1
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Yang Z, Xu X, Douglas JF, Xu WS. Confinement effect of inter-arm interactions on glass formation in star polymer melts. J Chem Phys 2024; 160:044503. [PMID: 38265089 DOI: 10.1063/5.0185412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024] Open
Abstract
We utilized molecular dynamic simulation to investigate the glass formation of star polymer melts in which the topological complexity is varied by altering the number of star arms (f). Emphasis was placed on how the "confinement effect" of repulsive inter-arm interactions within star polymers influences the thermodynamics and dynamics of star polymer melts. All the characteristic temperatures of glass formation were found to progressively increase with increasing f, but unexpectedly the fragility parameter KVFT was found to decrease with increasing f. As previously observed, stars having more than 5 or 6 arms adopt an average particle-like structure that is more contracted relative to the linear polymer size having the same mass and exhibit a strong tendency for intermolecular and intramolecular segregation. We systematically analyzed how varying f alters collective particle motion, dynamic heterogeneity, the decoupling exponent ζ phenomenologically linking the slow β- and α-relaxation times, and the thermodynamic scaling index γt. Consistent with our hypothesis that the segmental dynamics of many-arm star melts and thin supported polymer films should exhibit similar trends arising from the common feature of high local segmental confinement, we found that ζ increases considerably with increasing f, as found in supported polymer films with decreasing thickness. Furthermore, increasing f led to greatly enhanced elastic heterogeneity, and this phenomenon correlates strongly with changes in ζ and γt. Our observations should be helpful in building a more rational theoretical framework for understanding how molecular topology and geometrical confinement influence the dynamics of glass-forming materials more broadly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenyue Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, People's Republic of China
- Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaolei Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, People's Republic of China
| | - Jack F Douglas
- Materials Science and Engineering Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899, USA
| | - Wen-Sheng Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, People's Republic of China
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2
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Zhu L, Li J, Li H, Liu B, Chen J, Jiang S. Effects of end groups and entanglements on crystallization and melting behaviors of poly(ε-caprolactone). SOFT MATTER 2023; 19:2275-2286. [PMID: 36919364 DOI: 10.1039/d3sm00127j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The topology including end groups, entanglement loops, and tie molecules has a significant impact on the rheological and crystallization behavior and consequently on the functionality of a polymer. Unentangled, weakly entangled, and strongly entangled poly(ε-caprolactone)s (PCLs) with end groups and various molecular weights were synthesized. POM and DSC were used to observe spherulite growth and characterize thermal properties during crystallization and melting. The viscosity and structure of the samples were probed by rheology and X-ray analysis, respectively. The crossover of the scaling relationship of viscosity vs molecular weight demonstrates that the samples cover a wide range of entanglement density, and the bulky end groups cause deviations from the classical scaling laws. In situ simultaneous SAXS/WAXS investigations showed that the crystal structure of PCLs did not change with end groups and heating. The results of POM and DSC imply that the end groups and entanglements affect the crystallization rate and the spherulite morphology. The melting of PCLs containing end groups was found to be a multi-step process involving various nanoscale crystalline structures. The evolution of nanoscale crystalline structures of isothermally crystallized PCLs during heating was analyzed by fitting 1D SAXS profiles, and the continuous structural evolution was found to be a process influenced by end groups and entanglements. The results show that end groups and entanglements affect the chain dynamics and lead to constrained crystallization behavior and the formation of metastable structures, ultimately affecting the structure evolution during melting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liuyong Zhu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China.
| | - Jingqing Li
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China.
| | - Hongfei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, China.
- University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, P. R. China
| | - Binyuan Liu
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials, School of Chemical Engineering and Science, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300130, China.
| | - Jizhong Chen
- School of Chemical Engineering and Light Industry, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China.
| | - Shichun Jiang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China.
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3
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Revelas CJ, Sgouros AP, Lakkas AT, Theodorou DN. Addressing Nanocomposite Systems via 3D-SCFT: Assessment of Smearing Approximation and Irregular Grafting Distributions. Macromolecules 2023. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.2c02474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Constantinos J. Revelas
- 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
| | - Apostolos T. Lakkas
- 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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4
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Sgouros AP, Revelas CJ, Lakkas AT, Theodorou DN. Solvation Free Energy of Dilute Grafted (Nano)Particles in Polymer Melts via the Self-Consistent Field Theory. J Phys Chem B 2022; 126:7454-7474. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.2c05306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- 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
| | - Apostolos T. Lakkas
- 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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5
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Aliakseyeu A, Ankner JF, Sukhishvili SA. Impact of Star Polyacid Branching on Polymer Diffusion within Multilayer Films. Macromolecules 2022. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.2c01104] [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)
- Aliaksei Aliakseyeu
- Department of Materials Science & Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - John F. Ankner
- Spallation Neutron Source Second Target Station Project, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Svetlana A. Sukhishvili
- Department of Materials Science & Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
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6
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Allı A, Allı S, Hazer B, Zinn M. Synthesis and characterization of star-shaped block copolymers composed of poly(3-hydroxy octanoate) and styrene via RAFT polymerization. JOURNAL OF MACROMOLECULAR SCIENCE PART A-PURE AND APPLIED CHEMISTRY 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/10601325.2022.2092408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Sema Allı
- Department of Chemistry, Düzce University, Düzce, Turkey
| | - Baki Hazer
- Department of Aircraft Airframe Engine Maintenance, Kapadokya University, Ürgüp, Nevşehir, Turkey
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University, Zonguldak, Turkey
| | - Manfred Zinn
- Institute of Life Technologies, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland Valais (HES-SO Valais-Wallis), Sion, Switzerland
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7
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Chremos A, Horkay F, Douglas JF. Influence of network defects on the conformational structure of nanogel particles: From "closed compact" to "open fractal" nanogel particles. J Chem Phys 2022; 156:094903. [PMID: 35259888 PMCID: PMC8898093 DOI: 10.1063/5.0072274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
We propose an approach to generate a wide range of randomly branched polymeric structures to gain general insights into how polymer topology encodes a configurational structure in solution. Nanogel particles can take forms ranging from relatively symmetric sponge-like compact structures to relatively anisotropic open fractal structures observed in some nanogel clusters and in some self-associating polymers in solutions, such as aggrecan solutions under physiologically relevant conditions. We hypothesize that this broad "spectrum" of branched polymer structures derives from the degree of regularity of bonding in the network defining these structures. Accordingly, we systematically introduce bonding defects in an initially perfect network having a lattice structure in three and two topological dimensions corresponding to "sponge" and "sheet" structures, respectively. The introduction of bonding defects causes these "closed" and relatively compact nanogel particles to transform near a well-defined bond percolation threshold into "open" fractal objects with the inherent anisotropy of randomly branched polymers. Moreover, with increasing network decimation, the network structure of these polymers acquires other configurational properties similar to those of randomly branched polymers. In particular, the mass scaling of the radius of gyration and its eigenvalues, as well as hydrodynamic radius, intrinsic viscosity, and form factor for scattering, all undergo abrupt changes that accompany these topological transitions. Our findings support the idea that randomly branched polymers can be considered to be equivalent to perforated sheets from a "universality class" standpoint. We utilize our model to gain insight into scattering measurements made on aggrecan solutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandros Chremos
- Section on Quantitative Imaging and Tissue Sciences, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA
| | - Ferenc Horkay
- Section on Quantitative Imaging and Tissue Sciences, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA
| | - Jack F. Douglas
- Materials Science and Engineering Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899, USA
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8
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Arraez FJ, Xu X, Edeleva M, Van Steenberge PHM, Marien YW, Jerca VV, Hoogenboom R, D'hooge DR. Differences and similarities between mono-, bi- or tetrafunctional initiated cationic ring-opening polymerization of 2-oxazolines. Polym Chem 2022. [DOI: 10.1039/d1py01471d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Cationic ring-opening polymerization (CROP) is an interesting synthesis technique to obtain well-defined polymers with narrow molar mass distribution (MMD).
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco J. Arraez
- Laboratory for Chemical Technology (LCT), Ghent University, Technologiepark 125, B-9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Xiaowen Xu
- Supramolecular Chemistry Group, Centre of Macromolecular Chemistry (CMaC), Department of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281-S4, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Mariya Edeleva
- Laboratory for Chemical Technology (LCT), Ghent University, Technologiepark 125, B-9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Paul H. M. Van Steenberge
- Laboratory for Chemical Technology (LCT), Ghent University, Technologiepark 125, B-9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Yoshi W. Marien
- Laboratory for Chemical Technology (LCT), Ghent University, Technologiepark 125, B-9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Valentin-Victor Jerca
- Centre of Organic Chemistry “Costin D. Nenitzescu” Romanian Academy, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Richard Hoogenboom
- Supramolecular Chemistry Group, Centre of Macromolecular Chemistry (CMaC), Department of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281-S4, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Dagmar R. D'hooge
- Laboratory for Chemical Technology (LCT), Ghent University, Technologiepark 125, B-9052 Ghent, Belgium
- Centre for Textile Science and Engineering, Ghent University, Technologiepark 70A, B-9052 Ghent, Belgium
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9
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Zhang F, Xie H, Guo B, Zhu C, Xu J. AIE-active macromolecules: designs, performances, and applications. Polym Chem 2022. [DOI: 10.1039/d1py01167g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Aggregation-induced emission (AIE) macromolecules as emerging luminescent materials gained increasing attention owing to their good processability, high brightness, wide functionality, and smart responsiveness, with great potential in many fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Zhang
- Institute of Low-Dimensional Materials Genome Initiative, College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518060, China
- School of Chemistry, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF10 3AT, UK
| | - Hui Xie
- Institute of Low-Dimensional Materials Genome Initiative, College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518060, China
- Chengdu Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Bing Guo
- School of Science and Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Flexible Printed Electronics Technolog, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Caizhen Zhu
- Institute of Low-Dimensional Materials Genome Initiative, College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518060, China
| | - Jian Xu
- Institute of Low-Dimensional Materials Genome Initiative, College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518060, China
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10
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Zhang W, Douglas JF, Chremos A, Starr FW. Structure and Dynamics of Star Polymer Films from Coarse-Grained Molecular Simulations. Macromolecules 2021. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.1c00504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Wengang Zhang
- Materials Science and Engineering Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899, United States
- Department of Physics, Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut 06459, United States
| | - Jack F. Douglas
- Materials Science and Engineering Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899, United States
| | - Alexandros Chremos
- Section on Quantitative Imaging and Tissue Sciences, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
| | - Francis W. Starr
- Department of Physics, Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut 06459, United States
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11
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Zhang H, Wang X, Yu HB, Douglas JF. Dynamic heterogeneity, cooperative motion, and Johari-Goldstein [Formula: see text]-relaxation in a metallic glass-forming material exhibiting a fragile-to-strong transition. THE EUROPEAN PHYSICAL JOURNAL. E, SOFT MATTER 2021; 44:56. [PMID: 33871722 DOI: 10.1140/epje/s10189-021-00060-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
We investigate the Johari-Goldstein (JG) [Formula: see text]-relaxation process in a model metallic glass-forming (GF) material ([Formula: see text]), previously studied extensively by both frequency-dependent mechanical measurements and simulation studies devoted to equilibrium properties, by molecular dynamics simulations based on validated and optimized interatomic potentials with the primary aim of better understanding the nature of this universal relaxation process from a dynamic heterogeneity (DH) perspective. The present relatively low temperature and long-time simulations reveal a direct correspondence between the JG [Formula: see text]-relaxation time [Formula: see text] and the lifetime of the mobile particle clusters [Formula: see text], defined as in previous DH studies, a relationship dual to the corresponding previously observed relationship between the [Formula: see text]-relaxation time [Formula: see text] and the lifetime of immobile particle clusters [Formula: see text]. Moreover, we find that the average diffusion coefficient D nearly coincides with [Formula: see text] of the smaller atomic species (Al) and that the 'hopping time' associated with D coincides with [Formula: see text] to within numerical uncertainty, both trends being in accord with experimental studies. This indicates that the JG [Formula: see text]-relaxation is dominated by the smaller atomic species and the observation of a direct relation between this relaxation process and rate of molecular diffusion in GF materials at low temperatures where the JG [Formula: see text]-relaxation becomes the prevalent mode of structural relaxation. As an unanticipated aspect of our study, we find that [Formula: see text] exhibits fragile-to-strong (FS) glass formation, as found in many other metallic GF liquids, but this fact does not greatly alter the geometrical nature of DH in this material and the relation of DH to dynamical properties. On the other hand, the temperature dependence of the DH and dynamical properties, such as the structural relaxation time, can be significantly altered from 'ordinary' GF liquids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Zhang
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 1H9, Canada.
| | - Xinyi Wang
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Hai-Bin Yu
- Wuhan National High Magnetic Field Center, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, Hubei, China
| | - Jack F Douglas
- Material Measurement Laboratory, Materials Science and Engineering Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology(NIST), Gaithersburg, MD, 20899, USA.
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12
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Wong JC, Xiang L, Ngoi KH, Chia CH, Jin KS, Kim HC, Kim HJ, Hirao A, Ree M. Molecular weight effect on the structural detail and chain characteristics of 33-armed star polystyrene. POLYMER 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2020.123304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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13
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Waibel KA, Moatsou D, Meier MAR. Synthesis and Encapsulation of Uniform Star-Shaped Block-Macromolecules. Macromol Rapid Commun 2020; 42:e2000467. [PMID: 33047427 DOI: 10.1002/marc.202000467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Revised: 09/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Linear uniform oligomers synthesized via a two-step iterative cycle are postmodified with uniform octaethylene glycol monomethyl ether and finally coupled via azide-alkyne cycloaddition to yield uniform star-shaped block macromolecules with a mass ranging from 10 to 14 kDa. Each of the molecules is carefully characterized by NMR, electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), and size exclusion chromatography (SEC) to underline their purity as well as their uniformity. The obtained star-shaped macromolecules are investigated in their ability to encapsulate dye molecules by carrying out qualitative solid-liquid phase transfer experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin A Waibel
- Laboratory of Applied Chemistry, Institute of Biological and Chemical Systems - Functional Material Systems (IBCS-FMS), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
| | - Dafni Moatsou
- Laboratory of Applied Chemistry, Institute of Organic Chemistry (IOC), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Straße am Forum 7, Karlsruhe, 76131, Germany
| | - Michael A R Meier
- Laboratory of Applied Chemistry, Institute of Biological and Chemical Systems - Functional Material Systems (IBCS-FMS), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany.,Laboratory of Applied Chemistry, Institute of Organic Chemistry (IOC), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Straße am Forum 7, Karlsruhe, 76131, Germany
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14
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Shrestha UM, Han L, Saito T, Schweizer KS, Dadmun MD. Mechanism of Soft Nanoparticle Diffusion in Entangled Polymer Melts. Macromolecules 2020. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.0c00870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Umesh M. Shrestha
- Department of Chemistry, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, United States
| | - Lu Han
- Chemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Tomonori Saito
- Chemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Kenneth S. Schweizer
- Department of Materials Science, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Mark D. Dadmun
- Department of Chemistry, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, United States
- Chemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
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15
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Wong JC, Xiang L, Ngoi KH, Chia CH, Jin KS, Hirao A, Ree M. Seventeen-Armed Star Polystyrenes in Various Molecular Weights: Structural Details and Chain Characteristics. Polymers (Basel) 2020; 12:E1894. [PMID: 32842480 PMCID: PMC7563263 DOI: 10.3390/polym12091894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Revised: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Star-shaped polymers are very attractive because of their potential application ability in various technological areas due to their unique molecular topology. Thus, information on the molecular structure and chain characteristics of star polymers is essential for gaining insights into their properties and finding better applications. In this study, we report molecular structure details and chain characteristics of 17-armed polystyrenes in various molecular weights: 17-Arm(2k)-PS, 17-Arm(6k)-PS, 17-Arm(10k)-PS, and 17-Arm(20k)-PS. Quantitative X-ray scattering analysis using synchrotron radiation sources was conducted for this series of star polymers in two different solvents (cyclohexane and tetrahydrofuran), providing a comprehensive set of three-dimensional structure parameters, including radial density profiles and chain characteristics. Some of the structural parameters were crosschecked by qualitative scattering analysis and dynamic light scattering. They all were found to have ellipsoidal shapes consisting of a core and a fuzzy shell; such ellipse nature is originated from the dendritic core. In particular, the fraction of the fuzzy shell part enabling to store desired chemicals or agents was confirmed to be exceptionally high in cyclohexane, ranging from 74 to 81%; higher-molecular-weight star polymer gives a larger fraction of the fuzzy shell. The largest fraction (81%) of the fuzzy shell was significantly reduced to 52% in tetrahydrofuran; in contrast, the lowest fraction (19%) of core was increased to 48%. These selective shell contraction and core expansion can be useful as a key mechanism in various applications. Overall, the 17-armed polystyrenes of this study are suitable for applications in various technological fields including smart deliveries of drugs, genes, biomedical imaging agents, and other desired chemicals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Chyi Wong
- Materials Science Program, Department of Applied Physics, Faculty of Science and Technology, University Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, Selangor, Malaysia; (J.C.W.); (K.H.N.)
- Department of Chemistry and Pohang Accelerator Laboratory, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang 37673, Korea;
| | - Li Xiang
- Department of Chemistry and Pohang Accelerator Laboratory, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang 37673, Korea;
| | - Kuan Hoon Ngoi
- Materials Science Program, Department of Applied Physics, Faculty of Science and Technology, University Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, Selangor, Malaysia; (J.C.W.); (K.H.N.)
- Department of Chemistry and Pohang Accelerator Laboratory, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang 37673, Korea;
| | - Chin Hua Chia
- Materials Science Program, Department of Applied Physics, Faculty of Science and Technology, University Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, Selangor, Malaysia; (J.C.W.); (K.H.N.)
| | - Kyeong Sik Jin
- Pohang Accelerator Laboratory, Pohang University of Science & Technology, Pohang 37673, Korea
| | - Akira Hirao
- Department of Chemical Science and Engineering, Graduate School of Materials and Chemical Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1-S1-13, Ohokayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
| | - Moonhor Ree
- Department of Chemistry and Pohang Accelerator Laboratory, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang 37673, Korea;
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16
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Aliotta L, Vannozzi A, Panariello L, Gigante V, Coltelli MB, Lazzeri A. Sustainable Micro and Nano Additives for Controlling the Migration of a Biobased Plasticizer from PLA-Based Flexible Films. Polymers (Basel) 2020; 12:polym12061366. [PMID: 32560520 PMCID: PMC7361961 DOI: 10.3390/polym12061366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Revised: 06/12/2020] [Accepted: 06/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasticized poly(lactic acid) (PLA)/poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) blend-based films containing chitin nanofibrils (CN) and calcium carbonate were prepared by extrusion and compression molding. On the basis of previous studies, processability was controlled by the use of a few percent of a commercial acrylic copolymer acting as melt strength enhancer and calcium carbonate. Furthermore, acetyl n-tributyl citrate (ATBC), a renewable and biodegradable plasticizer (notoriously adopted in PLA based products) was added to facilitate not only the processability but also to increase the mechanical flexibility and toughness. However, during the storage of these films, a partial loss of plasticizer was observed. The consequence of this is not only correlated to the change of the mechanical properties making the films more rigid but also to the crystallization and development of surficial oiliness. The effect of the addition of calcium carbonate (nanometric and micrometric) and natural nanofibers (chitin nanofibrils) to reduce/control the plasticizer migration was investigated. The prediction of plasticizer migration from the films’ core to the external surface was carried out and the diffusion coefficients, obtained by regression of the experimental migration data plotted as the square root of time, were evaluated for different blends compositions. The results of the diffusion coefficients, obtained thanks to migration tests, showed that the CN can slow the plasticizer migration. However, the best result was achieved with micrometric calcium carbonate while nanometric calcium carbonate results were less effective due to favoring of some bio polyesters’ chain scission. The use of both micrometric calcium carbonate and CN was counterproductive due to the agglomeration phenomena that were observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Aliotta
- Department of Civil and Industrial Engineering, University of Pisa, 56122 Pisa, Italy; (A.V.); (L.P.); (V.G.); (A.L.)
- Consorzio Interuniversitario Nazionale per la Scienza e Tecnologia dei Materiali (INSTM), 50121 Florence, Italy
- Correspondence: (L.A.); (M.-B.C.)
| | - Alessandro Vannozzi
- Department of Civil and Industrial Engineering, University of Pisa, 56122 Pisa, Italy; (A.V.); (L.P.); (V.G.); (A.L.)
- Consorzio Interuniversitario Nazionale per la Scienza e Tecnologia dei Materiali (INSTM), 50121 Florence, Italy
| | - Luca Panariello
- Department of Civil and Industrial Engineering, University of Pisa, 56122 Pisa, Italy; (A.V.); (L.P.); (V.G.); (A.L.)
- Consorzio Interuniversitario Nazionale per la Scienza e Tecnologia dei Materiali (INSTM), 50121 Florence, Italy
| | - Vito Gigante
- Department of Civil and Industrial Engineering, University of Pisa, 56122 Pisa, Italy; (A.V.); (L.P.); (V.G.); (A.L.)
- Consorzio Interuniversitario Nazionale per la Scienza e Tecnologia dei Materiali (INSTM), 50121 Florence, Italy
| | - Maria-Beatrice Coltelli
- Department of Civil and Industrial Engineering, University of Pisa, 56122 Pisa, Italy; (A.V.); (L.P.); (V.G.); (A.L.)
- Consorzio Interuniversitario Nazionale per la Scienza e Tecnologia dei Materiali (INSTM), 50121 Florence, Italy
- Correspondence: (L.A.); (M.-B.C.)
| | - Andrea Lazzeri
- Department of Civil and Industrial Engineering, University of Pisa, 56122 Pisa, Italy; (A.V.); (L.P.); (V.G.); (A.L.)
- Consorzio Interuniversitario Nazionale per la Scienza e Tecnologia dei Materiali (INSTM), 50121 Florence, Italy
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17
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Rondina GG, Böhm MC, Müller-Plathe F. Predicting the Mobility Increase of Coarse-Grained Polymer Models from Excess Entropy Differences. J Chem Theory Comput 2020; 16:1431-1447. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.9b01088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Gustavo G. Rondina
- Eduard-Zintl-Institut für Anorganische und Physikalische Chemie, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Straße 8, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Michael C. Böhm
- Eduard-Zintl-Institut für Anorganische und Physikalische Chemie, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Straße 8, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Florian Müller-Plathe
- Eduard-Zintl-Institut für Anorganische und Physikalische Chemie, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Straße 8, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
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18
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Mao J, Zhang B, Zhang H, Elupula R, Grayson SM, Wesdemiotis C. Elucidating Branching Topology and Branch Lengths in Star-Branched Polymers by Tandem Mass Spectrometry. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR MASS SPECTROMETRY 2019; 30:1981-1991. [PMID: 31363988 DOI: 10.1007/s13361-019-02260-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2019] [Revised: 05/21/2019] [Accepted: 05/26/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Tandem mass spectrometry (MS2) has been employed to elucidate the topology and branching architecture of star-branched polyethers. The polymers were ionized by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) to positive ions and dissociated after leaving the ion source via laser-induced fragmentation. The bond scissions caused under MALDI-MS2 conditions occur preferentially near the core-branch joining points due to energetically favorable homolytic and heterolytic bond cleavages near the core and release of steric strain and/or reduction of crowding. This unique fragmentation mode detaches complete arms from the core generating fragment ion series at the expected molecular weight of each branch. The number of fragment ion distributions observed combined with their mass-to-charge ratios permit conclusive determination of the degree of branching and the corresponding branch lengths, as demonstrated for differently branched homo- and mikto-arm polyether stars synthesized via azide-alkyne click chemistry. The results of this study underscore the utility of MS2 for the characterization of branching architecture and branch lengths of (co) polymers with two or more linear chains attached to a functionalized central core.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jialin Mao
- Department of Chemistry, Knight Chemical Laboratory, The University of Akron, Akron, OH, 44325-3601, USA
| | - Boyu Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA
| | - Hong Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA
| | - Ravinder Elupula
- Department of Chemistry, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA
| | - Scott M Grayson
- Department of Chemistry, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 70118, USA
| | - Chrys Wesdemiotis
- Department of Chemistry, Knight Chemical Laboratory, The University of Akron, Akron, OH, 44325-3601, USA.
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19
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Chremos A, Douglas JF. Influence of Branching on the Configurational and Dynamical Properties of Entangled Polymer Melts. Polymers (Basel) 2019; 11:E1045. [PMID: 31207890 PMCID: PMC6631115 DOI: 10.3390/polym11061045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2019] [Revised: 06/05/2019] [Accepted: 06/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
We probe the influence of branching on the configurational, packing, and density correlation function properties of polymer melts of linear and star polymers, with emphasis on molecular masses larger than the entanglement molecular mass of linear chains. In particular, we calculate the conformational properties of these polymers, such as the hydrodynamic radius R h , packing length p, pair correlation function g ( r ) , and polymer center of mass self-diffusion coefficient, D, with the use of coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations. Our simulation results reproduce the phenomenology of simulated linear and branched polymers, and we attempt to understand our observations based on a combination of hydrodynamic and thermodynamic modeling. We introduce a model of "entanglement" phenomenon in high molecular mass polymers that assumes polymers can viewed in a coarse-grained sense as "soft" particles and, correspondingly, we model the emergence of heterogeneous dynamics in polymeric glass-forming liquids to occur in a fashion similar to glass-forming liquids in which the molecules have soft repulsive interactions. Based on this novel perspective of polymer melt dynamics, we propose a functional form for D that can describe our simulation results for both star and linear polymers, covering both the unentangled to entangled polymer melt regimes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandros Chremos
- Materials Science and Engineering Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899, USA.
| | - Jack F Douglas
- Materials Science and Engineering Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899, USA.
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20
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Pérez-Camargo RA, d’Arcy R, Iturrospe A, Arbe A, Tirelli N, Müller AJ. Influence of Chain Primary Structure and Topology (Branching) on Crystallization and Thermal Properties: The Case of Polysulfides. Macromolecules 2019. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.8b02659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo A. Pérez-Camargo
- POLYMAT and Polymer Science and Technology Department, Faculty of Chemistry, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Paseo Manuel de Lardizabal 3, 20018 Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain
| | - Richard d’Arcy
- Division of Pharmacy & Optometry, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PT, U.K
- Laboratory of Polymers and Biomaterials, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163 Genova, Italy
| | - Amaia Iturrospe
- Centro de Física de Materiales (CFM) (CSIC-UPV/EHU) - Materials Physics Center (MPC), Paseo Manuel de Lardizabal 5, 20018 Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain
| | - Arantxa Arbe
- Centro de Física de Materiales (CFM) (CSIC-UPV/EHU) - Materials Physics Center (MPC), Paseo Manuel de Lardizabal 5, 20018 Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain
| | - Nicola Tirelli
- Division of Pharmacy & Optometry, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PT, U.K
- Laboratory of Polymers and Biomaterials, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163 Genova, Italy
| | - Alejandro J. Müller
- POLYMAT and Polymer Science and Technology Department, Faculty of Chemistry, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Paseo Manuel de Lardizabal 3, 20018 Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain
- IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, 48013 Bilbao, Spain
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21
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Holm R, Douverne M, Weber B, Bauer T, Best A, Ahlers P, Koynov K, Besenius P, Barz M. Impact of Branching on the Solution Behavior and Serum Stability of Starlike Block Copolymers. Biomacromolecules 2018; 20:375-388. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.8b01545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Regina Holm
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Duesbergweg 10-14, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Marcel Douverne
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Duesbergweg 10-14, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Benjamin Weber
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Duesbergweg 10-14, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Tobias Bauer
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Duesbergweg 10-14, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Andreas Best
- Max Planck Institute
for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Patrick Ahlers
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Duesbergweg 10-14, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Kaloian Koynov
- Max Planck Institute
for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Pol Besenius
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Duesbergweg 10-14, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Matthias Barz
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Duesbergweg 10-14, 55128 Mainz, Germany
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22
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Vargas-Lara F, Pazmiño Betancourt BA, Douglas JF. Communication: A comparison between the solution properties of knotted ring and star polymers. J Chem Phys 2018; 149:161101. [PMID: 30384696 PMCID: PMC11005112 DOI: 10.1063/1.5048937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
We computationally investigate the good solvent solution properties of knotted ring and star polymers by combining molecular dynamics (MD) simulation and path-integral calculations. We consider knotted rings having a minimal crossing number m c in the range, 0 ≤ m c ≤ 9, and star polymers having a range of f star arms, 2 ≤ f ≤ 20, attached to a common core monomer particle. After generating configurational ensembles of these polymers by MD, we use the path-integration program ZENO to calculate basic configurational properties, i.e., radius of gyration, hydrodynamic radius, intrinsic viscosity, as well as fluctuations in these properties. Our simulations indicate that the configurational properties of knotted rings and star polymers in solution show a similar decrease with increasing m c and f. Moreover, fluctuations in these properties also decrease with increasing topological complexity. Our findings should be helpful in polymer characterization and more generally for understanding the role of polymer topology in polymer material properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Vargas-Lara
- Materials Science and Engineering Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899, USA
| | - Beatriz A. Pazmiño Betancourt
- 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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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. [PMID: 30068167 PMCID: PMC11446256 DOI: 10.1063/1.5034794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Thermodynamic, conformational, and structural properties of bottlebrush polymer melts are investigated with molecular dynamics simulations and compared to linear, regular star, and unknotted ring polymer melts to gauge the influence of molecular topology on polymer melt properties. We focus on the variation of the backbone chain length, the grafting density along the backbone, and the length of the side chains at different temperatures above the melt glass transition temperature. Based on these comparisons, we find that the segmental density, isothermal compressibility, and isobaric thermal expansion of bottlebrush melts are quantitatively similar to unknotted ring polymer melts and star polymer melts having a moderate number ( f = 5 to 6) of arms. These similarities extend to the mass scaling of the chain radius of gyration. Our results together indicate that the configurational properties of bottlebrush polymers in their melt state are more similar to randomly branched polymers than linear polymer chains. We also find that the average shape of bottlebrush polymers having short backbone chains with respect to the side chain length is also rather similar to the unknotted ring and moderately branched star polymers in their melt state. As a general trend, the molecular shape of bottlebrush polymers becomes more spherically symmetric when the length of the side chains has a commensurate length as the backbone chain. Finally, we calculate the partial static structure factor of the backbone segments and we find the emergence of a peak at the length scales that characterizes the average distance between the backbone chains. This peak is absent when we calculate the full static structure factor. We characterize the scaling of this peak with parameters characterizing the bottlebrush molecular architecture to aid in the experimental characterization of these molecules by neutron scattering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandros Chremos
- Materials Science and Engineering Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD
| | - Jack F. Douglas
- Materials Science and Engineering Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD
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