1
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Gerakinis DP, Anogiannakis SD, Theodorou DN. Equilibration of linear polyethylene melts with pre-defined molecular weight distributions employing united atom Monte Carlo simulations. J Chem Phys 2024; 161:044901. [PMID: 39037144 DOI: 10.1063/5.0219728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2024] [Accepted: 07/08/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Possessing control over the molecular size (molecular weight/chain length/degree of polymerization) distribution of a polymeric material is extremely important in applications. This is manifested de facto by the extensive contemporary scientific literature on processes for controlling this distribution experimentally. Yet, the literature on computational techniques for achieving prescribed molecular size distributions in simulations and exploring their impact on properties is much less abundant than its experimental/technical counterpart. Here, we develop-on the basis of united atom melt simulations employing connectivity-altering Monte Carlo moves-a new Metropolis selection criterion that drives the multichain system to a prescribed but otherwise arbitrary distribution of molecular sizes. The new formulation is a generalization of that originally proposed [P. V. K. Pant and D. N. Theodorou, Macromolecules 28, 7224 (1995)], but simpler and more computationally efficient. It requires knowledge solely of the target distribution, which need not be normalized. We have implemented the new formulation on long-chain linear polyethylene melts, obtaining excellent results. The target molecular size distribution can be provided in tabulated form, allowing absolute freedom as to the types of chain size profiles that can be simulated. Distributions for which equilibration has been achieved here for linear polyethylene include a truncated most probable, a truncated Schulz-Zimm, an arbitrary one defined in tabulated form, a broad truncated Gaussian, and a bimodal Gaussian. The last two are comparable to those encountered in industrial applications. The impact of the molecular size distribution on the properties of the simulated melts, such as density, chain dimensions, and mixing thermodynamics, is explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitrios-Paraskevas Gerakinis
- Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, National Center for Scientific Research "Demokritos," 15341 Athens, Greece
- School of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 9 Heroon Polytechniou Street, 15780 Athens, Greece
| | - Stefanos D Anogiannakis
- School of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 9 Heroon Polytechniou Street, 15780 Athens, Greece
- DPI, P.O. Box 902, 5600 AX Eindhoven, the Netherlands
| | - Doros N Theodorou
- School of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 9 Heroon Polytechniou Street, 15780 Athens, Greece
- DPI, P.O. Box 902, 5600 AX Eindhoven, the Netherlands
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2
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Svaneborg C, Everaers R. Multiscale equilibration of highly entangled isotropic model polymer melts. J Chem Phys 2023; 158:054903. [PMID: 36754791 DOI: 10.1063/5.0123431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
We present a computationally efficient multiscale method for preparing equilibrated, isotropic long-chain model polymer melts. As an application, we generate Kremer-Grest melts of 1000 chains with 200 entanglements and 25 000-2000 beads/chain, which cover the experimentally relevant bending rigidities up to and beyond the limit of the isotropic-nematic transition. In the first step, we employ Monte Carlo simulations of a lattice model to equilibrate the large-scale chain structure above the tube scale while ensuring a spatially homogeneous density distribution. We then use theoretical insight from a constrained mode tube model to introduce the bead degrees of freedom together with random walk conformational statistics all the way down to the Kuhn scale of the chains. This is followed by a sequence of simulations with carefully parameterized force-capped bead-spring models, which slowly introduce the local bead packing while reproducing the larger-scale chain statistics of the target Kremer-Grest system at all levels of force-capping. Finally, we can switch to the full Kremer-Grest model without perturbing the structure. The resulting chain statistics is in excellent agreement with literature results on all length scales accessible in brute-force simulations of shorter chains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carsten Svaneborg
- University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, DK-5230 Odense M, Denmark
| | - Ralf Everaers
- ENSL, CNRS, Laboratoire de Physique and Centre Blaise Pascal de l'École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, F-69342 Lyon, France
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3
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Schmid F. Understanding and Modeling Polymers: The Challenge of Multiple Scales. ACS POLYMERS AU 2022. [DOI: 10.1021/acspolymersau.2c00049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Friederike Schmid
- Institut für Physik, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Staudingerweg 9, 55128Mainz, Germany
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4
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Abstract
Shuffling of genetic material via reconnection of proximal DNA segments is seen in meiosis and some cancers. In contrast with textbook pictures, reconnections are performed within an entangled environment and can result in knotting or linking, detrimental for cells. By performing Brownian dynamics simulations of reconnecting polymers under confinement, modeling the genome in vivo, we find a topological transition between a gas or liquid of unlinked rings and a gel-like structure with a large number of polydisperse linked rings. This transition can be triggered by increasing polymer stiffness or confinement. Our results suggest ways to design future topological materials, such as DNA-based gels involving recombinase proteins. DNA recombination is a ubiquitous process that ensures genetic diversity. Contrary to textbook pictures, DNA recombination, as well as generic DNA translocations, occurs in a confined and highly entangled environment. Inspired by this observation, here, we investigate a solution of semiflexible polymer rings undergoing generic cutting and reconnection operations under spherical confinement. Our setup may be realized using engineered DNA in the presence of recombinase proteins or by considering micelle-like components able to form living (or reversibly breakable) polymer rings. We find that in such systems, there is a topological gelation transition, which can be triggered by increasing either the stiffness or the concentration of the rings. Flexible or dilute polymers break into an ensemble of short, unlinked, and segregated rings, whereas sufficiently stiff or dense polymers self-assemble into a network of long, linked, and mixed loops, many of which are knotted. We predict that the two phases should behave qualitatively differently in elution experiments monitoring the escape dynamics from a permeabilized container. Besides shedding some light on the biophysics and topology of genomes undergoing DNA reconnection in vivo, our findings could be leveraged in vitro to design polymeric complex fluids—e.g., DNA-based complex fluids or living polymer networks—with desired topologies.
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Mazo M, Khudobin R, Balabaev N, Belov N, Ryzhikh V, Nikiforov R, Chatterjee R, Banerjee S. Structure and free volume of fluorine-containing polyetherimides with pendant di-tert-butyl groups investigated by molecular dynamics simulation. POLYMER 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2022.125318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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6
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Fall WS, Baschnagel J, Lhost O, Meyer H. Role of Short Chain Branching in Crystalline Model Polyethylenes. Macromolecules 2022. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.2c00938] [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)
- William S. Fall
- Institut Charles Sadron, Université de Strasbourg & CNRS, 23 rue du Loess, 67034 Strasbourg Cedex, France
| | - Jörg Baschnagel
- Institut Charles Sadron, Université de Strasbourg & CNRS, 23 rue du Loess, 67034 Strasbourg Cedex, France
| | - Olivier Lhost
- Total Research & Technology Feluy, Zone Industrielle Feluy C, B-7181 Seneffe, Belgium
| | - Hendrik Meyer
- Institut Charles Sadron, Université de Strasbourg & CNRS, 23 rue du Loess, 67034 Strasbourg Cedex, France
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7
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Nie C, Peng F, Cao R, Cui K, Sheng J, Chen W, Li L. Recent progress in flow‐induced polymer crystallization. JOURNAL OF POLYMER SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/pol.20220330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Cui Nie
- National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory, Anhui Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Advanced Functional Polymer Film, CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Chemistry University of Science and Technology of China Hefei China
| | - Fan Peng
- National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory, Anhui Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Advanced Functional Polymer Film, CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Chemistry University of Science and Technology of China Hefei China
| | - Renkuan Cao
- National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory, Anhui Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Advanced Functional Polymer Film, CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Chemistry University of Science and Technology of China Hefei China
| | - Kunpeng Cui
- Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Anhui Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Advanced Functional Polymer Film University of Science and Technology of China Hefei China
| | - Junfang Sheng
- National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory, Anhui Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Advanced Functional Polymer Film, CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Chemistry University of Science and Technology of China Hefei China
| | - Wei Chen
- National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory, Anhui Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Advanced Functional Polymer Film, CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Chemistry University of Science and Technology of China Hefei China
| | - Liangbin Li
- National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory, Anhui Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Advanced Functional Polymer Film, CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Chemistry University of Science and Technology of China Hefei China
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8
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Ricci E, Minelli M, De Angelis MG. Modelling Sorption and Transport of Gases in Polymeric Membranes across Different Scales: A Review. MEMBRANES 2022; 12:membranes12090857. [PMID: 36135877 PMCID: PMC9502097 DOI: 10.3390/membranes12090857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Professor Giulio C. Sarti has provided outstanding contributions to the modelling of fluid sorption and transport in polymeric materials, with a special eye on industrial applications such as membrane separation, due to his Chemical Engineering background. He was the co-creator of innovative theories such as the Non-Equilibrium Theory for Glassy Polymers (NET-GP), a flexible tool to estimate the solubility of pure and mixed fluids in a wide range of polymers, and of the Standard Transport Model (STM) for estimating membrane permeability and selectivity. In this review, inspired by his rigorous and original approach to representing membrane fundamentals, we provide an overview of the most significant and up-to-date modeling tools available to estimate the main properties governing polymeric membranes in fluid separation, namely solubility and diffusivity. The paper is not meant to be comprehensive, but it focuses on those contributions that are most relevant or that show the potential to be relevant in the future. We do not restrict our view to the field of macroscopic modelling, which was the main playground of professor Sarti, but also devote our attention to Molecular and Multiscale Hierarchical Modeling. This work proposes a critical evaluation of the different approaches considered, along with their limitations and potentiality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleonora Ricci
- Department of Civil, Chemical, Environmental and Materials Engineering (DICAM), Alma Mater Studiorum—University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Matteo Minelli
- Department of Civil, Chemical, Environmental and Materials Engineering (DICAM), Alma Mater Studiorum—University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Maria Grazia De Angelis
- Institute for Materials and Processes, School of Engineering, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FB, UK
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9
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Ramos PM, Herranz M, Martínez-Fernández D, Foteinopoulou K, Laso M, Karayiannis NC. Crystallization of Flexible Chains of Tangent Hard Spheres under Full Confinement. J Phys Chem B 2022; 126:5931-5947. [PMID: 35904560 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.2c03424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
We present results from extensive Monte Carlo simulations on the crystallization of athermal polymers under full confinement. Polymers are represented as freely jointed chains of tangent hard spheres of uniform size. Confinement is applied through the presence of flat, parallel, and impenetrable walls in all dimensions. We analyze crystallization as the summation of two contributions: one that occurs in the bulk volume of the system (bulk crystallization), and one on the wall surfaces (surface crystallization). Depending on volume fraction initially amorphous (disordered) hard-sphere chain packings transit to the stable crystal phase. The established ordered morphologies consist primarily of hexagonal close-packed (HCP) crystals in the bulk volume and of triangular (TRI) crystals on the surface. As in the case of athermal packings in the bulk (without confinement), a structural competition is observed between the 5-fold local symmetry and the formation of close-packed crystallites. Effectively, the full confinement inside a cube favors the growth of the HCP crystal, as the FCC one is quite incompatible with the imposed spatial constraints. Consequently, we observe the formation of noncompact ordered motifs which grow from the surface to the inner volume of the simulation cell. We further compare the 2D and 3D crystals formed by monomeric hard spheres under the same simulation conditions. Significant differences are observed at low densities that tend to diminish as concentration increases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Miguel Ramos
- Institute for Optoelectronic Systems and Microtechnology (ISOM) and Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Industriales (ETSII), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - Miguel Herranz
- Institute for Optoelectronic Systems and Microtechnology (ISOM) and Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Industriales (ETSII), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - Daniel Martínez-Fernández
- Institute for Optoelectronic Systems and Microtechnology (ISOM) and Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Industriales (ETSII), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - Katerina Foteinopoulou
- Institute for Optoelectronic Systems and Microtechnology (ISOM) and Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Industriales (ETSII), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - Manuel Laso
- Institute for Optoelectronic Systems and Microtechnology (ISOM) and Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Industriales (ETSII), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - Nikos Ch Karayiannis
- Institute for Optoelectronic Systems and Microtechnology (ISOM) and Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Industriales (ETSII), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain
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10
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Dietz JD, Hoy RS. Facile equilibration of well-entangled semiflexible bead-spring polymer melts. J Chem Phys 2022; 156:014103. [PMID: 34998323 DOI: 10.1063/5.0072386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The widely used double-bridging hybrid (DBH) method for equilibrating simulated entangled polymer melts [Auhl et al., J. Chem. Phys. 119, 12718-12728 (2003)] loses its effectiveness as chain stiffness increases into the semiflexible regime because the energy barriers associated with double-bridging Monte Carlo moves become prohibitively high. Here we overcome this issue by combining DBH with the use of core-softened pair potentials. This reduces the energy barriers substantially, allowing us to equilibrate melts with N ≃ 40Ne and chain stiffnesses all the way up to the isotropic-nematic transition using simulations of no more than 100 × 106 time steps. For semiflexible chains, our method is several times faster than the standard DBH; we exploit this speedup to develop improved expressions for Kremer-Grest melts' chain-stiffness-dependent Kuhn length ℓK and entanglement length Ne.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph D Dietz
- Department of Physics, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33620, USA
| | - Robert S Hoy
- Department of Physics, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33620, USA
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11
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Kruteva M, Zamponi M, Hoffmann I, Allgaier J, Monkenbusch M, Richter D. Non-Gaussian and Cooperative Dynamics of Entanglement Strands in Polymer Melts. Macromolecules 2021. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.1c01859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Margarita Kruteva
- Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich Centre for Neutron Science (JCNS-1: Neutron Scattering and Biological Matter), 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Michaela Zamponi
- Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich Centre for Neutron Science at MLZ, Lichtenbergstraße 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Ingo Hoffmann
- Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL), B.P. 156, F-38042 Grenoble Cedex 9, France
| | - Jürgen Allgaier
- Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich Centre for Neutron Science (JCNS-1: Neutron Scattering and Biological Matter), 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Michael Monkenbusch
- Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich Centre for Neutron Science (JCNS-1: Neutron Scattering and Biological Matter), 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Dieter Richter
- Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich Centre for Neutron Science (JCNS-1: Neutron Scattering and Biological Matter), 52425 Jülich, Germany
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12
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Simu-D: A Simulator-Descriptor Suite for Polymer-Based Systems under Extreme Conditions. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222212464. [PMID: 34830346 PMCID: PMC8621175 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222212464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Revised: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
We present Simu-D, a software suite for the simulation and successive identification of local structures of atomistic systems, based on polymers, under extreme conditions, in the bulk, on surfaces, and at interfaces. The protocol is built around various types of Monte Carlo algorithms, which include localized, chain-connectivity-altering, identity-exchange, and cluster-based moves. The approach focuses on alleviating one of the main disadvantages of Monte Carlo algorithms, which is the general applicability under a wide range of conditions. Present applications include polymer-based nanocomposites with nanofillers in the form of cylinders and spheres of varied concentration and size, extremely confined and maximally packed assemblies in two and three dimensions, and terminally grafted macromolecules. The main simulator is accompanied by a descriptor that identifies the similarity of computer-generated configurations with respect to reference crystals in two or three dimensions. The Simu-D simulator-descriptor can be an especially useful tool in the modeling studies of the entropy- and energy-driven phase transition, adsorption, and self-organization of polymer-based systems under a variety of conditions.
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13
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Ricci E, Vergadou N, Vogiatzis GG, De Angelis MG, Theodorou DN. Molecular Simulations and Mechanistic Analysis of the Effect of CO 2 Sorption on Thermodynamics, Structure, and Local Dynamics of Molten Atactic Polystyrene. Macromolecules 2020; 53:3669-3689. [PMID: 33828339 PMCID: PMC8016389 DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.0c00323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2020] [Revised: 04/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
A simulation strategy encompassing different scales was applied to the systematic study of the effects of CO2 uptake on the properties of atactic polystyrene (aPS) melts. The analysis accounted for the influence of temperature between 450 and 550 K, polymer molecular weights (M w) between 2100 and 31000 g/mol, and CO2 pressures up to 20 MPa on the volumetric, swelling, structural, and dynamic properties of the polymer as well as on the CO2 solubility and diffusivity by performing molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of the system in a fully atomistic representation. A hierarchical scheme was used for the generation of the higher M w polymer systems, which consisted of equilibration at a coarse-grained level of representation through efficient connectivity-altering Monte Carlo simulations, and reverse-mapping back to the atomistic representation, obtaining the configurations used for subsequent MD simulations. Sorption isotherms and associated swelling effects were determined by using an iterative procedure that incorporated a series of MD simulations in the NPT ensemble and the Widom test particle insertion method, while CO2 diffusion coefficients were extracted from long MD runs in the NVE ensemble. Solubility and diffusivity compared favorably with experimental results and with predictions of the Sanchez-Lacombe equation of state, which was reparametrized to capture the M w dependence of polymer properties with greater accuracy. Structural features of the polymer matrix were correctly reproduced by the simulations, and the effects of gas concentration and M w on structure and local dynamics were thoroughly investigated. In the presence of CO2, a significant acceleration of the segmental dynamics of the polymer occurred, more pronouncedly at low M w. The speed-up effect caused by the swelling agent was not limited to the chain ends but affected the whole chain in a similar fashion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleonora Ricci
- Department of Civil, Chemical, Environmental and Materials Engineering, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Niki Vergadou
- Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, National Center for Scientific Research "Demokritos", Athens, Greece
| | - Georgios G Vogiatzis
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Maria Grazia De Angelis
- Department of Civil, Chemical, Environmental and Materials Engineering, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Doros N Theodorou
- School of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, Athens, Greece
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14
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Herranz M, Santiago M, Foteinopoulou K, Karayiannis NC, Laso M. Crystal, Fivefold and Glass Formation in Clusters of Polymers Interacting with the Square Well Potential. Polymers (Basel) 2020; 12:polym12051111. [PMID: 32414038 PMCID: PMC7285265 DOI: 10.3390/polym12051111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2020] [Revised: 04/25/2020] [Accepted: 05/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
We present results, from Monte Carlo (MC) simulations, on polymer systems of freely jointed chains with spherical monomers interacting through the square well potential. Starting from athermal packings of chains of tangent hard spheres, we activate the square well potential under constant volume and temperature corresponding effectively to instantaneous quenching. We investigate how the intensity and range of pair-wise interactions affected the final morphologies by fixing polymer characteristics such as average chain length and tolerance in bond gaps. Due to attraction chains are brought closer together and they form clusters with distinct morphologies. A wide variety of structures is obtained as the model parameters are systematically varied: weak interactions lead to purely amorphous clusters followed by well-ordered ones. The latter include the whole spectrum of crystal morphologies: from virtually perfect hexagonal close packed (HCP) and face centered cubic (FCC) crystals, to random hexagonal close packed layers of single stacking direction of alternating HCP and FCC layers, to structures of mixed HCP/FCC character with multiple stacking directions and defects in the form of twins. Once critical values of interaction are met, fivefold-rich glassy clusters are formed. We discuss the similarities and differences between energy-driven crystal nucleation in thermal polymer systems as opposed to entropy-driven phase transition in athermal polymer packings. We further calculate the local density of each site, its dependence on the distance from the center of the cluster and its correlation with the crystallographic characteristics of the local environment. The short- and long-range conformations of chains are analyzed as a function of the established cluster morphologies.
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15
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Parreño O, Ramos PM, Karayiannis NC, Laso M. Self-Avoiding Random Walks as a Model to Study Athermal Linear Polymers under Extreme Plate Confinement. Polymers (Basel) 2020; 12:E799. [PMID: 32260075 PMCID: PMC7240602 DOI: 10.3390/polym12040799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2020] [Revised: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Monte Carlo (MC) simulations, built around chain-connectivity-altering moves and a wall-displacement algorithm, allow us to simulate freely-jointed chains of tangent hard spheres of uniform size under extreme confinement. The latter is realized through the presence of two impenetrable, flat, and parallel plates. Extreme conditions correspond to the case where the distance between the plates approaches the monomer size. An analysis of the local structure, based on the characteristic crystallographic element (CCE) norm, detects crystal nucleation and growth at packing densities well below the ones observed in bulk analogs. In a second step, we map the confined polymer chains into self-avoiding random walks (SAWs) on restricted lattices. We study all realizations of the cubic crystal system: simple, body centered, and face centered cubic crystals. For a given chain size (SAW length), lattice type, origin of SAW, and level of confinement, we enumerate all possible SAWs (equivalently all chain conformations) and calculate the size distribution. Results for intermediate SAW lengths are used to predict the behavior of long, fully entangled chains through growth formulas. The SAW analysis will allow us to determine the corresponding configurational entropy, as it is the driving force for the observed phase transition and the determining factor for the thermodynamic stability of the corresponding crystal morphologies.
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Key Words
- confinement, crystallization, entropy, hard sphere, polymer, random walk, Monte Carlo, phase transition, lattice model, cubic crystal system, direct enumeration
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Nikos Ch. Karayiannis
- Institute for Optoelectronic Systems and Microtechnology (ISOM) and Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Industriales (ETSII), Universidad Politecnica de Madrid (UPM), José Gutierrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain; (O.P.); (P.M.R.); (M.L.)
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16
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Svaneborg C, Everaers R. Characteristic Time and Length Scales in Melts of Kremer–Grest Bead–Spring Polymers with Wormlike Bending Stiffness. Macromolecules 2020. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.9b02437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Carsten Svaneborg
- University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, DK-5230 Odense M, Denmark
| | - Ralf Everaers
- Université de Lyon, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, CNRS, Laboratoire de Physique and Centre Blaise Pascal de l’ENS de Lyon, F-69342 Lyon, France
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17
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Vergadou N, Theodorou DN. Molecular Modeling Investigations of Sorption and Diffusion of Small Molecules in Glassy Polymers. MEMBRANES 2019; 9:E98. [PMID: 31398889 PMCID: PMC6723301 DOI: 10.3390/membranes9080098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2019] [Revised: 07/22/2019] [Accepted: 07/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
With a wide range of applications, from energy and environmental engineering, such as in gas separations and water purification, to biomedical engineering and packaging, glassy polymeric materials remain in the core of novel membrane and state-of the art barrier technologies. This review focuses on molecular simulation methodologies implemented for the study of sorption and diffusion of small molecules in dense glassy polymeric systems. Basic concepts are introduced and systematic methods for the generation of realistic polymer configurations are briefly presented. Challenges related to the long length and time scale phenomena that govern the permeation process in the glassy polymer matrix are described and molecular simulation approaches developed to address the multiscale problem at hand are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niki Vergadou
- Molecular Thermodynamics and Modelling of Materials Laboratory, Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, National Center for Scientific Research Demokritos, Aghia Paraskevi Attikis, GR-15310 Athens, Greece.
| | - Doros N Theodorou
- School of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, GR 15780 Athens, Greece
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18
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Hall KW, Sirk TW, Klein ML, Shinoda W. A coarse-grain model for entangled polyethylene melts and polyethylene crystallization. J Chem Phys 2019; 150:244901. [PMID: 31255065 DOI: 10.1063/1.5092229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The Shinoda-DeVane-Klein (SDK) model is herein demonstrated to be a viable coarse-grain model for performing molecular simulations of polyethylene (PE), affording new opportunities to advance molecular-level, scientific understanding of PE materials and processes. Both structural and dynamical properties of entangled PE melts are captured by the SDK model, which also recovers important aspects of PE crystallization phenomenology. Importantly, the SDK model can be used to represent a variety of materials beyond PE and has a simple functional form, making it unique among coarse-grain PE models. This study expands the suite of tools for studying PE in silico and paves the way for future work probing PE and PE-based composites at the molecular level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle Wm Hall
- Department of Materials Chemistry, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8603, Japan
| | - Timothy W Sirk
- U.S. Army Research Laboratory, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland 21005, USA
| | - Michael L Klein
- Department of Chemistry, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19122, USA
| | - Wataru Shinoda
- Department of Materials Chemistry, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8603, Japan
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19
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Alexiadis O, Cheimarios N, Peristeras LD, Bick A, Mavrantzas VG, Theodorou DN, Hill J, Krokidis X. Chameleon: A generalized, connectivity altering software for tackling properties of realistic polymer systems. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-COMPUTATIONAL MOLECULAR SCIENCE 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/wcms.1414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Loukas D. Peristeras
- Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Molecular Thermodynamics and Modelling of Materials Laboratory, National Center for Scientific Research “Demokritos” Aghia Paraskevi Greece
| | | | - Vlasis G. Mavrantzas
- Department of Chemical Engineering University of Patras and FORTH/ICE‐HT Patras Greece
| | - Doros N. Theodorou
- School of Chemical Engineering National Technical University of Athens Athens Greece
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20
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Li Y, Agrawal V, Oswald J. Systematic coarse‐graining of semicrystalline polyethylene. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/polb.24789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yiyang Li
- School for the Engineering of Matter Transport and Energy Arizona State University P.O. Box 876106, Tempe Arizona, 85287‐6106
| | - Vipin Agrawal
- School for the Engineering of Matter Transport and Energy Arizona State University P.O. Box 876106, Tempe Arizona, 85287‐6106
| | - Jay Oswald
- School for the Engineering of Matter Transport and Energy Arizona State University P.O. Box 876106, Tempe Arizona, 85287‐6106
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21
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Tsourtou FD, Peroukidis SD, Peristeras LD, Mavrantzas VG. Monte Carlo Algorithm Based on Internal Bridging Moves for the Atomistic Simulation of Thiophene Oligomers and Polymers. Macromolecules 2018. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.8b01344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Flora D. Tsourtou
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Patras and FORTH-ICE/HT, GR-26504 Patras, Greece
| | - Stavros D. Peroukidis
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Patras and FORTH-ICE/HT, GR-26504 Patras, Greece
- School of Science/Technology, Natural Sciences, Hellenic Open University, GR-26335 Patras, Greece
| | - Loukas D. Peristeras
- Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Molecular Thermodynamics and Modelling of Materials Laboratory, National Center for Scientific Research “Demokritos”, GR-15310 Agia Paraskevi Attikis, Greece
| | - Vlasis G. Mavrantzas
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Patras and FORTH-ICE/HT, GR-26504 Patras, Greece
- Particle Technology Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering, ETH Zürich, CH-8092 Zürich, Switzerland
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22
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Tassieri M, Ramírez J, Karayiannis NC, Sukumaran SK, Masubuchi Y. i-Rheo GT: Transforming from Time to Frequency Domain without Artifacts. Macromolecules 2018. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.8b00447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Manlio Tassieri
- Division of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8LT, U.K
| | | | - Nikos Ch. Karayiannis
- Institute for Optoelectronics and Microsystems (ISOM), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - Sathish K. Sukumaran
- Graduate School of Organic Materials Science, Yamagata University, Yonezawa 992-8510, Japan
| | - Yuichi Masubuchi
- Department of Materials Physics, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8603, Japan
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23
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Ramos J, Vega J, Martínez-Salazar J. Predicting experimental results for polyethylene by computer simulation. Eur Polym J 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2017.12.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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24
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Tzounis PN, Anogiannakis SD, Theodorou DN. General Methodology for Estimating the Stiffness of Polymer Chains from Their Chemical Constitution: A Single Unperturbed Chain Monte Carlo Algorithm. Macromolecules 2017. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.7b00645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Stefanos D. Anogiannakis
- School of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, GR 15780 Athens, Greece
| | - Doros N. Theodorou
- School of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, GR 15780 Athens, Greece
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25
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Vogiatzis GG, Theodorou DN. Multiscale Molecular Simulations of Polymer-Matrix Nanocomposites: or What Molecular Simulations Have Taught us About the Fascinating Nanoworld. ARCHIVES OF COMPUTATIONAL METHODS IN ENGINEERING : STATE OF THE ART REVIEWS 2017; 25:591-645. [PMID: 29962833 PMCID: PMC6003436 DOI: 10.1007/s11831-016-9207-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2016] [Accepted: 12/20/2016] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Following the substantial progress in molecular simulations of polymer-matrix nanocomposites, now is the time to reconsider this topic from a critical point of view. A comprehensive survey is reported herein providing an overview of classical molecular simulations, reviewing their major achievements in modeling polymer matrix nanocomposites, and identifying several open challenges. Molecular simulations at multiple length and time scales, working hand-in-hand with sensitive experiments, have enhanced our understanding of how nanofillers alter the structure, dynamics, thermodynamics, rheology and mechanical properties of the surrounding polymer matrices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgios G. Vogiatzis
- School of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 9 Heroon Polytechniou Street, Zografou Campus, 15780 Athens, Greece
- Present Address: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, PO Box 513, 5600MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Doros N. Theodorou
- School of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 9 Heroon Polytechniou Street, Zografou Campus, 15780 Athens, Greece
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26
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Krajniak J, Pandiyan S, Nies E, Samaey G. Generic Adaptive Resolution Method for Reverse Mapping of Polymers from Coarse-Grained to Atomistic Descriptions. J Chem Theory Comput 2016; 12:5549-5562. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.6b00595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jakub Krajniak
- Department
of Computer Science, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200A, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sudharsan Pandiyan
- Division
of Polymer Chemistry and Materials, Department of Chemistry, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200F, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Eric Nies
- Division
of Polymer Chemistry and Materials, Department of Chemistry, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200F, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Giovanni Samaey
- Department
of Computer Science, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200A, 3001 Leuven, Belgium
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27
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Mathioudakis IG, Vogiatzis GG, Tzoumanekas C, Theodorou DN. Multiscale simulations of PS-SiO2 nanocomposites: from melt to glassy state. SOFT MATTER 2016; 12:7585-7605. [PMID: 27532769 DOI: 10.1039/c6sm01536k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The interaction energetics, molecular packing, entanglement network properties, segmental dynamics, and elastic constants of atactic polystyrene-amorphous silica nanocomposites in the molten and the glassy state are studied via molecular simulations using two interconnected levels of representation: (a) a coarse-grained one, wherein each polystyrene repeat unit is mapped onto a single "superatom" and the silica nanoparticle is viewed as a solid sphere. Equilibration at all length scales at this level is achieved via connectivity-altering Monte Carlo simulations. (b) A united-atom (UA) level, wherein the polymer chains are represented in terms of a united-atom forcefield and the silica nanoparticle is represented in terms of a simplified, fully atomistic model. Initial configurations for UA molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are obtained by reverse mapping well-equilibrated coarse-grained configurations. By analysing microcanonical UA MD trajectories, the polymer density profile is studied and the polymer is found to exhibit layering in the vicinity of the nanoparticle surface. An estimate of the enthalpy of mixing between polymer and nanoparticles, derived from the UA simulations, compares favourably against available experimental values. The dynamical behaviour of polystyrene (in neat and filled melt systems) is characterized in terms of bond orientation and dihedral angle time autocorrelation functions. At low concentration in the molten polymer matrix, silica nanoparticles are found to cause a slight deceleration of the segmental dynamics close to their surface compared to the bulk polymer. Well-equilibrated coarse-grained long-chain configurations are reduced to entanglement networks via topological analysis with the CReTA algorithm, yielding a slightly lower density of entanglements in the filled than in the neat systems. UA melt configurations are glassified by MD cooling. The elastic moduli of the resulting glassy nanocomposites are computed through an analysis of strain fluctuations in the undeformed state and through explicit mechanical deformation by MD, showing a stiffening of the polymer in the presence of nanoparticles. UA simulation results for the elastic constants are compared to continuum micromechanical calculations invoked in homogenization models of the overall mechanical behaviour of heterogeneous materials. They can be interpreted in terms of the presence of an "interphase" of approximate thickness 2 nm around the nanoparticles, with elastic constants intermediate between those of the filler and the matrix.
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Affiliation(s)
- I G Mathioudakis
- School of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 9 Heroon Polytechniou Street, Zografou Campus, GR-15780 Athens, Greece.
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28
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Hagita K, Morita H, Takano H. Molecular dynamics simulation study of a fracture of filler-filled polymer nanocomposites. POLYMER 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2016.07.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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29
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Svaneborg C, Karimi-Varzaneh HA, Hojdis N, Fleck F, Everaers R. Multiscale approach to equilibrating model polymer melts. Phys Rev E 2016; 94:032502. [PMID: 27739755 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.94.032502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
We present an effective and simple multiscale method for equilibrating Kremer Grest model polymer melts of varying stiffness. In our approach, we progressively equilibrate the melt structure above the tube scale, inside the tube and finally at the monomeric scale. We make use of models designed to be computationally effective at each scale. Density fluctuations in the melt structure above the tube scale are minimized through a Monte Carlo simulated annealing of a lattice polymer model. Subsequently the melt structure below the tube scale is equilibrated via the Rouse dynamics of a force-capped Kremer-Grest model that allows chains to partially interpenetrate. Finally the Kremer-Grest force field is introduced to freeze the topological state and enforce correct monomer packing. We generate 15 melts of 500 chains of 10.000 beads for varying chain stiffness as well as a number of melts with 1.000 chains of 15.000 monomers. To validate the equilibration process we study the time evolution of bulk, collective, and single-chain observables at the monomeric, mesoscopic, and macroscopic length scales. Extension of the present method to longer, branched, or polydisperse chains, and/or larger system sizes is straightforward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carsten Svaneborg
- University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, DK-5230 Odense M, Denmark
| | | | - Nils Hojdis
- Continental, PO Box 169, D-30001 Hannover, Germany
| | - Frank Fleck
- Continental, PO Box 169, D-30001 Hannover, Germany
| | - Ralf Everaers
- Univ Lyon, ENS de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard, CNRS, Laboratoire de Physique and Centre Blaise Pascal, F-69342 Lyon, France
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30
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Sliozberg YR, Kröger M, Chantawansri TL. Fast equilibration protocol for million atom systems of highly entangled linear polyethylene chains. J Chem Phys 2016; 144:154901. [DOI: 10.1063/1.4946802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Yelena R. Sliozberg
- U.S. Army Research Laboratory, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland 21005, USA
- TKC Global, Inc., Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland 21005, USA
| | - Martin Kröger
- Polymer Physics, Department of Materials, ETH Zürich, Leopold-Ruzicka-Weg 4, CH-8093 Zürich, Switzerland
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31
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Jeong SH, Kim JM, Yoon J, Tzoumanekas C, Kröger M, Baig C. Influence of molecular architecture on the entanglement network: topological analysis of linear, long- and short-chain branched polyethylene melts via Monte Carlo simulations. SOFT MATTER 2016; 12:3770-3786. [PMID: 26997526 DOI: 10.1039/c5sm03016a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
We present detailed results on the effect of chain branching on the topological properties of entangled polymer melts via an advanced connectivity-altering Monte Carlo (MC) algorithm. Eleven representative model linear, short-chain branched (SCB), and long-chain branched (LCB) polyethylene (PE) melts were employed, based on the total chain length and/or the longest linear chain dimension. Directly analyzing the entanglement [or the primitive path (PP)] network of the system via the Z-code, we quantified several important topological measures: (a) the PP contour length Lpp, (b) the number of entanglements Zes per chain, (c) the end-to-end length of an entanglement strand des, (d) the number of carbon atoms per entanglement strand Nes, and (e) the probability distribution for each of these quantities. The results show that the SCB polymer melts have significantly more compact overall chain conformations compared to the linear polymers, exhibiting, relative to the corresponding linear analogues, (a) ∼20% smaller values of 〈Lpp〉 (the statistical average of Lpp), (b) ∼30% smaller values of 〈Zes〉, (c) ∼20% larger values of 〈des〉, and (d) ∼50% larger values of 〈Nes〉. In contrast, despite the intrinsically smaller overall chain dimensions than those of the linear analogues, the LCB (H-shaped and A3AA3 multiarm) PE melts exhibit relatively (a) 7-8% larger values of 〈Lpp〉, (b) 6-11% larger values of 〈Zes〉 for the H-shaped melt and ∼2% smaller values of 〈Zes〉 for the A3AA3 multiarm, (c) 2-5% smaller values of 〈des〉, and (d) 7-11% smaller values of 〈Nes〉. Several interesting features were also found in the results of the probability distribution functions P for each topological measure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seung Heum Jeong
- Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan 689-798, South Korea.
| | - Jun Mo Kim
- Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan 689-798, South Korea.
| | - Jeongha Yoon
- Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan 689-798, South Korea.
| | - Christos Tzoumanekas
- National Technical University of Athens, School of Chemical Engineering, Zografou Campus, Athens, GR 15780, Greece and Dutch Polymer Institute (DPI), P.O. Box 902, 5600 AX Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Martin Kröger
- Polymer Physics, ETH Zurich, Department of Materials, Leopold-Ruzicka-Weg 4, CH-8093, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Chunggi Baig
- Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan 689-798, South Korea.
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32
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Ramos J, Vega JF, Martínez-Salazar J. Molecular Dynamics Simulations for the Description of Experimental Molecular Conformation, Melt Dynamics, and Phase Transitions in Polyethylene. Macromolecules 2015. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.5b00823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Javier Ramos
- Biophym, Departamento de
Física Macromolecular, Instituto de Estructura de la Materia, IEM-CSIC, C/Serrano 113 bis, 28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan F. Vega
- Biophym, Departamento de
Física Macromolecular, Instituto de Estructura de la Materia, IEM-CSIC, C/Serrano 113 bis, 28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier Martínez-Salazar
- Biophym, Departamento de
Física Macromolecular, Instituto de Estructura de la Materia, IEM-CSIC, C/Serrano 113 bis, 28006 Madrid, Spain
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33
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Foteinopoulou K, Karayiannis NC, Laso M. Monte Carlo simulations of densely-packed athermal polymers in the bulk and under confinement. Chem Eng Sci 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ces.2014.08.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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34
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Lachet V, Teuler JM, Rousseau B. Classical force field for hydrofluorocarbon molecular simulations. Application to the study of gas solubility in poly(vinylidene fluoride). J Phys Chem A 2014; 119:140-51. [PMID: 25479370 DOI: 10.1021/jp506895p] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
A classical all-atoms force field for molecular simulations of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) has been developed. Lennard-Jones force centers plus point charges are used to represent dispersion-repulsion and electrostatic interactions. Parametrization of this force field has been performed iteratively using three target properties of pentafluorobutane: the quantum energy of an isolated molecule, the dielectric constant in the liquid phase, and the compressed liquid density. The accuracy and transferability of this new force field has been demonstrated through the simulation of different thermophysical properties of several fluorinated compounds, showing significant improvements compared to existing models. This new force field has been applied to study solubilities of several gases in poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) above the melting temperature of this polymer. The solubility of CH4, CO2, H2S, H2, N2, O2, and H2O at infinite dilution has been computed using test particle insertions in the course of a NpT hybrid Monte Carlo simulation. For CH4, CO2, and their mixtures, some calculations beyond the Henry regime have also been performed using hybrid Monte Carlo simulations in the osmotic ensemble, allowing both swelling and solubility determination. An ideal mixing behavior is observed, with identical solubility coefficients in the mixtures and in pure gas systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- V Lachet
- IFP Energies nouvelles, 1-4 Avenue de Bois-Préau, 92852 Rueil-Malmaison, France
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35
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Ngai KL, Plazek DJ. Thermo-Rheological, Piezo-Rheological, and TVγ-Rheological Complexities of Viscoelastic Mechanisms in Polymers. Macromolecules 2014. [DOI: 10.1021/ma501843u] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- K. L. Ngai
- Dipartimento
di Fisica, Università di Pisa, Largo B. Pontecorvo 3, I-56127, Pisa, Italy
- CNR-IPCF, Largo B. Pontecorvo 3, I-56127, Pisa, Italy
| | - D. J. Plazek
- Department of Mechanical
Engineering and Material Science, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261United States
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36
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Theodorou DN, Vogiatzis GG, Kritikos G. Self-Consistent-Field Study of Adsorption and Desorption Kinetics of Polyethylene Melts on Graphite and Comparison with Atomistic Simulations. Macromolecules 2014. [DOI: 10.1021/ma501454t] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Doros N. Theodorou
- School of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 9 Heroon Polytechniou Street, Zografou
Campus, GR-15780 Athens, Greece
| | - Georgios G. Vogiatzis
- School of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 9 Heroon Polytechniou Street, Zografou
Campus, GR-15780 Athens, Greece
| | - Georgios Kritikos
- School of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 9 Heroon Polytechniou Street, Zografou
Campus, GR-15780 Athens, Greece
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37
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Guenza MG. Localization of chain dynamics in entangled polymer melts. PHYSICAL REVIEW. E, STATISTICAL, NONLINEAR, AND SOFT MATTER PHYSICS 2014; 89:052603. [PMID: 25353822 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.89.052603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The dynamics of polymer melts in both the unentangled and entangled regimes is described by a Langevin equation for the correlated motion of a group of chains, interacting through both intra- and inter-molecular potentials. Entanglements are represented by an intermolecular monomer-monomer confining potential that has no effect on short chains, while interpolymer interactions, responsible for correlated motion and subdiffusive center-of-mass dynamics, are represented by an intermolecular center-of-mass potential derived from the Ornstein-Zernike equation. This potential ensures that the liquid of phantom chains reproduces the compressibility and free energy of the real samples. For polyethylene melts the calculated dynamic structure factor is found to be in quantitative agreement with neutron spin echo experiments of polyethylene melts with chain lengths that span both the unentangled and the entangled regimes. The theory shows a progressive localization of the cooperative chain dynamics at the crossover from the unentangled to the entangled regime, in the spirit of the reptation model.
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Affiliation(s)
- M G Guenza
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and Institute of Theoretical Science, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon 97403, USA
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38
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Zhang G, Moreira LA, Stuehn T, Daoulas KC, Kremer K. Equilibration of High Molecular Weight Polymer Melts: A Hierarchical Strategy. ACS Macro Lett 2014; 3:198-203. [PMID: 35590505 DOI: 10.1021/mz5000015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
A strategy is developed for generating equilibrated high molecular weight polymer melts described with microscopic detail by sequentially backmapping coarse-grained (CG) configurations. The microscopic test model is generic but retains features like hard excluded volume interactions and realistic melt densities. The microscopic representation is mapped onto a model of soft spheres with fluctuating size, where each sphere represents a microscopic subchain with Nb monomers. By varying Nb, a hierarchy of CG representations at different resolutions is obtained. Within this hierarchy, CG configurations equilibrated with Monte Carlo at low resolution are sequentially fine-grained into CG melts described with higher resolution. A Molecular Dynamics scheme is employed to slowly introduce the microscopic details into the latter. All backmapping steps involve only local polymer relaxation; thus, the computational efficiency of the scheme is independent of molecular weight, being just proportional to system size. To demonstrate the robustness of the approach, microscopic configurations containing up to n = 1000 chains with polymerization degrees N = 2000 are generated and equilibration is confirmed by monitoring key structural and conformational properties. The extension to much longer chains or branched polymers is straightforward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guojie Zhang
- Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Livia A. Moreira
- Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Torsten Stuehn
- Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Kostas Ch. Daoulas
- Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128 Mainz, Germany
- Innovation
Lab
GmbH, Speyerer Strasse 4, 69115 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Kurt Kremer
- Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128 Mainz, Germany
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39
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Posel Z, Rousseau B, Lísal M. Scaling behaviour of different polymer models in dissipative particle dynamics of unentangled melts. MOLECULAR SIMULATION 2014. [DOI: 10.1080/08927022.2013.869803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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40
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Vogiatzis GG, Theodorou DN. Local Segmental Dynamics and Stresses in Polystyrene–C60 Mixtures. Macromolecules 2013. [DOI: 10.1021/ma402214r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Georgios G. Vogiatzis
- School of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 9 Heroon Polytechniou Street, Zografou
Campus, GR-15780 Athens, Greece
| | - Doros N. Theodorou
- School of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 9 Heroon Polytechniou Street, Zografou
Campus, GR-15780 Athens, Greece
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41
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Morozinis AK, Tzoumanekas C, Anogiannakis SD, Theodorou DN. Atomistic simulations of cavitation in a model polyethylene network. POLYMER SCIENCE SERIES C 2013. [DOI: 10.1134/s1811238213050020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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42
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Fröhlich MG, Sewell TD. Pivot Algorithm and Push-off Method for Efficient System Generation of All-Atom Polymer Melts: Application to Hydroxyl-Terminated Polybutadiene. MACROMOL THEOR SIMUL 2013. [DOI: 10.1002/mats.201300103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Markus G. Fröhlich
- Department of Chemistry; University of Missouri-Columbia; Columbia MO 65211-7600 USA
| | - Thomas D. Sewell
- Department of Chemistry; University of Missouri-Columbia; Columbia MO 65211-7600 USA
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43
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Factors influencing properties of interfacial regions in semicrystalline polyethylene: A molecular dynamics simulation study. POLYMER 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2013.04.067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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Karayiannis NC, Foteinopoulou K, Laso M. Spontaneous crystallization in athermal polymer packings. Int J Mol Sci 2012; 14:332-58. [PMID: 23263666 PMCID: PMC3565267 DOI: 10.3390/ijms14010332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2012] [Accepted: 12/14/2012] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
We review recent results from extensive simulations of the crystallization of athermal polymer packings. It is shown that above a certain packing density, and for sufficiently long simulations, all random assemblies of freely-jointed chains of tangent hard spheres of uniform size show a spontaneous transition into a crystalline phase. These polymer crystals adopt predominantly random hexagonal close packed morphologies. An analysis of the local environment around monomers based on the shape and size of the Voronoi polyhedra clearly shows that Voronoi cells become more spherical and more symmetric as the system transits to the ordered state. The change in the local environment leads to an increase in the monomer translational contribution to the entropy of the system, which acts as the driving force for the phase transition. A comparison of the crystallization of hard-sphere polymers and monomers highlights similarities and differences resulting from the constraints imposed by chain connectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikos Ch. Karayiannis
- Institute of Optoelectronics and Microsystems (ISOM) and ETSII, Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM), José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain; E-Mails: (N.Ch.K.); (K.F.)
| | - Katerina Foteinopoulou
- Institute of Optoelectronics and Microsystems (ISOM) and ETSII, Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM), José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain; E-Mails: (N.Ch.K.); (K.F.)
| | - Manuel Laso
- Institute of Optoelectronics and Microsystems (ISOM) and ETSII, Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM), José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain; E-Mails: (N.Ch.K.); (K.F.)
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45
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Anogiannakis SD, Tzoumanekas C, Theodorou DN. Microscopic Description of Entanglements in Polyethylene Networks and Melts: Strong, Weak, Pairwise, and Collective Attributes. Macromolecules 2012. [DOI: 10.1021/ma300912z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Stefanos D. Anogiannakis
- School of Chemical Engineering, Zografou Campus, National Technical University of Athens, GR-15780 Athens,
Greece
| | - Christos Tzoumanekas
- School of Chemical Engineering, Zografou Campus, National Technical University of Athens, GR-15780 Athens,
Greece
- Dutch Polymer Institute (DPI), P.O. Box 902, 5600 AX Eindhoven,
The Netherlands
| | - Doros N. Theodorou
- School of Chemical Engineering, Zografou Campus, National Technical University of Athens, GR-15780 Athens,
Greece
- Dutch Polymer Institute (DPI), P.O. Box 902, 5600 AX Eindhoven,
The Netherlands
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46
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Sumpter BG, Meunier V. Can computational approaches aid in untangling the inherent complexity of practical organic photovoltaic systems? ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2012. [DOI: 10.1002/polb.23075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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47
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Memari P, Lachet V, Klopffer MH, Flaconnèche B, Rousseau B. Gas mixture solubilities in polyethylene below its melting temperature: Experimental and molecular simulation studies. J Memb Sci 2012. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2011.11.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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48
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Toepperwein GN, Karayiannis NC, Riggleman RA, Kröger M, de Pablo JJ. Influence of Nanorod Inclusions on Structure and Primitive Path Network of Polymer Nanocomposites at Equilibrium and Under Deformation. Macromolecules 2011. [DOI: 10.1021/ma102741r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Gregory N. Toepperwein
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706-1691, United States
| | - Nikos Ch. Karayiannis
- Institute for Optoelectronics and Microsystems (ISOM) and ETSII, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), 28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - Robert A. Riggleman
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Martin Kröger
- Department of Materials, Polymer Physics, ETH Zurich, CH-8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Juan J. de Pablo
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706-1691, United States
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49
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Coarse-Grained Modeling for Macromolecular Chemistry. MULTISCALE MOLECULAR METHODS IN APPLIED CHEMISTRY 2011; 307:295-321. [DOI: 10.1007/128_2010_122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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50
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Subramanian G. An Iterative Method for Producing Equilibrated Symmetric Three-Arm Star Polymer Melts in Molecular Dynamics. MACROMOL THEOR SIMUL 2010. [DOI: 10.1002/mats.201000062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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