geometry depend on D and T, and we constructed a map capturing the GNP structural behavior with D and T variations. Since the shape of the GNPs appeared to be correlated with the occurrence of the GNP self-assembly, we quantified the average shape and a measure of shape fluctuations to better understand how molecular shape influences their propensity to self-assemble into different structural forms. Based on this framework, we describe the clustering process of the GNPs as an equilibrium polymerization phenomenon and we calculate the order parameter governing the dynamic clustering behavior of GNPs, the average mass of the clusters, size distribution, and the apparent fractal dimension of the clusters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandros Chremos
- Materials Science and Engineering Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899, USA.
| | - Jack F Douglas
- Materials Science and Engineering Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899, USA.
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49
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Borówko M, Rżysko W, Sokołowski S, Staszewski T. Integral equations theory for two-dimensional systems involving nanoparticles. Mol Phys 2016. [DOI: 10.1080/00268976.2016.1234079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Małgorzata Borówko
- Department for the Modeling of Physico-Chemical Processes, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Lublin, Poland
| | - Wojciech Rżysko
- Department for the Modeling of Physico-Chemical Processes, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Lublin, Poland
| | - Stefan Sokołowski
- Department for the Modeling of Physico-Chemical Processes, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Lublin, Poland
| | - Tomasz Staszewski
- Department for the Modeling of Physico-Chemical Processes, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Lublin, Poland
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50
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Yadav HOS, Shrivastav G, Agarwal M, Chakravarty C. Effective interactions between nanoparticles: Creating temperature-independent solvation environments for self-assembly. J Chem Phys 2016; 144:244901. [DOI: 10.1063/1.4954325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
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