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Case LJ, Delaney KT, Fredrickson GH, Bates FS, Dorfman KD. Open-source platform for block polymer formulation design using particle swarm optimization. THE EUROPEAN PHYSICAL JOURNAL. E, SOFT MATTER 2021; 44:115. [PMID: 34532757 DOI: 10.1140/epje/s10189-021-00123-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Facile exploration of large design spaces is critical to the development of new functional soft materials, including self-assembling block polymers, and computational inverse design methodologies are a promising route to initialize this task. We present here an open-source software package coupling particle swarm optimization (PSO) with an existing open-source self-consistent field theory (SCFT) software for the inverse design of self-assembling block polymers to target bulk morphologies. To lower the barrier to use of the software and facilitate exploration of novel design spaces, the underlying SCFT calculations are seeded with algorithmically generated initial fields for four typical morphologies: lamellae, network phases, cylindrical phases, and spherical phases. In addition to its utility within PSO, the initial guess tool also finds generic applicability for stand-alone SCFT calculations. The robustness of the software is demonstrated with two searches for classical phases in the conformationally symmetric diblock system, as well as one search for the Frank-Kasper [Formula: see text] phase in conformationally asymmetric diblocks. The source code for both the initial guess generation and the PSO wrapper is publicly available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Logan J Case
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, 421 Washington Avenue SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Kris T Delaney
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Research Laboratory, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Glenn H Fredrickson
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Research Laboratory, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Frank S Bates
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, 421 Washington Avenue SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Kevin D Dorfman
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, 421 Washington Avenue SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.
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2
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Huang H, Liu R, Ross CA, Alexander-Katz A. Self-Directed Self-Assembly of 3D Tailored Block Copolymer Nanostructures. ACS NANO 2020; 14:15182-15192. [PMID: 33074654 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c05417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Directed self-assembly (DSA) of block copolymers (BCPs) provides a powerful tool to fabricate various 2D nanostructures. However, it still remains a challenge to extend DSA to make uniform and complex 3D nanostructures through BCP self-assembly. In this paper, we introduce a method to fabricate various nanostructures in 3D and test it using simulations. In particular, we employ dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) simulation to demonstrate that uniform multilayer nanostructures can be achieved by alternating the stacking of two "orthogonal" BCPs films, AB copolymer film and AC copolymer film, without the need to cross-link or etch any of the components. The assembly of a new layer occurs on top of the previous bottom layer, and thus the structural information from the substrate is propagated upward in the film, a process we refer to as self-directed self-assembly (SDSA). If this process is repeated many times, one can have tailored multilayer nanostructures. Furthermore, the natural (bulk) phases of the block copolymers in each layer do not need to be the same, so one can achieve complex 3D assemblies that are not possible with a single-phase 3D system. This method in conjunction with grapho (or chemo) epitaxy is able to evolve a surface pattern into a 3D nanostructure. Here we show several examples of nanostructures fabricated by this process, which include aligned cylinders, spheres on top of cylinders, and orthogonal nanomeshes. Our work should be useful for creating complex 3D nanostructures using self-assembly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hejin Huang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Runze Liu
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Caroline A Ross
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Alfredo Alexander-Katz
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
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Huang H, Alexander-Katz A. Dissipative particle dynamics for directed self-assembly of block copolymers. J Chem Phys 2019; 151:154905. [DOI: 10.1063/1.5117839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Hejin Huang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
| | - Alfredo Alexander-Katz
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
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Hannon AF, Sunday DF, Bowen A, Khaira G, Ren J, Nealey PF, de Pablo JJ, Kline RJ. Optimizing self-consistent field theory block copolymer models with X-ray metrology. MOLECULAR SYSTEMS DESIGN & ENGINEERING 2018; 3:376-389. [PMID: 29892480 PMCID: PMC5992623 DOI: 10.1039/c7me00098g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
A block copolymer self-consistent field theory (SCFT) model is used for direct analysis of experimental X-ray scattering data obtained from thin films of polystyrene-b-poly(methyl methacrylate) (PS-b-PMMA) made from directed self-assembly. In a departure from traditional approaches, which reconstruct the real space structure using simple geometric shapes, we build on recent work that has relied on physics-based models to determine shape profiles and extract thermodynamic processing information from the scattering data. More specifically, an SCFT model, coupled to a covariance matrix adaptation evolutionary strategy (CMAES), is used to find the set of simulation parameters for the model that best reproduces the scattering data. The SCFT model is detailed enough to capture the essential physics of the copolymer self-assembly, but sufficiently simple to rapidly produce structure profiles needed for interpreting the scattering data. The ability of the model to produce a matching scattering profile is assessed, and several improvements are proposed in order to more accurately recreate the experimental observations. The predicted parameters are compared to those extracted from model fits via additional experimental methods and with predicted parameters from direct particle-based simulations of the same model, which incorporate the effects of fluctuations. The Flory-Huggins interaction parameter for PS-b-PMMA is found to be in agreement with reported ranges for this material. These results serve to strengthen the case for relying on physics-based models for direct analysis of scattering and light signal based experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam F Hannon
- Materials Science and Engineering Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Gaithersburg, MD 20899, USA
| | - Daniel F Sunday
- Materials Science and Engineering Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Gaithersburg, MD 20899, USA
| | - Alec Bowen
- Institute for Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, 5801 S Ellis Ave, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Gurdaman Khaira
- Mentor Graphics Corporation, 8005 Boeckman Rd, Wilsonville, OR 97070, USA
| | - Jiaxing Ren
- Institute for Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, 5801 S Ellis Ave, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Paul F Nealey
- Institute for Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, 5801 S Ellis Ave, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
- Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 Cass Ave, Lemont, IL 60439, USA
| | - Juan J de Pablo
- Institute for Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, 5801 S Ellis Ave, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
- Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 Cass Ave, Lemont, IL 60439, USA
| | - R Joseph Kline
- Materials Science and Engineering Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Gaithersburg, MD 20899, USA
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5
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Zhu YL, Pan D, Li ZW, Liu H, Qian HJ, Zhao Y, Lu ZY, Sun ZY. Employing multi-GPU power for molecular dynamics simulation: an extension of GALAMOST. Mol Phys 2018. [DOI: 10.1080/00268976.2018.1434904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- You-Liang Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, Jilin Province, China
| | - Deng Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, Jilin Province, China
| | - Zhan-Wei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, Jilin Province, China
| | - Hong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, Institute of Theoretical Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province, China
| | - Hu-Jun Qian
- State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, Institute of Theoretical Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province, China
| | - Yang Zhao
- National Supercomputer Center in Tianjin, Tianjin, China
| | - Zhong-Yuan Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, Institute of Theoretical Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province, China
| | - Zhao-Yan Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, Jilin Province, China
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Zeng X, Li B, Qiao Q, Zhu L, Lu ZY, Huang X. Elucidating dominant pathways of the nano-particle self-assembly process. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2016; 18:23494-9. [DOI: 10.1039/c6cp01808d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Self-assembly processes play a key role in the fabrication of functional nano-structures with wide application in drug delivery and micro-reactors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangze Zeng
- Department of Chemistry
- The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
- Kowloon
- Hong Kong
| | - Bin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials
- Institute of Theoretical Chemistry
- Jilin University
- Changchun
- China
| | - Qin Qiao
- Department of Chemistry
- The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
- Kowloon
- Hong Kong
| | - Lizhe Zhu
- Department of Chemistry
- The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
- Kowloon
- Hong Kong
| | - Zhong-Yuan Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials
- Institute of Theoretical Chemistry
- Jilin University
- Changchun
- China
| | - Xuhui Huang
- Department of Chemistry
- The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
- Kowloon
- Hong Kong
- Division of Biomedical Engineering
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