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Mirzaalipour A, Aghamohammadi E, Vakili H, Khodabakhsh M, Unal U, Makki H. Molecular Insight into the Effect of Polymer Topology on Wettability of Block Copolymers: The Case of Amphiphilic Polyurethanes. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2024; 40:62-71. [PMID: 38100712 PMCID: PMC10786039 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.3c01646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
The microstructure design of multiblock copolymers is essential for achieving desired interfacial properties in submerged applications. Two major design factors are the chemical composition and polymer topology. Despite a clear relationship between chemical composition and wetting, the effect of polymer topology (i.e., linear vs cross-linked polymers) is not very clear. Thus, in this study, we shed light on the molecular origins of polymer topology on the wetting behavior. To this end, we synthesized linear and three-dimensional (3D) cross-linked network topologies of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-modified polycarbonate polyurethanes with the same amount of hydrophilic PEG groups on the surface (confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS)) and studied the wetting mechanisms through water contact angle (WCA), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The linear topology exhibited superhydrophilic behavior, while the WCA of the cross-linked polymer was around 50°. AFM analysis (performed on dry and wet samples) suggests that PEG migration toward the interface is the dominant factor. MD simulations confirm the AFM results and unravel the mechanisms: the higher flexibility of PEG in linear topology results in a greater PEG migration to the interface and formation of a thicker interfacial layer (i.e., twice as thick as the cross-linked polymers). Accordingly, water diffusion into the interfacial layer was greater in the case of the linear polymer, leading to better screening of the underneath hydrophobic (polycarbonate) segments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alireza Mirzaalipour
- Department
of Polymer and Color Engineering, Amirkabir
University of Technology, 424 Hafez Ave., 159163-4311 Tehran, Iran
| | - Elnaz Aghamohammadi
- Department
of Polymer and Color Engineering, Amirkabir
University of Technology, 424 Hafez Ave., 159163-4311 Tehran, Iran
| | - Helma Vakili
- Polymer
Engineering group, School of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, 1417935840 Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Ugur Unal
- Chemistry
Department, Koc University, Rumelifeneri Yolu, Sariyer 34450 Istanbul, Turkey
- Koc
University Surface Science and Technology Center (KUYTAM), Koc University, Rumelifeneri Yolu, Sariyer 34450 Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Hesam Makki
- Department
of Chemistry and Materials Innovation Factory, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZD, U.K.
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Sami S, Marrink SJ. Reactive Martini: Chemical Reactions in Coarse-Grained Molecular Dynamics Simulations. J Chem Theory Comput 2023. [PMID: 37327401 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.2c01186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Chemical reactions are ubiquitous in both materials and the biophysical sciences. While coarse-grained (CG) molecular dynamics simulations are often needed to study the spatiotemporal scales present in these fields, chemical reactivity has not been explored thoroughly in CG models. In this work, a new approach to model chemical reactivity is presented for the widely used Martini CG Martini model. Employing tabulated potentials with a single extra particle for the angle dependence, the model provides a generic framework for capturing bonded topology changes using nonbonded interactions. As a first example application, the reactive model is used to study the macrocycle formation of benzene-1,3-dithiol molecules through the formation of disulfide bonds. We show that starting from monomers, macrocycles with sizes in agreement with experimental results are obtained using reactive Martini. Overall, our reactive Martini framework is general and can be easily extended to other systems. All of the required scripts and tutorials to explain its use are provided online.
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Affiliation(s)
- Selim Sami
- Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Siewert J Marrink
- Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
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3
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Mousavifard SM, Ghermezcheshme H, Mirzaalipour A, Mohseni M, de With G, Makki H. PolySMart: a general coarse-grained molecular dynamics polymerization scheme. MATERIALS HORIZONS 2023; 10:2281-2296. [PMID: 37022310 DOI: 10.1039/d3mh00088e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The development of simulation methods to study the structure and dynamics of a macroscopically sized piece of polymer material is important as such methods can elucidate structure-property relationships. Several methods have been reported to construct initial structures for homo- and co-polymers; however, most of them are only useful for short linear polymers since one needs to pack and equilibrate the far-from-equilibrium initial structures, which is a tedious task for long or hyperbranched polymers and unfeasible for polymer networks. In this method article, we present PolySMart, i.e., an open-source python package, which can effectively produce fully equilibrated homo- and hetero-polymer melts and solutions with no limitation on the polymer topology and size, at a coarse-grained resolution and through a bottom-up approach. This python package is also capable of exploring the polymerization kinetics through its reactive scheme in realistic conditions so that it can model the multiple co-occurring polymerization reactions (with different reaction rates) as well as consecutive polymerizations under stoichiometric and non-stoichiometric conditions. Thus, the equilibrated polymer models are generated through correct polymerization kinetics. A benchmark and verification of the performance of the program for several realistic cases, i.e., for homo-polymers, co-polymers, and crosslinked networks, is given. We further discuss the capability of the program to contribute to the discovery and design of new polymer materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seyyed Mohammad Mousavifard
- Department of Polymer and Color Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, 424 Hafez Ave., Tehran, Iran
| | - Hassan Ghermezcheshme
- Department of Polymer and Color Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, 424 Hafez Ave., Tehran, Iran
| | - Alireza Mirzaalipour
- Department of Polymer and Color Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, 424 Hafez Ave., Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohsen Mohseni
- Department of Polymer and Color Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, 424 Hafez Ave., Tehran, Iran
| | - Gijsbertus de With
- Laboratory of Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemical Engineering & Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, POB 513, NL-5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Hesam Makki
- Department of Chemistry and Materials Innovation Factory, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZD, UK.
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Karnes JJ, Weisgraber TH, Cook CC, Wang DN, Crowhurst JC, Fox CA, Harris BS, Oakdale JS, Faller R, Shusteff M. Isolating Chemical Reaction Mechanism as a Variable with Reactive Coarse-Grained Molecular Dynamics: Step-Growth versus Chain-Growth Polymerization. Macromolecules 2023. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.2c02069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- John J. Karnes
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Livermore, California 94550, United States
| | - Todd H. Weisgraber
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Livermore, California 94550, United States
| | - Caitlyn C. Cook
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Livermore, California 94550, United States
| | - Daniel N. Wang
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Livermore, California 94550, United States
| | | | - Christina A. Fox
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Livermore, California 94550, United States
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Davis, Davis, California 95616, United States
| | - Bradley S. Harris
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Davis, Davis, California 95616, United States
| | - James S. Oakdale
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Livermore, California 94550, United States
| | - Roland Faller
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Davis, Davis, California 95616, United States
| | - Maxim Shusteff
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Livermore, California 94550, United States
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Current State and Perspectives of Simulation and Modeling of Aliphatic Isocyanates and Polyisocyanates. Polymers (Basel) 2022; 14:polym14091642. [PMID: 35566811 PMCID: PMC9099476 DOI: 10.3390/polym14091642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/15/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Aliphatic isocyanates and polyisocyanates are central molecules in the fabrication of polyurethanes, coatings, and adhesives and, due to their excellent mechanical and stability properties, are continuously investigated in advanced applications; however, despite the growing interest in isocyanate-based systems, atomistic simulations on them have been limited by the lack of accurate parametrizations for these molecular species. In this review, we will first provide an overview of current research on isocyanate systems to highlight their most promising applications, especially in fields far from their typical usage, and to justify the need for further modeling works. Next, we will discuss the state of their modeling, from first-principle studies to atomistic molecular dynamics simulations and coarse-grained approaches, highlighting the recent advances in atomistic modeling. Finally, the most promising lines of research in the modeling of isocyanates are discussed in light of the possibilities opened by novel approaches, such as machine learning.
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Alessandri R, Grünewald F, Marrink SJ. The Martini Model in Materials Science. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2021; 33:e2008635. [PMID: 33956373 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202008635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Revised: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The Martini model, a coarse-grained force field initially developed with biomolecular simulations in mind, has found an increasing number of applications in the field of soft materials science. The model's underlying building block principle does not pose restrictions on its application beyond biomolecular systems. Here, the main applications to date of the Martini model in materials science are highlighted, and a perspective for the future developments in this field is given, particularly in light of recent developments such as the new version of the model, Martini 3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riccardo Alessandri
- Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials and Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, Groningen, 9747AG, The Netherlands
| | - Fabian Grünewald
- Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials and Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, Groningen, 9747AG, The Netherlands
| | - Siewert J Marrink
- Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials and Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, Groningen, 9747AG, The Netherlands
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Ghermezcheshme H, Makki H, Mohseni M, Ebrahimi M. Hydrophilic dangling chain interfacial segregation in polyurethane networks at aqueous interfaces and its underlying mechanisms: molecular dynamics simulations. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2020; 22:26351-26363. [PMID: 33179637 DOI: 10.1039/d0cp04244g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Polymer networks with hydrophilic dangling chains are ideal candidates for many submerged applications, e.g., protein non-adhesive coatings with non-fouling behavior. The dangling chains segregate from the polymer network towards the water and form a brush-like structure at the interface. Several factors such as the polymer network structure, dangling chain length, and water/dangling chain interaction may all affect the interfacial performance of the polymer. Therefore, we employed a Martini based coarse-grained (CG) molecular dynamics (MD) simulation to elucidate the influences of the abovementioned parameters on dangling chain interfacial segregation. We built up several polyurethane (PU) networks based on poly(tetra methylene glycol) (PTMG), as a macrodiol, and methoxy poly(ethylene glycol) (mPEG), as a dangling chain, with varying molecular weights. We found out that the macrodiol/dangling chain length ratio considerably smaller than one impedes the migration of dangling chains towards the water interface, while the dangling chain hydrophilicity and length determine the polymer interfacial layer density/thickness. Then, we artificially changed the dangling chain affinity to water from an intermediate to a very attractive water/dangling chain interaction. We justified that a brush-like structure forms in two consecutive steps: first, a longitudinal, and then a lateral migration of dangling chains in water. The latter step results in a uniform interfacial layer over the polymer interface that mainly occurs in the case of the attractive water/dangling chain interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hassan Ghermezcheshme
- Department of Polymer and Color Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, 424 Hafez Ave., Tehran, Iran.
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Vakili H, Mohseni M, Makki H, Yahyaei H, Ghanbari H, González A, Irusta L. Microphase Arrangement of Smart Superhydrophilic Segmented Polyurethanes at Their Interface with Water. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2020; 36:13201-13209. [PMID: 33119316 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.0c01898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Smart coatings have aroused a growing interest because of the performance of predefined surface functions upon reacting to external stimuli. Among them, responsive polymer coatings to water, which often benefit from the presence of a mobile hydrophilic material, are of great interest. Polyurethanes (PUs) are versatile materials with respect to the structure-property relationship. Therefore, the incorporation of hydrophilic segments in PUs is a rational way to produce water-sensitive smart coatings; however, having a considerable amount of hydrophilic material deteriorates the physical properties because of a large amount of water uptake. In this study, we have analyzed previously synthesized smart PUs, based on hydrophobic polycarbonate (PC) and hydrophilic polyethylene glycol (PEG) soft segments, in which only a limited amount of PEG is used. These coatings maintain, more or less, zero water contact angle, whereas the water uptake remains below 15 wt %. The combination of experimental analysis and coarse-grained molecular dynamics (CG MD) simulations reveals that PEG segments migrate to the coating/water interface and partially cover the surface, whereas the hydrophobic nature of the PC keeps the bulk of the coating intact when the coating is covered with water. Moreover, our CG MD simulations and experimental analysis suggest a reversible phase arrangement under wet/dry cycles on molecular and macroscopic scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helma Vakili
- Department of Polymer and Color Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, 350, Hafez Avenue, Tehran, Iran, 15875-4413
| | - Mohsen Mohseni
- Department of Polymer and Color Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, 350, Hafez Avenue, Tehran, Iran, 15875-4413
| | - Hesam Makki
- Department of Polymer and Color Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, 350, Hafez Avenue, Tehran, Iran, 15875-4413
| | - Hossein Yahyaei
- Department of Polymer and Color Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, 350, Hafez Avenue, Tehran, Iran, 15875-4413
| | - Hossein Ghanbari
- Department of Medical Nanotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Italia Street, Tehran, Iran, 1477-55469
- Medical Biomaterials Research Center (MBRC), Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Italia Street, Tehran, Iran, 1477-55469
| | - Alba González
- POLYMAT, Department of Polymer Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Avda. Tolosa 72, Donostia-San Sebastian 20018, Spain
| | - Lourdes Irusta
- POLYMAT, Department of Polymer Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Avda. Tolosa 72, Donostia-San Sebastian 20018, Spain
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Karnes JJ, Weisgraber TH, Oakdale JS, Mettry M, Shusteff M, Biener J. On the Network Topology of Cross-Linked Acrylate Photopolymers: A Molecular Dynamics Case Study. J Phys Chem B 2020; 124:9204-9215. [PMID: 32960598 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.0c05319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
A reactive molecular dynamics approach is used to simulate cross-linking of acrylate polymer networks. By employing the same force field and reactive scheme and studying three representative multifunctional acrylate monomers, we isolate the importance of the nonreactive moieties within these model monomers. Analyses of reactive trajectories benchmark the estimated gel points, cyclomatic character, and spatially resolved cross-linking tendencies of the acrylates as a function of conversion. These insights into the similarities and differences of the polymerization and resulting networks suggest molecular mechanics as a useful tool in the rational design of photopolymerization resins.
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Affiliation(s)
- John J Karnes
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Avenue, Livermore, California 94550-5507, United States
| | - Todd H Weisgraber
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Avenue, Livermore, California 94550-5507, United States
| | - James S Oakdale
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Avenue, Livermore, California 94550-5507, United States
| | - Magi Mettry
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Avenue, Livermore, California 94550-5507, United States
| | - Maxim Shusteff
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Avenue, Livermore, California 94550-5507, United States
| | - Juergen Biener
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Avenue, Livermore, California 94550-5507, United States
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Self-assembly of a patterned hydrophobic-hydrophilic surface by soft segment microphase separation in a segmented polyurethane: Combined experimental study and molecular dynamics simulation. POLYMER 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2020.122424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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