1
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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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2
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Zhang Y, Tang H, Wang R, Zhang L. Enhancing Crystallization of DNA-Functionalized Nanoparticles by Polymer Chains. Macromolecules 2023. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.2c02120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Yixin Zhang
- Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Key Laboratory of High Performance Polymer Materials and Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing210023, China
| | - Hao Tang
- Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Key Laboratory of High Performance Polymer Materials and Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing210023, China
| | - Rong Wang
- Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Key Laboratory of High Performance Polymer Materials and Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing210023, China
| | - Liangshun Zhang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Advanced Polymeric Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai200237, China
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3
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Zhang Y, Tang H, Wang R. Controlling the two components modified on nanoparticles to construct nanomaterials. SOFT MATTER 2022; 18:8213-8222. [PMID: 36285648 DOI: 10.1039/d2sm00877g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Nanoparticle self-assembly technology has made great progress in the past 30 years. Many kinds of self-assembly strategies of modifiable nanoparticles have been developed and used to construct nano-aggregates by designing the shape, size and type of nanoparticles and controlling the components modified on nanoparticles. These strategies are widely used in many fields, such as medical diagnosis, biological detection, drug delivery, materials synthesis and sensors. The modified components can be DNA chains, polymer chains, proteins, and even organic molecules based on different molecular conformations and chemical properties. In recent years, the self-assembly of two-component modified nanoparticles has gradually attracted more attention. Nanoparticles modified with two components of different DNA strands can self-assemble to produce a variety of nano arrangement structures, such as BCC, FCC and other cubic crystals, which can be used in crystal materials. Two-component modification of hydrophilic and hydrophobic polymers can produce vesicular aggregates, which can be used for drug delivery. In this review, we summarize the latest experimental progress and theoretical simulation of self-assembly of two-component modified nanoparticles including different DNA chains, different polymer chains, DNA and polymer chains, proteins and polymer chains, and different organic molecules. Their self-assembly characteristics and application prospects were discussed. Compared with single-component modified nanoparticles, two-component nanoparticles have different tethered molecules or molecular chains, which can be multifunctional by regulating different modified components and types of nanoparticles and ultimately expand the scope of applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yixin Zhang
- Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Key Laboratory of High Performance Polymer Materials and Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China.
| | - Hao Tang
- Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Key Laboratory of High Performance Polymer Materials and Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China.
| | - Rong Wang
- Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Key Laboratory of High Performance Polymer Materials and Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China.
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4
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Di Credico B, Odriozola G, Mascotto S, Meyer A, Tripaldi L, Moncho-Jordá A. Controlling the anisotropic self-assembly of polybutadiene-grafted silica nanoparticles by tuning three-body interaction forces. SOFT MATTER 2022; 18:8034-8045. [PMID: 36226549 DOI: 10.1039/d2sm00943a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Recently, the significant improvements in polymer composites properties have been mainly attributed to the ability of filler nanoparticles (NPs) to self-assemble into highly anisotropic self-assembled structures. In this work, we investigate the self-assembly of core-shell NPs composed of a silica core grafted with polybutadiene (PB) chains, generating the so-called "hairy" NPs (HNPs), immersed in tetrahydrofuran solvent. While uncoated silica beads aggregate forming uniform compact structures, the presence of a PB shell affects the silica NPs organization to the point that by increasing the polymer density at the corona, they tend to self-assemble into linear chain-like structures. To reproduce the experimental observations, we propose a theoretical model for the two-body that considers the van der Waals attractive energy together with the polymer-induced repulsive steric contribution and includes an additional three-body interaction term. This term arises due to the anisotropic distribution of PB, which increases their concentration near the NPs contact region. The resulting steric repulsion experienced by a third NP approaching the dimer prevents its binding close to the dimer bond and favors the growth of chain-like structures. We find good agreement between the simulated and experimental self-assembled superstructures, confirming that this three-body steric repulsion plays a key role in determining the cluster morphology of these core-shell NPs. The model also shows that further increasing the grafting density leads to low-density gel-like open structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Di Credico
- Department of Materials Science, INSTM, University of Milano-Bicocca, Via R. Cozzi, 55, 20125 Milano, Italy.
| | - Gerardo Odriozola
- Área de Física de Procesos Irreversibles, División de Ciencias Básicas e Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Azcapotzalco, Av. San Pablo 180, 02200 Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Simone Mascotto
- Institut für Anorganische und Angewandte Chemie, Universität Hamburg, Martin-Luther-King-Platz 6, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Meyer
- Institut für Physikalische Chemie, Universität Hamburg, Grindelallee 117, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Laura Tripaldi
- Department of Materials Science, INSTM, University of Milano-Bicocca, Via R. Cozzi, 55, 20125 Milano, Italy.
| | - Arturo Moncho-Jordá
- Institute Carlos I for Theoretical and Computational Physics, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, Campus Fuentenueva S/N, 18071, Granada, Spain.
- Departamento de Física Aplicada, Universidad de Granada, Campus Fuentenueva S/N, 18071 Granada, Spain
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5
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Wu W, Singh M, Zhai Y, Masud A, Tonny W, Yuan C, Yin R, Al-Enizi AM, Bockstaller MR, Matyjaszewski K, Douglas JF, Karim A. Facile Entropy-Driven Segregation of Imprinted Polymer-Grafted Nanoparticle Brush Blends by Solvent Vapor Annealing Soft Lithography. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2022; 14:45765-45774. [PMID: 36174114 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c11134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Polymer-grafted nanoparticles (PGNPs) have attracted extensive research interest due to their potential for enhancing mechanical and electrical properties of both bulk polymer composite materials, as well as thin polymer films incorporating these nanoparticles (NPs). In previous studies, we have shown that an entropic driving force serves to organize low-molecular-mass PGNPs in imprinted blend films of PGNPs with low-molecular-mass homopolymers. In this work, we developed a novel solvent vapor annealing soft lithography (SVA-SL) method to overcome the technical difficulties in processing the high-molecular-mass PGNP blends due to the intrinsically sluggish melt annealing kinetics found in the phase separation of these blend PGNP materials. In particular, we utilized SVA-SL to create nanopatterns in blends of PGNPs having relatively high-molecular-mass-grafted layers but with cores of NPs having greatly different sizes. The minimization of the entropic free energy in the present system corresponded to larger PGNPs partitioning almost exclusively into the "mesa" regions of the imprinted PGNP blend films, as quantified by the estimation of the partition coefficient, Kp. The use of the SVA-SL processing method is important because it allows facile imprint patterning of PGNP materials and large-scale organization of the PGNPs even when the grafted chain lengths are long enough for the chains to be highly entangled, allowing enhanced thermo-mechanical property enhancements of the resulting films and a corresponding extended range of potential nanotech applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjie Wu
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas77204, United States
| | - Maninderjeet Singh
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas77204, United States
| | - Yue Zhai
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania15213, United States
| | - Ali Masud
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas77204, United States
| | - Wafa Tonny
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas77204, United States
| | - Chuqing Yuan
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas77204, United States
| | - Rongguan Yin
- Department of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania15213, United States
| | - Abdullah M Al-Enizi
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Michael R Bockstaller
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas77204, United States
| | - Krzysztof Matyjaszewski
- Department of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania15213, United States
| | - Jack F Douglas
- Materials Science and Engineering Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland20899, United States
| | - Alamgir Karim
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas77204, United States
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6
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Yin R, Chmielarz P, Zaborniak I, Zhao Y, Szczepaniak G, Wang Z, Liu T, Wang Y, Sun M, Wu H, Tarnsangpradit J, Bockstaller MR, Matyjaszewski K. Miniemulsion SI-ATRP by Interfacial and Ion-Pair Catalysis for the Synthesis of Nanoparticle Brushes. Macromolecules 2022. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.2c01114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rongguan Yin
- Department of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Paweł Chmielarz
- Department of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
- Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Rzeszow University of Technology, Al. Powstańców Warszawy 6, 35-959 Rzeszow, Poland
| | - Izabela Zaborniak
- Department of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
- Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Rzeszow University of Technology, Al. Powstańców Warszawy 6, 35-959 Rzeszow, Poland
| | - Yuqi Zhao
- Department of Materials Science & Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Grzegorz Szczepaniak
- Department of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Zongyu Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Tong Liu
- Department of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Yi Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Mingkang Sun
- Department of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Hanshu Wu
- Department of Materials Science & Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Jirameth Tarnsangpradit
- Department of Materials Science & Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Michael R. Bockstaller
- Department of Materials Science & Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Krzysztof Matyjaszewski
- Department of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
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7
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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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8
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Li DT, Rudnicki PE, Qin J. Distribution Cutoff for Clusters near the Gel Point. ACS POLYMERS AU 2022; 2:361-370. [PMID: 36254314 PMCID: PMC9562459 DOI: 10.1021/acspolymersau.2c00020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Revised: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
![]()
The mechanical and dynamic properties of developing networks
near
the gel point are susceptible to the distribution of clusters coexisting
with percolating networks. The distribution of cluster numbers follows
a broad power law, wrapped by a cutoff function that rapidly decays
at a characteristic size. The form of the cutoff function has been
speculated based on known results from lattice percolation and, in
certain cases, solved. We obtained this cutoff function from simulated
dynamic clusters of polymeric precursor chains using a hybrid Monte
Carlo algorithm. The results obtained from three different precursor
chain lengths are consistent with each other and are consistent with
the expectation from lattice percolation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas T. Li
- Department of Physics, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Paul E. Rudnicki
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Jian Qin
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
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9
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Krishnamurthy S, Mathews Kalapurakal RA, Mani E. Computer simulations of self-assembly of anisotropic colloids. JOURNAL OF PHYSICS. CONDENSED MATTER : AN INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS JOURNAL 2022; 34:273001. [PMID: 35172296 DOI: 10.1088/1361-648x/ac55d6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Computer simulations have played a significant role in understanding the physics of colloidal self-assembly, interpreting experimental observations, and predicting novel mesoscopic and crystalline structures. Recent advances in computer simulations of colloidal self-assembly driven by anisotropic or orientation-dependent inter-particle interactions are highlighted in this review. These interactions are broadly classified into two classes: entropic and enthalpic interactions. They mainly arise due to shape anisotropy, surface heterogeneity, compositional heterogeneity, external field, interfaces, and confinements. Key challenges and opportunities in the field are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sriram Krishnamurthy
- Polymer Engineering and Colloids Science Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai-600036, India
| | - Remya Ann Mathews Kalapurakal
- Polymer Engineering and Colloids Science Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai-600036, India
| | - Ethayaraja Mani
- Polymer Engineering and Colloids Science Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai-600036, India
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10
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Staszewski T, Borówko M, Boguta P. Adsorption of Polymer-Tethered Particles on Solid Surfaces. J Phys Chem B 2022; 126:1341-1351. [PMID: 35113566 PMCID: PMC8859823 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.1c10418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Revised: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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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11
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Tripaldi L, Callone E, D'Arienzo M, Dirè S, Giannini L, Mascotto S, Meyer A, Scotti R, Tadiello L, Di Credico B. Silica hairy nanoparticles: a promising material for self-assembling processes. SOFT MATTER 2021; 17:9434-9446. [PMID: 34611686 DOI: 10.1039/d1sm01085a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
"Hairy" nanoparticles (HNPs), i.e. inorganic NPs functionalized with polymer chains, are promising building blocks for the synthesis of advanced nanocomposite (NC) materials having several technological applications. Recent evidence shows that HNPs self-organize in a variety of anisotropic structures, resulting in an improvement of the functional properties of the materials, in which are embedded. In this paper, we propose a three-step colloidal synthesis of spherical SiO2-HNPs, with controlled particle morphology and surface chemistry. In detail, the SiO2 core, synthesized by a modified Stöber method, was first functionalized with a short-chain amino-silane, which acts as an anchor, and then covered by maleated polybutadiene (PB), a rubbery polymer having low glass transition temperature, rarely considered until now. An extensive investigation by a multi-technique analysis demonstrates that the synthesis of SiO2-HNPs is simple, scalable, and potentially applicable to different kind of NPs and polymers. Morphological analysis shows the overall distribution of SiO2-HNPs with a certain degree of spatial organization, suggesting that the polymer coating induces a modification of NP-NP interactions. The role of the surface PB brushes in influencing the special arrangement of SiO2-HNPs was observed also in cis-1,4-polybutadiene (cis-PB), since the resulting NC exhibited the particle packing in "string-like" superstructures. This confirms the tendency of SiO2-HNPs to self-assemble and create alternative structures in polymer NCs, which may impart them peculiar functional properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Tripaldi
- Dept. of Materials Science, INSTM, University of Milano-Bicocca, Via R. Cozzi, 55, 20125 Milano, Italy.
| | - Emanuela Callone
- Klaus Müller Magnetic Resonance Lab., Dept. Industrial Engineering, University of Trento, via Sommarive 9, 38123 Trento, Italy
| | - Massimiliano D'Arienzo
- Dept. of Materials Science, INSTM, University of Milano-Bicocca, Via R. Cozzi, 55, 20125 Milano, Italy.
| | - Sandra Dirè
- Klaus Müller Magnetic Resonance Lab., Dept. Industrial Engineering, University of Trento, via Sommarive 9, 38123 Trento, Italy
| | - Luca Giannini
- Pirelli Tyre SpA, Viale Sarca, 222, 20126, Milano, Italy
| | - Simone Mascotto
- Institut für Anorganische und Angewandte Chemie, Universität Hamburg, Martin-Luther-King-Platz 6, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Meyer
- Institut für Physikalische Chemie, Universität Hamburg, Grindelallee 177, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Roberto Scotti
- Dept. of Materials Science, INSTM, University of Milano-Bicocca, Via R. Cozzi, 55, 20125 Milano, Italy.
| | | | - Barbara Di Credico
- Dept. of Materials Science, INSTM, University of Milano-Bicocca, Via R. Cozzi, 55, 20125 Milano, Italy.
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12
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Song Q, Dong Q, Dong XH, Zhu YL, Li W. Self-Assembly Behaviors of Giant Amphiphiles Containing Cubic Cage-like “Monomers”. Macromolecules 2021. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.1c01431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Qingliang Song
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Key Laboratory of Computational Physical Sciences, Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Qingshu Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Key Laboratory of Computational Physical Sciences, Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Xue-Hui Dong
- South China Advanced Institute for Soft Matter Science and Technology, School of Molecular Science and Engineering and State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - You-Liang Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
| | - Weihua Li
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Key Laboratory of Computational Physical Sciences, Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
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13
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Wu W, Singh M, Masud A, Wang X, Nallapaneni A, Xiao Z, Zhai Y, Wang Z, Terlier T, Bleuel M, Yuan G, Satija SK, Douglas JF, Matyjaszewski K, Bockstaller MR, Karim A. Control of Phase Morphology of Binary Polymer Grafted Nanoparticle Blend Films via Direct Immersion Annealing. ACS NANO 2021; 15:12042-12056. [PMID: 34255492 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.1c03357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
While the phase separation of binary mixtures of chemically different polymer-grafted nanoparticles (PGNPs) is observed to superficially resemble conventional polymer blends, the presence of a "soft" polymer-grafted layer on the inorganic core of these nanoparticles qualitatively alters the phase separation kinetics of these "nanoblends" from the typical pattern of behavior seen in polymer blends and other simple fluids. We investigate this system using a direct immersion annealing method (DIA) that allows for a facile tuning of the PGNPs phase boundary, phase separation kinetics, and the ultimate scale of phase separation after a sufficient "aging" time. In particular, by switching the DIA solvent composition from a selective one (which increases the interaction parameter according to Timmerman's rule) to an overall good solvent for both PGNP components, we can achieve rapid switchability between phase-separated and homogeneous states. Despite a relatively low and non-classical power-law coarsening exponent, the overall phase separation process is completed on a time scale on the order of a few minutes. Moreover, the roughness of the PGNP blend film saturates at a scale that is proportional to the in-plane phase separation pattern scale, as observed in previous blend and block copolymer film studies. The relatively low magnitude of the coarsening exponent n is attributed to a suppression of hydrodynamic interactions between the PGNPs. The DIA method provides a significant opportunity to control the phase separation morphology of PGNP blends by solution processing, and this method is expected to be quite useful in creating advanced materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjie Wu
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas 77204, United States
| | - Maninderjeet Singh
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas 77204, United States
| | - Ali Masud
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas 77204, United States
| | - Xiaoteng Wang
- Department of Polymer Engineering, University of Akron, Akron, Ohio 44325, United States
| | - Asritha Nallapaneni
- Department of Polymer Engineering, University of Akron, Akron, Ohio 44325, United States
| | - Zihan Xiao
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas 77204, United States
| | - Yue Zhai
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Zongyu Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Tanguy Terlier
- SIMS Laboratory, Shared Equipment Authority, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Markus Bleuel
- NIST Center for Neutron Research, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899, United States
| | - Guangcui Yuan
- NIST Center for Neutron Research, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899, United States
| | - Sushil K Satija
- NIST Center for Neutron Research, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899, United States
| | - Jack F Douglas
- Materials Science and Engineering Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899, United States
| | - Krzysztof Matyjaszewski
- Department of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Michael R Bockstaller
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Alamgir Karim
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas 77204, United States
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14
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Kim HJ, Wang W, Mallapragada SK, Vaknin D. The Effects of Temperature on the Assembly of Gold Nanoparticle by Interpolymer Complexation. J Phys Chem Lett 2021; 12:1461-1467. [PMID: 33528263 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.0c03749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Using synchrotron-based small-angle X-ray scattering techniques, we demonstrate that poly(ethylene glycol)-functionalized gold nanoparticles (PEG-AuNPs) are assembled into close-packed structures that include short-range order with face-centered cubic structure, where crystalline qualities are varied by controlling the electrolyte concentration, pH, and temperature of the suspensions. We show that interpolymer complexation with poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) is induced by lowering the pH level of the PEG-AuNPs suspensions, and furthermore, increasing the temperature of the suspension strengthens interparticle attraction, leading to improved supercrystal structures. Our results indicate that this strategy creates robust nanoparticle superlattices with high thermal stability. The effects of PAA and PEG chain lengths on the assemblies are also investigated, and their optimal conditions for creating improved superlattices are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyeong Jin Kim
- Ames Laboratory and Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011, United States
| | - Wenjie Wang
- Division of Materials Sciences and Engineering, Ames Laboratory, U.S. DOE, Ames, Iowa 50011, United States
| | - Surya K Mallapragada
- Ames Laboratory and Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011, United States
| | - David Vaknin
- Ames Laboratory and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011, United States
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15
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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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16
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Wu D, Käfer F, Diaco N, Ober CK. Silica‐PMMA hairy nanoparticles prepared via phase transfer‐assisted aqueous miniemulsion atom transfer radical polymerization. JOURNAL OF POLYMER SCIENCE 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/pol.20200382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Dung‐Yi Wu
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering Cornell University Ithaca New York USA
| | - Florian Käfer
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering Cornell University Ithaca New York USA
| | - Nicholas Diaco
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering Cornell University Ithaca New York USA
| | - Christopher K. Ober
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering Cornell University Ithaca New York USA
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17
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Yatsyshin P, Fytas NG, Theodorakis PE. Mixing-demixing transition in polymer-grafted spherical nanoparticles. SOFT MATTER 2020; 16:703-708. [PMID: 31819935 DOI: 10.1039/c9sm01639b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Polymer-grafted nanoparticles (PGNPs) can provide property profiles that cannot be obtained individually by polymers or nanoparticles (NPs). Here, we have studied the mixing-demixing transition of symmetric copolymer melts of polymer-grafted spherical nanoparticles by means of coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulation and a theoretical mean-field model. We find that a larger size of NPs leads to higher stability for a given number of grafted chains and chain lengths, reaching a point where demixing is not possible. Most importantly, the increase in the number of grafted chains, Ng, can initially favour the phase separation of PGNPs, but a further increase can lead to more difficult demixing. The reason is the increasing impact of an effective core that forms as the grafting density of the tethered polymer chains around the NPs increases. The range and exact values of Ng where this change in behaviour takes place depend on the NP size and the chain length of the grafted polymer chains. Our study elucidates the phase behaviour of PGNPs and in particular the influence of the grafting density on the phase behaviour of the systems, anticipating that it will open new doors in the understanding of these systems with implications in materials science and medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Yatsyshin
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, SW7 2AZ London, UK.
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18
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Gong M, Yu Q, Wang C, Wang R. Simulating Surface Patterning of Nanoparticles by Polymers via Dissipative Particle Dynamics Method. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2019; 35:5534-5540. [PMID: 30925838 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.9b00066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Patchy particles are often referred to colloidal particles with physically or chemically patterned surfaces. We investigated the patterning of nanoparticle grafted by polymers, mainly consisting of patchy structures with different numbers of patches ( Npatch) and core-shell structure using the dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) method in good or poor solvents based on the experiment research. Poor solvent, large nanoparticle, proper grafting density and medium polymer length contribute to the formation of patchy structure. We introduce the effective volume fraction as an indicator to distinguish the patchy structure from core-shell structure. The reversible transition between core-shell (in a good solvent) and patchy structure (in a poor solvent) and the dependency relationship between the nanoparticle diameter and grafting density in experiment are verified. Our results pave the way for preparing the colloids with well-defined patches. The anisotropic patchy particles can self-assemble into elaborate superstructures, which are potential blocking materials for drug delivery, sensors, and electronics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minqing Gong
- Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of High Performance Polymer Material and Technology of Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry and Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Life Sciences , Nanjing University , No.163, Xianlin Road , Nanjing 210023 , China
| | - Qiuyan Yu
- Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of High Performance Polymer Material and Technology of Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry and Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Life Sciences , Nanjing University , No.163, Xianlin Road , Nanjing 210023 , China
| | - Chenglin Wang
- Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of High Performance Polymer Material and Technology of Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry and Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Life Sciences , Nanjing University , No.163, Xianlin Road , Nanjing 210023 , China
| | - Rong Wang
- Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of High Performance Polymer Material and Technology of Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry and Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Life Sciences , Nanjing University , No.163, Xianlin Road , Nanjing 210023 , China
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19
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Chremos A, Douglas JF. Influence of solvation on the structure of highly charged nanoparticles in salt-free solutions. POLYMER 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2019.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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20
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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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21
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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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22
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Chremos A, Douglas JF. A comparative study of thermodynamic, conformational, and structural properties of bottlebrush with star and ring polymer melts. J Chem Phys 2018; 149:044904. [DOI: 10.1063/1.5034794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
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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23
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Self-assembly of rarely polymer-grafted nanoparticles in dilute solutions and on a surface: From non-spherical vesicles to graphene-like sheets. POLYMER 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2018.03.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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24
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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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25
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Ginzburg VV. Modeling the Morphology and Phase Behavior of One-Component Polymer-Grafted Nanoparticle Systems. Macromolecules 2017. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.7b01922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Valeriy V. Ginzburg
- Materials Science and Engineering, The Dow Chemical Company, Building 1702, Midland, Michigan 48674, United States
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26
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Chremos A, Douglas JF. Solution properties of star polyelectrolytes having a moderate number of arms. J Chem Phys 2017; 147:044906. [PMID: 28764357 PMCID: PMC5702915 DOI: 10.1063/1.4995534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
We investigate polyelectrolyte stars having a moderate number of arms by molecular dynamics simulations of a coarse-grained model over a range of polyelectrolyte concentrations, where both the counter-ions and solvent are treated explicitly. This class of polymeric materials is found to exhibit rather distinct static and dynamic properties from linear and highly branched star polyelectrolyte solutions emphasized in past studies. Moderately branched polymers are particle-like in many of their properties, while at the same time they exhibit large fluctuations in size and shape as in the case of linear chain polymers. Correspondingly, these fluctuations suppress crystallization at high polymer concentrations, leading apparently to an amorphous rather than crystalline solid state at high polyelectrolyte concentrations. We quantify the onset of this transition by measuring the polymer size and shape fluctuations of our model star polyelectrolytes and the static and dynamic structure factor of these solutions over a wide range of polyelectrolyte concentration. Our findings for star polyelectrolytes are similar to those of polymer-grafted nanoparticles having a moderate grafting density, which is natural given the soft and highly deformable nature of both of these "particles."
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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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27
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Chremos A, Douglas JF. Particle localization and hyperuniformity of polymer-grafted nanoparticle materials. ANNALEN DER PHYSIK 2017; 529:1600342. [PMID: 28690334 PMCID: PMC5497478 DOI: 10.1002/andp.201600342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2016] [Accepted: 01/16/2017] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
The properties of materials largely reflect the degree and character of the localization of the molecules comprising them so that the study and characterization of particle localization has central significance in both fundamental science and material design. Soft materials are often comprised of deformable molecules and many of their unique properties derive from the distinct nature of particle localization. We study localization in a model material composed of soft particles, hard nanoparticles with grafted layers of polymers, where the molecular characteristics of the grafted layers allow us to "tune" the softness of their interactions. Soft particles are particular interesting because spatial localization can occur such that density fluctuations on large length scales are suppressed, while the material is disordered at intermediate length scales; such materials are called "disordered hyperuniform". We use molecular dynamics simulation to study a liquid composed of polymer-grafted nanoparticles (GNP), which exhibit a reversible self-assembly into dynamic polymeric GNP structures below a temperature threshold, suggesting a liquid-gel transition. We calculate a number of spatial and temporal correlations and we find a significant suppression of density fluctuations upon cooling at large length scales, making these materials promising for the practical fabrication of "hyperuniform" materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandros Chremos
- Materials Science and Engineering Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899, USA
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28
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Pietropaolo A, Tang S, Raymo FM. Free-energy predictions and absorption spectra calculations for supramolecular nanocarriers and their photoactive cargo. NANOSCALE 2017; 9:4989-4994. [PMID: 28383081 DOI: 10.1039/c7nr00839b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
We reconstructed the free-energy landscape for supramolecular nanoparticles of amphiphilic methacrylated-based co-polymers. Their self-assembly in aqueous solution and encapsulation of borondipyrromethene (BODIPY) derivatives were enforced through atomistic free-energy simulations. The BODIPY binding modes detected in each of the free-energy basins were validated through a comparison of theoretical absorption spectra, calculated at the TD-DFT level, to their experimental counterparts. The nanoparticle distribution is controlled within a thermodynamic regime, with free-energy barriers approaching 8 kcal mol-1, enabling the existence of different-sized nanoparticles in aqueous solution at room temperature. Two types of supramolecular morphologies were identified. One is compact and spherical in shape and the other is large and donut-like, with the former more stable than the latter by 4 kcal mol-1. The morphology of the supramolecular host affects the binding mode of the BODIPY guests. Stacked BODIPY aggregates are encapsulated in the spherical nanocarriers, whereas isolated chromophores associate with the donut-shaped assemblies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana Pietropaolo
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Salute, Università di Catanzaro, Viale Europa 88100, Catanzaro, Italy.
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29
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Ciach A, Pękalski J. Exactly solvable model for self-assembly of hard core-soft shell particles at interfaces. SOFT MATTER 2017; 13:2603-2608. [PMID: 28327760 DOI: 10.1039/c7sm00191f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
A generic model for self-assembly of a monolayer of hybrid core-shell particles at an interface is developed. We assume that for distances larger than the size of the incompressible core a soft repulsion appears, and the repulsion is followed by an attraction at larger separations. The model is solved exactly in a one-dimensional lattice version. One, two or three periodic structures and variety of shapes of the pressure-density isotherms may occur in different versions of the model. For strong interactions the isotherm consists of nearly vertical segments at densities optimal for the periodic structures that are connected by segments with a small slope. The range of order depends very strongly on the strength of attraction and on the density. Our results agree with experimental observations.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Ciach
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warszawa, Poland.
| | - J Pękalski
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warszawa, Poland.
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30
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Zhou Y, Ma X, Zhang L, Lin J. Directed assembly of functionalized nanoparticles with amphiphilic diblock copolymers. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2017; 19:18757-18766. [DOI: 10.1039/c7cp03294c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
We theoretically propose a simple approach to achieve soft nanoparticles with a self-patchiness nature, which are further directed to assemble into a rich variety of highly ordered superstructures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaru Zhou
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Advanced Polymeric Materials
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering
- Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education
- School of Materials Science and Engineering
- East China University of Science and Technology
| | - Xiaodong Ma
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Advanced Polymeric Materials
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering
- Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education
- School of Materials Science and Engineering
- East China University of Science and Technology
| | - Liangshun Zhang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Advanced Polymeric Materials
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering
- Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education
- School of Materials Science and Engineering
- East China University of Science and Technology
| | - Jiaping Lin
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Advanced Polymeric Materials
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering
- Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education
- School of Materials Science and Engineering
- East China University of Science and Technology
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