1
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Aktas K, Liu H, Basar IA, Eskicioglu C. Adsorption enhanced biological treatment of hydrothermal liquefaction aqueous phase derived from municipal sludge. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2024; 407:131093. [PMID: 38986888 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2024.131093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2024] [Revised: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 07/06/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024]
Abstract
Hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) is a promising method for municipal sludge valorization through waste minimization and biofuel production. The process wastewater, HTL aqueous, presents a significant challenge for scale-up due to recalcitrant compounds. In this study, granular activated carbon (GAC) was used to remove potential inhibitors from HTL aqueous through adsorption to enhance aerobic and anaerobic biological treatment. GAC removed up to 61 % chemical oxygen demand (COD), 50 % biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and potential inhibitors, such as total phenolic compounds (87 %) and N-heterocycles (90 % of pyridines) at 100 g/L. Conversely, most volatile fatty acids remained in HTL aqueous. Subsequently, mesophilic and thermophilic specific methane potential increased by up to 97 % and 83 %, respectively. BOD increased by up to 50 %, which enhanced BOD/COD ratio from 81 % to 93 % before and after adsorption. This study established the groundwork for HTL aqueous adsorption, described mechanism for pollutant removal, and provided insights for biological treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kemal Aktas
- UBC Bioreactor Technology Group, School of Engineering, The University of British Columbia, Okanagan Campus, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Huan Liu
- UBC Bioreactor Technology Group, School of Engineering, The University of British Columbia, Okanagan Campus, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Ibrahim Alper Basar
- UBC Bioreactor Technology Group, School of Engineering, The University of British Columbia, Okanagan Campus, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Cigdem Eskicioglu
- UBC Bioreactor Technology Group, School of Engineering, The University of British Columbia, Okanagan Campus, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada.
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2
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Shimokita K, Yamamoto K, Miyata N, Shibata M, Nakanishi Y, Arakawa M, Takenaka M, Kida T, Tokumitsu K, Tanaka R, Shiono T, Yamada M, Seto H, Yamada NL, Aoki H, Miyazaki T. Neutron Reflectivity Study on the Adsorption Layer of Polyethylene Grown on Si Substrate. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2024. [PMID: 39012261 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.4c01584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/17/2024]
Abstract
To investigate the structure of the interface between polyethylene films and substrates, the neutron reflectivity (NR) of deuterated polyethylene (dPE) thin films deposited on Si substrates was measured, demonstrating water accumulation at the interface, even under ambient conditions. After leaching the thermally annealed dPE films in hot p-xylene, NR measurements were conducted on the layers remaining on the substrate, clearly revealing that the adsorption layer of dPE grew during annealing and consisted of two layers, an inner adsorption layer and an outer adsorption layer, as previously proposed for amorphous polymers. The inner adsorption layer was approximately 3.7 nm thick with a density comparable to that of the bulk. The outer adsorption layer was several nanometers thick and appeared to grow insufficiently on top of the inner adsorption layer under the annealing conditions examined in this study. This study clarifying the growth of the adsorption layer of polyethylene at the interface with an inorganic substrate is useful for improving the performance of polymer/inorganic filler nanocomposites due to the wide utility of crystalline polyolefins as polymer matrix materials in nanocomposites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keisuke Shimokita
- Department of Life Science and Applied Chemistry, Gradual School of Engineering, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Gokiso-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8555, Japan
| | - Katsuhiro Yamamoto
- Department of Life Science and Applied Chemistry, Gradual School of Engineering, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Gokiso-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8555, Japan
| | - Noboru Miyata
- Neutron Science and Technology Center, Comprehensive Research Organization for Science and Society, 162-1 Shirakata, Tokai, Ibaraki 319-1106, Japan
| | - Motoki Shibata
- Office of Society-Academia Collaboration for Innovation, Kyoto University, Sakyou-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Yohei Nakanishi
- Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011, Japan
| | - Masato Arakawa
- Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011, Japan
| | - Mikihito Takenaka
- Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011, Japan
| | - Takumitsu Kida
- Department of Materials Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, The University of Shiga Prefecture, 2500 Hassaka, Hikone 522-8533, Japan
| | - Katsuhisa Tokumitsu
- Department of Materials Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, The University of Shiga Prefecture, 2500 Hassaka, Hikone 522-8533, Japan
| | - Ryo Tanaka
- Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Applied Chemistry Program, Hiroshima University, 1-4-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-hiroshima 739-8527, Japan
| | - Takeshi Shiono
- Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Applied Chemistry Program, Hiroshima University, 1-4-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-hiroshima 739-8527, Japan
| | - Masako Yamada
- Institute of Materials Structure Science, High Energy Accelerator Research Organization, 203-1 Shirakata, Tokai, Ibaraki 319-1106, Japan
| | - Hideki Seto
- Institute of Materials Structure Science, High Energy Accelerator Research Organization, 203-1 Shirakata, Tokai, Ibaraki 319-1106, Japan
| | - Norifumi L Yamada
- Institute of Materials Structure Science, High Energy Accelerator Research Organization, 203-1 Shirakata, Tokai, Ibaraki 319-1106, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Aoki
- Institute of Materials Structure Science, High Energy Accelerator Research Organization, 203-1 Shirakata, Tokai, Ibaraki 319-1106, Japan
- Materials and Life Science Division, J-PARC Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 2-4 Shirakata, Tokai, Ibaraki 319-1195, Japan
| | - Tsukasa Miyazaki
- Office of Society-Academia Collaboration for Innovation, Kyoto University, Sakyou-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
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3
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Xu W, Werzer O, Spiliopoulos P, Mihhels K, Jiang Q, Meng Z, Tao H, Resel R, Tammelin T, Pettersson T, Kontturi E. Interfacial Engineering of Soft Matter Substrates by Solid-State Polymer Adsorption. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2024; 16:32874-32885. [PMID: 38863159 PMCID: PMC11212027 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.4c06182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2024] [Revised: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
Polymer coating to substrates alters surface chemistry and imparts bulk material functionalities with a minute thickness, even in nanoscale. Specific surface modification of a substate usually requires an active substrate that, e.g., undergoes a chemical reaction with the modifying species. Here, we present a generic method for surface modification, namely, solid-state adsorption, occurring purely by entropic strive. Formed by heating above the melting point or glass transition and subsequent rinsing of the excess polymer, the emerging ultrathin (<10 nm) layers are known in fundamental polymer physics but have never been utilized as building blocks for materials and they have never been explored on soft matter substrates. We show with model surfaces as well as bulk substrates, how solid-state adsorption of common polymers, such as polystyrene and poly(lactic acid), can be applied on soft, cellulose-based substrates. Our study showcases the versatility of solid-state adsorption across various polymer/substrate systems. Specifically, we achieve proof-of-concept hydrophobization on flexible cellulosic substrates, maintaining irreversible and miniscule adsorption yet with nearly 100% coverage without compromising the bulk material properties. The method can be considered generic for all polymers whose Tg and Tm are below those of the to-be-coated adsorbed layer, and whose integrity can withstand the solvent leaching conditions. Its full potential has broad implications for diverse materials systems where surface coatings play an important role, such as packaging, foldable electronics, or membrane technology.
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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, SE-10044 Stockholm, Sweden
- Laboratory
of Natural Materials Technology, Åbo
Akademi University, FI-20500 Turku, Finland
| | - Oliver Werzer
- Joanneum
Research, Institute for Sensors, Photonics
and Manufacturing Technologies, Franz-Pichler-Strasse 30, 8160 Weiz, Austria
| | - Panagiotis Spiliopoulos
- Department
of Bioproducts and Biosystems, School of Chemical Engineering, Aalto University, P.O. Box 16300, FI-00076 Aalto, Finland
| | - Karl Mihhels
- Department
of Bioproducts and Biosystems, School of Chemical Engineering, Aalto University, P.O. Box 16300, FI-00076 Aalto, Finland
| | - Qixiang Jiang
- Polymer
and Composite Engineering (PaCE) Group, Institute of Materials Chemistry,
Faculty of Chemistry, University of Vienna, Währinger Straße 42, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Zhuojun Meng
- Department
of Bioproducts and Biosystems, School of Chemical Engineering, Aalto University, P.O. Box 16300, FI-00076 Aalto, Finland
| | - Han Tao
- Department
of Bioproducts and Biosystems, School of Chemical Engineering, Aalto University, P.O. Box 16300, FI-00076 Aalto, Finland
| | - Roland Resel
- Institute
of Solid State Physics, NAWI Graz, Graz
University of Technology, Petersgasse 16, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Tekla Tammelin
- Biomass
Processing and Products, VTT Technical Research
Centre of Finland Ltd., FI-02044 Espoo, Finland
| | - Torbjörn Pettersson
- Department
of Fibre and Polymer Technology, KTH Royal
Institute of Technology, Teknikringen 56, SE-10044 Stockholm, Sweden
- Wallenberg
Wood Science Centre, KTH Royal Institute
of Technology, Teknikringen
56, SE-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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4
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Aktas K, Liu H, Eskicioglu C. Treatment of aqueous phase from hydrothermal liquefaction of municipal sludge by adsorption: Comparison of biochar, hydrochar, and granular activated carbon. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 356:120619. [PMID: 38518489 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.120619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/10/2024] [Indexed: 03/24/2024]
Abstract
Hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) is promising for treating waste with high moisture, such as municipal sludge, and producing biocrude (a petroleum-like biofuel). However, a large amount of wastewater byproduct, HTL aqueous, is generated. The presence of hazardous compounds (e.g., phenolic compounds and nitrogenous organics) makes HTL aqueous the biggest bottleneck for full-scale implementation at treatment plants. This study investigated the adsorption of various pollutants, focusing on chemical oxygen demand (COD), in HTL aqueous to granular activated carbon (GAC), biochar, and hydrochar. It assessed the effect of pH, temperature, time, and adsorbent concentration on adsorption efficiency and identified proper adsorbent and process conditions for removing most of the pollutants from HTL aqueous. GAC showed the highest adsorption capacity (184 mg/g) for COD, surpassing biochar (44 mg/g) and hydrochar (42 mg/g). The adsorption of COD to all adsorbents followed pseudo-second-order kinetic and Freundlich isotherm, suggesting that the adsorption of HTL aqueous pollutants is a heterogeneous and multilayer process, limited by chemosorption. The adsorption was endothermic, favored by elevated temperatures and neutral pH. This means adsorption is more efficient and economical for treating HTL aqueous that is a hot stream at the large-scale and it saves chemical needs. Lastly, GAC was highly efficient and selective in removing harmful pollutants, such as COD (up to 66%), total phenolic compounds (up to 94%), pyrazines (up to 99%), pyridines (up to 100%), and cyclic ketones (up to 95%) while preserving valuable volatile fatty acids (VFAs) and ammonia for subsequent recovery. Removal of potentially inhibitory compounds and preserving VFAs are crucial for carbon recovery in anaerobic biological treatment of HTL aqueous. The results suggested the necessity of optimizing adsorbent dose for maximizing removal of specific group of inhibitory compounds in full-strength HTL aqueous for enhancing downstream biological treatment. Lastly, this study established the groundwork for HTL aqueous adsorption, elucidating its effectiveness and mechanism for pollutant removal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kemal Aktas
- UBC Bioreactor Technology Group, School of Engineering, The University of British Columbia, Okanagan Campus, 1137 Alumni Avenue, Kelowna, British Columbia, V1V 1V7, Canada.
| | - Huan Liu
- UBC Bioreactor Technology Group, School of Engineering, The University of British Columbia, Okanagan Campus, 1137 Alumni Avenue, Kelowna, British Columbia, V1V 1V7, Canada.
| | - Cigdem Eskicioglu
- UBC Bioreactor Technology Group, School of Engineering, The University of British Columbia, Okanagan Campus, 1137 Alumni Avenue, Kelowna, British Columbia, V1V 1V7, Canada.
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5
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Serna S, Wang T, Torkelson JM. Eliminating the Tg-confinement and fragility-confinement effects in poly(4-methylstyrene) films by incorporation of 3 mol % 2-ethylheyxl acrylate comonomer. J Chem Phys 2024; 160:034903. [PMID: 38235797 DOI: 10.1063/5.0189409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Nanoconfined poly(4-methylstyrene) [P(4-MS)] films exhibit reductions in glass transition temperature (Tg) relative to bulk Tg (Tg,bulk). Ellipsometry reveals that 15-nm-thick P(4-MS) films supported on silicon exhibit Tg - Tg,bulk = - 15 °C. P(4-MS) films also exhibit fragility-confinement effects; fragility decreases ∼60% in going from bulk to a 20-nm-thick film. Previous research found that incorporating 2-6 mol % 2-ethylhexyl acrylate (EHA) comonomer in styrene-based random copolymers eliminates Tg- and fragility-confinement effects in polystyrene. Here, we demonstrate that incorporating 3 mol % EHA in a 4-MS-based random copolymer, 97/3 P(4-MS/EHA), eliminates the Tg- and fragility-confinement effects. The invariance of fragility with nanoconfinement of 97/3 P(4-MS/EHA) films, hypothesized to originate from the interdigitation of ethylhexyl groups, indicates that the presence of EHA prevents the free surface from perturbing chain packing and the cooperative mobility associated with Tg. This method of eliminating confinement effects is advantageous as it relies on the simplest of polymerization methods and neat copolymer only slightly altered in composition from homopolymer. We also investigated whether we could eliminate the Tg-confinement effect with low levels of 2-ethylhexyl methacrylate (EHMA) in 4-MS-based or styrene-based copolymers. Although EHMA is structurally nearly identical to EHA, 4-MS-based and styrene-based copolymers incorporating 4 mol % EHMA exhibit Tg-confinement effects similar to P(4-MS) and polystyrene. These results support the special character of EHA in eliminating confinement effects originating at free surfaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Serna
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA
| | - Tong Wang
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA
| | - John M Torkelson
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA
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6
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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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7
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Xu J, Bai L, Ren W, Zhu H, Zhou X, Zhang C, Wang X. Flattened chains dominate the adsorption dynamics of loosely adsorbed chains on modified planar substrates. SOFT MATTER 2023; 20:201-211. [PMID: 38078383 DOI: 10.1039/d3sm01339a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Herein, the adsorption of polystyrene (PS) on phenyl-modified SiO2-Si substrates was investigated. Different from those for PS adsorption on a neat SiO2-Si substrate, the growth rate (vads) in the linear regime and hads/Rg (hads, thickness of flattened and loosely adsorbed layers on the substrate; Rg, radius of gyration) declined with increasing molecular weight (Mw) of PS and the phenyl content on the modified substrates, while the thickness of the flattened layer (hflat) and its coverage increased with increasing phenyl content. The results indicated that the adsorption of loose chains was controlled by the adsorption of flattened chains, as it only occurred in the empty contact sites remaining after the adsorption of flattened chains. Before approaching quasi-equilibrium (t < tcross), the number of flattened chain contact sites increased due to an enthalpically favorable process and, correspondingly, their spatial positions dynamically changed, which perturbed the adsorption of loose chains. When the adsorption of flattened chains reached quasi-equilibrium (t > tcross), the adsorption of loose chains was determined by the empty contact sites. The coverage of flattened chains and time to reach quasi-equilibrium were increased with more phenyl groups on the substrate, enhancing π-π interfacial interactions and resulting in a decreased adsorption rate and fewer loosely adsorbed chains. Mw-dependent vads and hads/Rg differed on phenyl-modified substrates compared to the neat SiO2-Si substrate owing to fewer empty contact sites for loose chains. The study findings improve our understanding of the mechanism responsible for the formation and structure of the adsorbed layer on solid surfaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianquan Xu
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Surface & Interface Science of Polymer Materials of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, 310018, P. R. China.
| | - Lu Bai
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Surface & Interface Science of Polymer Materials of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, 310018, P. R. China.
| | - Weizhao Ren
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Surface & Interface Science of Polymer Materials of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, 310018, P. R. China.
| | - Huifeng Zhu
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Surface & Interface Science of Polymer Materials of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, 310018, P. R. China.
| | - Xianjing Zhou
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Surface & Interface Science of Polymer Materials of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, 310018, P. R. China.
| | - Cuiyun Zhang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Surface & Interface Science of Polymer Materials of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, 310018, P. R. China.
| | - Xinping Wang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Surface & Interface Science of Polymer Materials of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, 310018, P. R. China.
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8
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Xu J, Guo X, Guo H, Zhang Y, Wang X. Exploring the Molecular Origin for the Long-Range Propagation of the Substrate Effect in Unentangled Poly(methyl methacrylate) Films. Polymers (Basel) 2023; 15:4655. [PMID: 38139907 PMCID: PMC10748294 DOI: 10.3390/polym15244655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The polymer/substrate interface plays a significant role in the dynamics of nanoconfined polymers because of its suppression on polymer mobility and its long-range propagation feature, while the molecular origin of the long-range substrate effect in unentangled polymer material is still ambiguous. Herein, we investigated the propagation distances of the substrate effect (h*) by a fluorinated tracer-labeled method of two unentangled polymer films supported on silicon substrates: linear and ring poly(methyl methacrylate) films with relatively low molecular weights. The results indicate that the value of h* has a molecular weight dependence of h*∝N (N is the degree of polymerization) in the unentangled polymer films, while h*∝N1/2 was presented as previously reported in the entangled films. A theoretical model, depending on the polymer/polymer intermolecular interaction, was proposed to describe the above long-range propagation behavior of the substrate effect and agrees with our experiment results very well. From the model, it revealed that the intermolecular friction determines the long-range propagation of the substrate effect in the unentangled system, but the intermolecular entanglement is the dominant role in entangled system. These results give us a deeper understanding of the long-range substrate effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianquan Xu
- Institute for School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Surface & Interface Science of Polymer Materials of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China; (X.G.); (H.G.); (Y.Z.)
| | | | | | | | - Xinping Wang
- Institute for School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Surface & Interface Science of Polymer Materials of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China; (X.G.); (H.G.); (Y.Z.)
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9
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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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10
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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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11
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Ren W, Hong Y, Wei H, Xu J, Zhang C, Zhou X, Wang X. Structure of the Poly(methyl methacrylate) Adsorbed Layer Determined by the Surface Chemistry of the Substrate. Macromolecules 2023. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.2c02169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Weizhao Ren
- Department of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Surface & Interface Science of Polymer Materials of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Yongming Hong
- Department of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Surface & Interface Science of Polymer Materials of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Huidong Wei
- Department of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Surface & Interface Science of Polymer Materials of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Jianquan Xu
- Department of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Surface & Interface Science of Polymer Materials of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Cuiyun Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Surface & Interface Science of Polymer Materials of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Xianjing Zhou
- Department of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Surface & Interface Science of Polymer Materials of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Xinping Wang
- 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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Wang T, Hu S, Zhang S, Peera A, Reffner J, Torkelson JM. Eliminating the Tg-Confinement Effect in Polystyrene Films: Extraordinary Impact of a 2 mol % 2-Ethylhexyl Acrylate Comonomer. Macromolecules 2022. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.2c01917] [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)
- Tong Wang
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois60208, United States
| | - Sumeng Hu
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois60208, United States
| | - Sipei Zhang
- The Dow Chemical Company, 400 Arcola Road, Collegeville, Pennsylvania19426, United States
| | - Asghar Peera
- The Dow Chemical Company, 400 Arcola Road, Collegeville, Pennsylvania19426, United States
| | - John Reffner
- The Dow Chemical Company, 400 Arcola Road, Collegeville, Pennsylvania19426, United States
| | - John M. Torkelson
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois60208, United States
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois60208, United States
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13
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Lu RX, Zhou Y, Yang QH, Huang JH. Langevin dynamics simulation on optimal conditions for large and stable loops of adsorbed homopolymers on substrates. SOFT MATTER 2022; 18:5989-5998. [PMID: 35920368 DOI: 10.1039/d2sm00553k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Adsorption of polymer chains on a solid surface is a universal interfacial behavior. Loops in the adsorbed chains are considered to exert a significant effect on the overall properties of a substrate-supported polymer film via entanglement with non-adsorbed chains in the film. In this work, the size and stability of loops formed by adsorbed homopolymer chains on an attractive substrate were studied by Langevin dynamics simulations. The size of loops decreases while the stability increases with increasing attraction strength of the substrate. In contrast, with an increase in the polymer concentration, the size of loops increases but the stability decreases. However, both the size and stability of loops increase with increasing chain length. Simulation results show that the optimal conditions for forming large and stable loops are long homopolymer chains, substrates with moderate attraction strength, and moderate polymer concentration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong-Xing Lu
- Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China.
| | - Yun Zhou
- Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China.
| | - Qing-Hui Yang
- Department of Physics, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Jian-Hua Huang
- Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China.
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