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Omar H, Ahamadi S, Hülagü D, Hidde G, Hertwig A, Szymoniak P, Schönhals A. Investigations of the adsorbed layer of polysulfone: Influence of the thickness of the adsorbed layer on the glass transition of thin films. J Chem Phys 2024; 161:054904. [PMID: 39092946 DOI: 10.1063/5.0223415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2024] [Accepted: 07/17/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024] Open
Abstract
This work studies the influence of the adsorbed layer on the glass transition of thin films of polysulfone. Therefore, the growth kinetics of the irreversibly adsorbed layer of polysulfone on silicon substrates was first investigated using the solvent leaching approach, and the thickness of the remaining layer was measured with atomic force microscopy. Annealing conditions before leaching were varied in temperature and time (0-336 h). The growth kinetics showed three distinct regions: a pre-growth step where it was assumed that phenyl rings align parallel to the substrate at the shortest annealing times, a linear growth region, and a crossover from linear to logarithmic growth observed at higher temperatures for the longest annealing times. No signs of desorption were observed, pointing to the formation of a strongly adsorbed layer. Second, the glass transition of thin polysulfone films was studied in dependence on the film thickness using spectroscopic ellipsometry. Three annealing conditions were compared: two with only a tightly bound layer formed in the linear growth regime and one with both tightly bound and loosely adsorbed layers formed in the logarithmic growth regime. The onset thickness and increase in the glass transition temperature increases with annealing time and temperature. These differences were attributed to the distinct conformations of the formed adsorbed layers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hassan Omar
- Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM) (Fachbereich 6.6), Unter den Eichen 87, 12205 Berlin, Germany
| | - Shayan Ahamadi
- Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM) (Fachbereich 6.6), Unter den Eichen 87, 12205 Berlin, Germany
| | - Deniz Hülagü
- Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM) (Fachbereich 6.6), Unter den Eichen 87, 12205 Berlin, Germany
| | - Gundula Hidde
- Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM) (Fachbereich 6.6), Unter den Eichen 87, 12205 Berlin, Germany
| | - Andreas Hertwig
- Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM) (Fachbereich 6.6), Unter den Eichen 87, 12205 Berlin, Germany
| | - Paulina Szymoniak
- Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM) (Fachbereich 6.6), Unter den Eichen 87, 12205 Berlin, Germany
| | - Andreas Schönhals
- Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM) (Fachbereich 6.6), Unter den Eichen 87, 12205 Berlin, Germany
- Institut für Chemie, Technische Universität Berlin, Straße des 17. Juni 135, 10623 Berlin, Germany
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2
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Manohar N, Riggleman RA, Lee D, Stebe KJ. Nonmonotonic polymer translocation kinetics through nanopores under changing surface-polymer interactions. J Chem Phys 2024; 160:084908. [PMID: 38421070 DOI: 10.1063/5.0189057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Understanding the dynamics of polymers in confined environments is pivotal for diverse applications ranging from polymer upcycling to bioseparations. In this study, we develop an entropic barrier model using self-consistent field theory that considers the effect of attractive surface interactions, solvation, and confinement on polymer kinetics. In this model, we consider the translocation of a polymer from one cavity into a second cavity through a single-segment-width nanopore. We find that, for a polymer in a good solvent (i.e., excluded volume, u0 > 0), there is a nonmonotonic dependence of mean translocation time (τ) on surface interaction strength, ɛ. At low ɛ, excluded volume interactions lead to an energetic penalty and longer translocation times. As ɛ increases, the surface interactions counteract the energetic penalty imposed by excluded volume and the polymer translocates faster through the nanopore. However, as ɛ continues to increase, an adsorption transition occurs, which leads to significantly slower kinetics due to the penalty of desorption from the first cavity. The ɛ at which this adsorption transition occurs is a function of the excluded volume, with higher u0 leading to an adsorption transition at higher ɛ. Finally, we consider the effect of translocation across different size cavities. We find that the kinetics for translocation into a smaller cavity speeds up while translocation to a larger cavity slows down with increasing ɛ due to higher surface contact under stronger confinement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neha Manohar
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
| | - Robert A Riggleman
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
| | - Daeyeon Lee
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
| | - Kathleen J Stebe
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
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3
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Phan AD, Schweizer KS. Effect of the nature of the solid substrate on spatially heterogeneous activated dynamics in glass forming supported films. J Chem Phys 2024; 160:074902. [PMID: 38364012 DOI: 10.1063/5.0188016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024] Open
Abstract
We extend the force-level elastically collective nonlinear Langevin equation theory to treat the spatial gradients of the alpha relaxation time and glass transition temperature, and the corresponding film-averaged quantities, to the geometrically asymmetric case of finite thickness supported films with variable fluid-substrate coupling. The latter typically nonuniversally slows down motion near the solid-liquid interface as modeled via modification of the surface dynamic free energy caging constraints that are spatially transferred into the film and which compete with the accelerated relaxation gradient induced by the vapor interface. Quantitative applications to the foundational hard sphere fluid and a polymer melt are presented. The strength of the effective fluid-substrate coupling has very large consequences for the dynamical gradients and film-averaged quantities in a film thickness and thermodynamic state dependent manner. The interference of the dynamical gradients of opposite nature emanating from the vapor and solid interfaces is determined, including the conditions for the disappearance of a bulk-like region in the film center. The relative importance of surface-induced modification of local caging vs the generic truncation of the long range collective elastic component of the activation barrier is studied. The conditions for the accuracy and failure of a simple superposition approximation for dynamical gradients in thin films are also determined. The emergence of near substrate dead layers, large gradient effects on film-averaged response functions, and a weak non-monotonic evolution of dynamic gradients in thick and cold films are briefly discussed. The connection of our theoretical results to simulations and experiments is briefly discussed, as is the extension to treat more complex glass-forming systems under nanoconfinement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anh D Phan
- Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering, Phenikaa University, Hanoi 12116, Vietnam
- Phenikaa Institute for Advanced Study, Phenikaa University, Hanoi 12116, Vietnam
| | - Kenneth S Schweizer
- Departments of Materials Science, Chemistry, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
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4
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Kawaguchi D, Sasahara K, Inutsuka M, Abe T, Yamamoto S, Tanaka K. Absolute local conformation of poly(methyl methacrylate) chains adsorbed on a quartz surface. J Chem Phys 2023; 159:244902. [PMID: 38146829 DOI: 10.1063/5.0184315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Polymer chains at a buried interface with an inorganic solid play a critical role in the performance of polymer nanocomposites and adhesives. Sum frequency generation (SFG) vibrational spectroscopy with a sub-nanometer depth resolution provides valuable information regarding the orientation angle of functional groups at interfaces. However, in the case of conventional SFG, since the signal intensity is proportional to the square of the second-order nonlinear optical susceptibility and thereby loses phase information, it cannot be unambiguously determined whether the functional groups face upward or downward. This problem can be solved by phase-sensitive SFG (ps-SFG). We here applied ps-SFG to poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) chains in direct contact with a quartz surface, shedding light on the local conformation of chains adsorbed onto the solid surface. The measurements made it possible to determine the absolute orientation of the ester methyl groups of PMMA, which were oriented toward the quartz interface. Combining ps-SFG with all-atomistic molecular dynamics simulation, the distribution of the local conformation and the driving force are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisuke Kawaguchi
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
- Center for Polymer Interface and Molecular Adhesion Science, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
| | - Kazuki Sasahara
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
| | - Manabu Inutsuka
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
| | - Tatsuki Abe
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
| | - Satoru Yamamoto
- Center for Polymer Interface and Molecular Adhesion Science, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
| | - Keiji Tanaka
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
- Center for Polymer Interface and Molecular Adhesion Science, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
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5
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Omar H, Hidde G, Szymoniak P, Hertwig A, Schönhals A. Growth kinetics of the adsorbed layer of poly(bisphenol A carbonate) and its effect on the glass transition behavior in thin films. RSC Adv 2023; 13:14473-14483. [PMID: 37179996 PMCID: PMC10173819 DOI: 10.1039/d3ra02020g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The glass transition behavior of thin films of poly(bisphenol A carbonate) (PBAC) was studied employing ellipsometry. The glass transition temperature increases with the reduction of the film thickness. This result is attributed to the formation of an adsorbed layer with a reduced mobility compared to bulk PBAC. Therefore, for the first time, the growth kinetics of the adsorbed layer of PBAC was investigated, prepared by leaching samples from a 200 nm thin film which were annealed for several times at three different temperatures. The thickness of each prepared adsorbed layer was measured by multiple scans using atomic force microscopy (AFM). Additionally, an unannealed sample was measured. Comparison of the measurements of the unannealed and the annealed samples provides proof of a pre-growth regime for all annealing temperatures which was not observed for other polymers. For the lowest annealing temperature after the pre-growth stage only a growth regime with a linear time dependence is observed. For higher annealing temperatures the growth kinetics changes from a linear to a logarithmic growth regime at a critical time. At the longest annealing times the films showed signs of dewetting where segments of the adsorbed film were removed from the substrate (dewetting by desorption). The dependence of the surface roughness of the PBAC surface on annealing time also confirmed that the films annealed at highest temperatures for the longest times desorbed from the substrate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hassan Omar
- Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM) Unter den Eichen 87 12205 Berlin Germany +49 30/8104-1617 +49 30/8104-3384
| | - Gundula Hidde
- Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM) Unter den Eichen 87 12205 Berlin Germany +49 30/8104-1617 +49 30/8104-3384
| | - Paulina Szymoniak
- Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM) Unter den Eichen 87 12205 Berlin Germany +49 30/8104-1617 +49 30/8104-3384
| | - Andreas Hertwig
- Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM) Unter den Eichen 87 12205 Berlin Germany +49 30/8104-1617 +49 30/8104-3384
| | - Andreas Schönhals
- Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM) Unter den Eichen 87 12205 Berlin Germany +49 30/8104-1617 +49 30/8104-3384
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6
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Zhou Y, Zhang J, Huang J. Dynamic Propagation Depth in Substrate-Supported Polymer Films: A Molecular Dynamics Simulation. Macromolecules 2023. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.2c02539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/15/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Yun Zhou
- Department of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Surface & Interface Science of Polymer Materials of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Jin Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Surface & Interface Science of Polymer Materials of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Jianhua Huang
- Department of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Surface & Interface Science of Polymer Materials of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China
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7
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Song Y, Fukuzawa K, Hirayama T, Yamashita N, Yamada NL, Itoh S, Azuma N, Zhang H. Effects of Polarity of Polymers on Conformation and Lubricating Film Formation of Adsorbed Films. Macromolecules 2023. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.2c02238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Yuxi Song
- Department of Micro-Nano Mechanical Science and Engineering, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8603, Japan
| | - Kenji Fukuzawa
- Department of Micro-Nano Mechanical Science and Engineering, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8603, Japan
| | - Tomoko Hirayama
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Science, Kyoto University, Katsura, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto 615-8540, Japan
| | - Naoki Yamashita
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Science, Kyoto University, Katsura, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto 615-8540, Japan
| | - Norifumi L. Yamada
- Neutron Science Division, High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK), 203-1 Shirakata, Tokai, Naka, Ibaraki 319-1106, Japan
| | - Shintaro Itoh
- Department of Micro-Nano Mechanical Science and Engineering, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8603, Japan
| | - Naoki Azuma
- Department of Micro-Nano Mechanical Science and Engineering, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8603, Japan
| | - Hedong Zhang
- Department of Complex Systems Science, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan
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8
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Jiang Z, Cheng B, Yang J, Zhao J. Free Space Makes the Polymer "Dead Layer" Alive. J Phys Chem B 2022; 126:10750-10757. [PMID: 36479883 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.2c05858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The effect of free space on molecular motion inside the polymer "dead layer" or adsorbed nanolayers on solid surfaces is investigated. Free space is introduced into the nanolayer by choosing a polymer with a relatively big side group, poly n-butyl methacrylate (PnBMA), and polarization-resolved single-molecule fluorescence microscopy is adopted as the method. The rotational motion of the doped fluorescent probes is found to be considerably excited at moderate temperatures, attributed to the free space brought by the side group of the PnBMA. The development of the adsorbed nanolayer by the prolonged annealing of the parent film is carefully monitored, together with the evolution of the molecular motion and the glass transition temperature (Tg). The Tg values of the exposed nanolayers are considerably lower than that of the bulk system, while they become higher than those in the bulk situation when the nanolayer is covered with a polymer top layer. The experimental evidence has demonstrated that the free space made available by the side group and the air-polymer interface has considerably promoted the molecular motion inside the adsorbed nanolayers, even under the situation of overwhelming surface attraction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhichao Jiang
- Beijing National Research Center for Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Bin Cheng
- Beijing National Research Center for Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jingfa Yang
- Beijing National Research Center for Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jiang Zhao
- Beijing National Research Center for Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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9
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Improvement of polymer adhesion by designing the interface layer. POLYMER 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2022.125581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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10
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Wang S, Luo Z, Liang J, Hu J, Jiang N, He J, Li Q. Polymer Nanocomposite Dielectrics: Understanding the Matrix/Particle Interface. ACS NANO 2022; 16:13612-13656. [PMID: 36107156 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.2c07404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Polymer nanocomposite dielectrics possess exceptional electric properties that are absent in the pristine dielectric polymers. The matrix/particle interface in polymer nanocomposite dielectrics is suggested to play decisive roles on the bulk material performance. Herein, we present a critical overview of recent research advances and important insights in understanding the matrix/particle interfacial characteristics in polymer nanocomposite dielectrics. The primary experimental strategies and state-of-the-art characterization techniques for resolving the local property-structure correlation of the matrix/particle interface are dissected in depth, with a focus on the characterization capabilities of each strategy or technique that other approaches cannot compete with. Limitations to each of the experimental strategy are evaluated as well. In the last section of this Review, we summarize and compare the three experimental strategies from multiple aspects and point out their advantages and disadvantages, critical issues, and possible experimental schemes to be established. Finally, the authors' personal viewpoints regarding the challenges of the existing experimental strategies are presented, and potential directions for the interface study are proposed for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaojie Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Power Systems, Department of Electrical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Zhen Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Power Systems, Department of Electrical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Jiajie Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Power Systems, Department of Electrical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Jun Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Power Systems, Department of Electrical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Naisheng Jiang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Jinliang He
- State Key Laboratory of Power Systems, Department of Electrical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Qi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Power Systems, Department of Electrical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
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11
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Petek ES, Katsumata R. Thickness Dependence of Contact Angles in Multilayered Ultrathin Polymer Films. Macromolecules 2022. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.2c01123] [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)
- Evon S. Petek
- Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 120 Governors Dr, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
| | - Reika Katsumata
- Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 120 Governors Dr, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
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12
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Harada R, Kawaguchi D, Yamamoto S, Tanaka K. Change in local conformation of polymer chains at film surface attached to solid surface. SOFT MATTER 2022; 18:3304-3307. [PMID: 35416198 DOI: 10.1039/d1sm01833g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Adhesion is a molecular event where polymer chains contact with a material surface to form an interfacial layer. To obtain a better understanding of the adhesion on a molecular scale, we herein examined the conformational change of polystyrene (PS) chains at the film surface after contacting with hydrophobic or hydrophilic surfaces using sum-frequency generation (SFG) spectroscopy. Chains altered their local conformations with a quartz surface more quickly than a hydrophobic alkyl-functionalized one. A full-atomistic molecular dynamics simulation showed that these results, which were coupled with the contact process of PS chains with the solid surface, could be explained in terms of the Coulomb interaction between them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rei Harada
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
| | - Daisuke Kawaguchi
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
- Center for Polymer Interface and Molecular Adhesion Science, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
| | - Satoru Yamamoto
- Center for Polymer Interface and Molecular Adhesion Science, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
| | - Keiji Tanaka
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
- Center for Polymer Interface and Molecular Adhesion Science, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
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13
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Inutsuka M, Watanabe H, Aoyagi M, Yamada NL, Tanaka C, Ikehara T, Kawaguchi D, Yamamoto S, Tanaka K. Effect of Oligomer Segregation on the Aggregation State and Strength at the Polystyrene/Substrate Interface. ACS Macro Lett 2022; 11:504-509. [PMID: 35575338 DOI: 10.1021/acsmacrolett.2c00062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The interfacial strength of polystyrene (PS) with and without PS oligomers in contact with a glass substrate was examined to determine the relationship between the interfacial aggregation state and adhesion. The shear bond strength and adsorbed layer thickness of neat PS exhibited a similar dependence on the thermal annealing time: they increased to constant values within almost the same time. This implies that the adhesion of the polymer is closely related to the formation of an adsorbed layer at the adhesion interface. Nevertheless, in the case of PS with a small amount of oligomer, the shear bond strength decreased, while the adsorbed layer thickness was almost the same as that of neat PS. Based on the results of interfacial analyses, we propose that the interfacial segregation of the oligomer reduced the entanglement between the interfacial free chains in the adsorbed layer and the bulk chains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manabu Inutsuka
- Organic Materials Diagnosis Group, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, 3-11-32 Kagamiyama, Higashihiroshima, Hiroshima 739-0046, Japan
| | - Hirohmi Watanabe
- Organic Materials Diagnosis Group, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, 3-11-32 Kagamiyama, Higashihiroshima, Hiroshima 739-0046, Japan
| | - Masaru Aoyagi
- Organic Materials Diagnosis Group, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, 3-11-32 Kagamiyama, Higashihiroshima, Hiroshima 739-0046, Japan
| | - Norifumi L. Yamada
- Institute of Materials Structure Science, High Energy Accelerator Research Organization, 1-1 Oho, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0801, Japan
| | - Chisa Tanaka
- Department of Material and Life Chemistry, Kanagawa University, 3-27-1 Rokkakubashi, Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa 221-8686, Japan
| | - Takayuki Ikehara
- Department of Material and Life Chemistry, Kanagawa University, 3-27-1 Rokkakubashi, Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa 221-8686, Japan
| | - Daisuke Kawaguchi
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Center for Polymer Interface and Molecular Adhesion Science, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
| | - Satoru Yamamoto
- Center for Polymer Interface and Molecular Adhesion Science, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
| | - Keiji Tanaka
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Center for Polymer Interface and Molecular Adhesion Science, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
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14
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Adsorption Kinetics of Polystyrene and Poly(9-anthracenyl methyl methacrylate) onto SiO2 Surface Measured by Chip Nano-Calorimetry. Polymers (Basel) 2022; 14:polym14030605. [PMID: 35160594 PMCID: PMC8839510 DOI: 10.3390/polym14030605] [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: 12/31/2021] [Revised: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The alternating current (AC) chip nano-calorimetry is a powerful tool to investigate the physical properties of polymer thin films. In this paper, we report on the adsorption kinetics of polymers in which an AC chip nano-calorimetry was used for the first time. This technique allows for the real-time measurement of the adsorption kinetics of polymer chains onto the SiO2 surface. We used polystyrene (PS) and poly(9-anthracenyl methyl methacrylate) (PAMMA), which have different chemical natures and side group sizes. It was confirmed that the observed adsorption kinetics for PS were consistent with previously reported results obtained by dielectric spectroscopy. For PAMMA, we found characteristic adsorption kinetics, which shows a clear kink at the crossover between the early and later stages, while PS exhibits a lesser tendency of showing the kink as demonstrated by previously reported results.
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15
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Lin EY, Frischknecht AL, Winey KI, Riggleman RA. Effect of surface properties and polymer chain length on polymer adsorption in solution. J Chem Phys 2021; 155:034701. [PMID: 34293881 DOI: 10.1063/5.0052121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
In polymer nanoparticle composites (PNCs) with attractive interactions between nanoparticles (NPs) and polymers, a bound layer of the polymer forms on the NP surface, with significant effects on the macroscopic properties of the PNCs. The adsorption and wetting behaviors of polymer solutions in the presence of a solid surface are critical to the fabrication process of PNCs. In this study, we use both classical density functional theory (cDFT) and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to study dilute and semi-dilute solutions of short polymer chains near a solid surface. Using cDFT, we calculate the equilibrium properties of polymer solutions near a flat surface while varying the solvent quality, surface-fluid interactions, and the polymer chain lengths to investigate their effects on the polymer adsorption and wetting transitions. Using MD simulations, we simulate polymer solutions near solid surfaces with three different curvatures (a flat surface and NPs with two radii) to study the static conformation of the polymer bound layer near the surface and the dynamic chain adsorption process. We find that the bulk polymer concentration at which the wetting transition in the poor solvent system occurs is not affected by the difference in surface-fluid interactions; however, a threshold value of surface-fluid interaction is needed to observe the wetting transition. We also find that with good solvent, increasing the chain length or the difference in the surface-polymer interaction relative to the surface-solvent interaction increases the surface coverage of polymer segments and independent chains for all surface curvatures. Finally, we demonstrate that the polymer segmental adsorption times are heavily influenced only by the surface-fluid interactions, although polymers desorb more quickly from highly curved surfaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Y Lin
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
| | - Amalie L Frischknecht
- Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185, USA
| | - Karen I Winey
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
| | - Robert A Riggleman
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
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Xu W, Mihhels K, Kotov N, Lepikko S, Ras RHA, Johnson CM, Pettersson T, Kontturi E. Solid-state polymer adsorption for surface modification: The role of molecular weight. J Colloid Interface Sci 2021; 605:441-450. [PMID: 34333417 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2021.07.062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Revised: 07/11/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
HYPOTHESIS Solid-state polymer adsorption offers a distinct approach for surface modification. These ultrathin, so-called Guiselin layers can easily be obtained by placing a polymer melt in contact with an interface, followed by a removal of the non-adsorbed layer with a good solvent. While the mechanism of formation has been well established for Guiselin layers, their stability, crucial from the perspective of materials applications, is not. The stability is a trade-off in the entropic penalty between cooperative detachment of the number of segments directly adsorbed on the substrate and consecutively pinned monomers. EXPERIMENTS Experimental model systems of Guiselin layers of polystyrene (PS) on silicon wafers with native oxide layer on top were employed. The stability of the adsorbed layers was studied as a function of PS molecular weight and polydispersibility by various microscopic and spectroscopic tools as well as quasi-static contact angle measurements. FINDINGS Adsorbed layers from low molecular weight PS were disrupted with typical spinodal decomposition patterns whereas high molecular weight (>500 kDa) PS resulted in stable, continuous layers. Moreover, we show that Guiselin layers offer an enticing way to modify a surface, as demonstrated by adsorbed PS that imparts a hydrophobic character to initially hydrophilic silicon wafers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenyang Xu
- Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems, School of Chemical Engineering, Aalto University, P.O. Box 16300, FI-00076 Aalto, Finland; Department of Fibre and Polymer Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Teknikringen 56, 10044 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Karl Mihhels
- Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems, School of Chemical Engineering, Aalto University, P.O. Box 16300, FI-00076 Aalto, Finland
| | - Nikolay Kotov
- Department of Chemistry, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Drottning Kristinas väg 51, SE-100 44 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sakari Lepikko
- Department of Applied Physics, School of Science, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland
| | - Robin H A Ras
- Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems, School of Chemical Engineering, Aalto University, P.O. Box 16300, FI-00076 Aalto, Finland; Department of Applied Physics, School of Science, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland
| | - C Magnus Johnson
- Department of Chemistry, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Drottning Kristinas väg 51, SE-100 44 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Torbjörn Pettersson
- Department of Fibre and Polymer Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Teknikringen 56, 10044 Stockholm, Sweden; Wallenberg Wood Science Centre, Department of Fibre and Polymer Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Teknikringen 56, 10044 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Eero Kontturi
- Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems, School of Chemical Engineering, Aalto University, P.O. Box 16300, FI-00076 Aalto, Finland.
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Madkour S, Gawek M, Hertwig A, Schönhals A. Do Interfacial Layers in Thin Films Act as an Independent Layer within Thin Films? Macromolecules 2020. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.0c02149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Sherif Madkour
- Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und −prüfung (BAM), Unter den Eichen 87, 12205 Berlin, Germany
| | - Marcel Gawek
- Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und −prüfung (BAM), Unter den Eichen 87, 12205 Berlin, Germany
| | - Andreas Hertwig
- Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und −prüfung (BAM), Unter den Eichen 87, 12205 Berlin, Germany
| | - Andreas Schönhals
- Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und −prüfung (BAM), Unter den Eichen 87, 12205 Berlin, Germany
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19
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Oda Y, Kawaguchi D, Morimitsu Y, Yamamoto S, Tanaka K. Direct observation of morphological transition for an adsorbed single polymer chain. Sci Rep 2020; 10:20914. [PMID: 33262397 PMCID: PMC7708982 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-77761-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
A better understanding of the structure of polymers at solid interfaces is crucial for designing various polymer nano-composite materials from structural materials to nanomaterials for use in industry. To this end, the first step is to obtain information on how synthetic polymer chains adsorb onto a solid surface. We closely followed the trajectory of a single polymer chain on the surface as a function of temperature using atomic force microscopy. Combining the results with a full-atomistic molecular dynamics simulation revealed that the chain became more rigid on the way to reaching a pseudo-equilibrium state, accompanied by a change in its local conformation from mainly loops to trains. This information will be useful for regulating the physical properties of polymers at the interface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yukari Oda
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, 819-0395, Japan
- Center for Polymer Interface and Molecular Adhesion Science, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, 819-0395, Japan
| | - Daisuke Kawaguchi
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, 819-0395, Japan
- Center for Polymer Interface and Molecular Adhesion Science, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, 819-0395, Japan
| | - Yuma Morimitsu
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, 819-0395, Japan
| | - Satoru Yamamoto
- Center for Polymer Interface and Molecular Adhesion Science, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, 819-0395, Japan
| | - Keiji Tanaka
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, 819-0395, Japan.
- Center for Polymer Interface and Molecular Adhesion Science, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, 819-0395, Japan.
- International Institute for Carbon-Neutral Energy Research (WPI-I2CNER), Kyushu University, Fukuoka, 819-0395, Japan.
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Wei T, Torkelson JM. Molecular Weight Dependence of the Glass Transition Temperature ( Tg)-Confinement Effect in Well-Dispersed Poly(2-vinyl pyridine)–Silica Nanocomposites: Comparison of Interfacial Layer Tg and Matrix Tg. Macromolecules 2020. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.0c01577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Tong Wei
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - John M. Torkelson
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
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Han Y, Huang X, Rohrbach ACW, Roth CB. Comparing refractive index and density changes with decreasing film thickness in thin supported films across different polymers. J Chem Phys 2020; 153:044902. [PMID: 32752678 DOI: 10.1063/5.0012423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Density changes in thin polymer films have long been considered as a possible explanation for shifts in the thickness-dependent glass transition temperature Tg(h) in such nanoconfined systems, given that the glass transition is fundamentally associated with packing frustration during material densification on cooling. We use ellipsometry to compare the temperature-dependent refractive index with decreasing thickness n(h) for supported films of poly(2-vinyl pyridine) (P2VP), poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), and polystyrene (PS), as these polymers have different silica substrate interactions. We observe similar n(h) trends for all three polymers, with near equivalence of P2VP and PS, characterized by a large apparent increase in refractive index for h ≤ 40 nm-65 nm depending on the polymer. Possible sources of molecular dipole orientation within the film are tested by varying molecular weight, polydispersity, chain conformation, and substrate chemistry. Such film inhomogeneities associated with non-uniform polarizability would invalidate the use of homogeneous layer approximations inherent in most thin film analysis methods, which we believe likely explains recent reports of large unphysical increases in film density with decreasing thickness by a variety of different experimental techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yixuan Han
- Department of Physics, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA
| | - Xinru Huang
- Department of Physics, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA
| | - Alan C W Rohrbach
- Department of Physics, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA
| | - Connie B Roth
- Department of Physics, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA
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Huang X, Thees MF, Size WB, Roth CB. Experimental study of substrate roughness on the local glass transition of polystyrene. J Chem Phys 2020; 152:244901. [PMID: 32610987 DOI: 10.1063/5.0011380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Xinru Huang
- Department of Physics, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA
| | - Michael F. Thees
- Department of Physics, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA
| | - William B. Size
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA
| | - Connie B. Roth
- Department of Physics, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA
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Napolitano S. Irreversible adsorption of polymer melts and nanoconfinement effects. SOFT MATTER 2020; 16:5348-5365. [PMID: 32419002 DOI: 10.1039/d0sm00361a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
For almost a decade, growing experimental evidence has revealed a strong correlation between the properties of nanoconfined polymers and the number of chains irreversibly adsorbed onto nonrepulsive interfaces, e.g. the supporting substrate of thin polymer coatings, or nanofillers dispersed in polymer melts. Based on such a correlation, it has already been possible to tailor structural and dynamics properties - such as the glass transition temperature, the crystallization rate, the thermal expansion coefficients, the viscosity and the wettability - of nanomaterials by controlling the adsorption kinetics. This evidence indicates that irreversible adsorption affects nanoconfinement effects. More recently, also the opposite phenomenon was experimentally observed: nanoconfinement alters interfacial interactions and, consequently, also the number of chains adsorbed in equilibrium conditions. In this review we discuss this intriguing interplay between irreversible adsorption and nanoconfinement effects in ultrathin polymer films. After introducing the methods currently used to prepare adsorbed layers and to measure the number of irreversibly adsorbed chains, we analyze the models employed to describe the kinetics of adsorption in polymer melts. We then discuss the structure of adsorbed polymer layers, focusing on the complex macromolecular architecture of interfacial chains and on their thermal expansion; we examine the way in which the structure of the adsorbed layer affects the thermal glass transition temperature, vitrification, and crystallization. By analyzing segmental dynamics of 1D confined systems, we describe experiments to track the changes in density during adsorption. We conclude this review with an analysis of the impact of nanoconfinement on adsorption, and a perspective on future work where we also address the key ideas of irreversibility, equilibration and long-range interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Napolitano
- Laboratory of Polymer and Soft Matter Dynamics, Experimental Soft Matter and Thermal Physics (EST), Faculté des Sciences, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Boulevard du Triomphe, Bruxelles 1050, Belgium.
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