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Hao QH, Cheng J, Yang F, Tan HG. Self-assembled morphologies of polyelectrolyte-grafted nanoparticles directed by oppositely charged polymer matrices. RSC Adv 2022; 12:19726-19735. [PMID: 35865210 PMCID: PMC9260519 DOI: 10.1039/d2ra00867j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Self-assembled structure of polymer grafted nanoparticles is an interesting and growing subject in the field of hybrid electronics and high energy density materials. In light of this, the self-assembled morphologies of polyelectrolyte (PE) sparsely grafted nanoparticles tuned by oppositely charged matrix chains are studied using molecular dynamics simulations. Our focus is to elucidate the effect of matrix chain polymerization on modulating the stretching properties of tethered PE layers, on the self-assembled structuring of nanoparticles. Through varying the matrix chain length and stiffness as well as electrostatic interaction strength, rich phase behaviors of PE coated nanoparticles are predicted, including spherical micelle-like structures being preferred with short matrix chains and percolating network morphologies favored with long matrix chains, which is more pronounced with an enhanced matrix chain rigidness. To pinpoint the mechanisms of self-assembled structure formation, the thickness of grafted layers, the gyration radius of tethered chains, and pair correlation functions between nanoparticles are analyzed carefully. Additionally, electrostatic correlations, manifested as the bridging via matrix chains, are examined by identifying three states of matrix PE chains. Our simulation results may be useful for designing smart polymer nanocomposites based on PE coated nanoparticles. Self-assembled structure of polymer grafted nanoparticles is an interesting and growing subject in the field of hybrid electronics and high energy density materials.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing-Hai Hao
- College of Science, Civil Aviation University of China Tianjin 300300 China
| | - Jie Cheng
- College of Science, Civil Aviation University of China Tianjin 300300 China
| | - Fan Yang
- College of Science, Civil Aviation University of China Tianjin 300300 China
| | - Hong-Ge Tan
- College of Science, Civil Aviation University of China Tianjin 300300 China
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Tan HG, Xia G, Liu LX, Niu XH, Hao QH. Surface Patterns of a Tetrahedral Polyelectrolyte Brush Induced by Grafting Density and Charge Fraction. CHINESE JOURNAL OF POLYMER SCIENCE 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s10118-020-2351-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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Wang L, Wang Z, Jiang R, Yin Y, Li B. Conformation transitions of a single polyelectrolyte chain in a poor solvent: a replica-exchange lattice Monte-Carlo study. SOFT MATTER 2017; 13:2216-2227. [PMID: 28247878 DOI: 10.1039/c6sm02540d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The thermodynamic behaviors of a strongly charged polyelectrolyte chain in a poor solvent are studied using replica-exchange Monte-Carlo simulations on a lattice model, focusing on the effects of finite chain length and the solvent quality on the chain conformation and conformation transitions. The neutralizing counterions and solvent molecules are considered explicitly. The thermodynamic quantities that vary continuously with temperature over a wide range are computed using the multiple histogram reweighting method. Our results suggest that the strength of the short-range hydrophobic interaction, the chain length, and the temperature of the system, characterized by ε, N, and T, respectively, are important parameters that control the conformations of a charged chain. When ε is moderate, the competition between the electrostatic energy and the short-range hydrophobic interaction leads to rich conformations and conformation transitions for a longer chain with a fixed length. Our results have unambiguously demonstrated the stability of the n-pearl-necklace structures, where n has a maximum value and decreases with decreasing temperature. The maximum n value increases with increasing chain length. Our results have also demonstrated the first-order nature of the conformation transitions between the m-pearl and the (m-1)-pearl necklaces. With the increase of ε, the transition temperature increases and the first-order feature becomes more pronounced. It is deduced that at the thermodynamic limit of infinitely long chain length, the conformational transitions between the m-pearl and the (m-1)-pearl necklaces may remain first order when ε > 0 and m = 2 or 3. Pearl-necklace conformations cannot be observed when either ε is too large or N is too small. To observe a pearl-necklace conformation, the T value needs to be carefully chosen for simulations performed at only a single temperature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lang Wang
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Weak Light Nonlinear Photonics and School of Physics, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China.
| | - Zheng Wang
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Weak Light Nonlinear Photonics and School of Physics, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China.
| | - Run Jiang
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Weak Light Nonlinear Photonics and School of Physics, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China.
| | - Yuhua Yin
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Weak Light Nonlinear Photonics and School of Physics, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China.
| | - Baohui Li
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Weak Light Nonlinear Photonics and School of Physics, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China.
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Wang FH, Wu YY, Tan ZJ. Salt contribution to the flexibility of single-stranded nucleic acid offinite length. Biopolymers 2016; 99:370-81. [PMID: 23529689 DOI: 10.1002/bip.22189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2012] [Accepted: 11/18/2012] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Nucleic acids are negatively charged macromolecules and their structure properties are strongly coupled to metal ions in solutions. In this article, the salt effects on the flexibility of single-stranded (ss) nucleic acid chain ranging from 12 to 120 nucleotides are investigated systematically by the coarse-grained Monte Carlo simulations where the salt ions are considered explicitly and the ss chain is modeled with the virtual-bond structural model. Our calculations show that, the increase of ion concentration causes the structural collapse of ss chain and multivalent ions are much more efficient in causing such collapse, and both trivalent/small divalent ions can induce more compact state than a random relaxation state. We found that monovalent, divalent, and trivalent ions can all overcharge ss chain, and the dominating source for such overcharging changes from ion-exclusion-volume effect to ion Coulomb correlations. In addition, the predicted Na(+) and Mg(2+)-dependent persistence length l(p)'s of ss nucleic acid are in accordance with the available experimental data, and through systematic calculations, we obtained the empirical formulas for l(p) as a function of [Na(+)], [Mg(2+)] and chain length.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng-Hua Wang
- Department of Physics and Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-structures of Ministry of Education, School of Physics and Technology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
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Zhao M, Zhou J, Su C, Niu L, Liang D, Li B. Complexation behavior of oppositely charged polyelectrolytes: Effect of charge distribution. J Chem Phys 2015; 142:204902. [DOI: 10.1063/1.4921652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Mingtian Zhao
- School of Physics and Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials of Ministry of Education, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Jihan Zhou
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences and the Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry and Physics of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Cuicui Su
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences and the Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry and Physics of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Lin Niu
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences and the Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry and Physics of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Dehai Liang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences and the Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry and Physics of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Baohui Li
- School of Physics and Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials of Ministry of Education, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
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MOLECULAR DYNAMICS SIMULATION OF THE TRANSPORT OF CHARGED TUBE-LIKE NANOPARTICLES THROUGH A FLUIDIC CHANNEL. ACTA POLYM SIN 2013. [DOI: 10.3724/sp.j.1105.2013.13144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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The collapse of polyethylene rings on an attractive surface. CHINESE JOURNAL OF POLYMER SCIENCE 2013. [DOI: 10.1007/s10118-013-1307-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
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Chi P, Wang Z, Yin Y, Li B, Shi AC. Finite-length effects on the coil-globule transition of a strongly charged polyelectrolyte chain in a salt-free solvent. PHYSICAL REVIEW. E, STATISTICAL, NONLINEAR, AND SOFT MATTER PHYSICS 2013; 87:042608. [PMID: 23679444 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.87.042608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2012] [Revised: 03/27/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
The nature of coil-globule transition and scaling behavior of a strongly charged polyelectrolyte chain in a solution system with explicit neutralizing counterions and solvent molecules are studied using replica-exchange Monte Carlo simulations, focusing on the effects of finite chain length. The results reveal that at the thermodynamic limit of infinitely long chain length, the coil-globule transition may remain first order. Phase transition temperatures at various ion concentrations are obtained by extrapolating the values obtained at finite chain lengths. Furthermore, it is found that the exponent ν of the radius of gyration, <R(g)(2)> ~ N(2ν), can be slightly larger than 1 under some conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Chi
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Weak Light Nonlinear Photonics and School of Physics, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
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Cherstvy AG. Critical polyelectrolyte adsorption under confinement: planar slit, cylindrical pore, and spherical cavity. Biopolymers 2012; 97:311-7. [PMID: 22241107 DOI: 10.1002/bip.22023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2011] [Revised: 12/02/2011] [Accepted: 12/21/2011] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
We explore the properties of adsorption of flexible polyelectrolyte chains in confined spaces between the oppositely charged surfaces in three basic geometries. A method of approximate uniformly valid solutions for the Green function equation for the eigenfunctions of polymer density distributions is developed to rationalize the critical adsorption conditions. The same approach was implemented in our recent study for the "inverse" problem of polyelectrolyte adsorption onto a planar surface, and on the outer surface of rod-like and spherical obstacles. For the three adsorption geometries investigated, the theory yields simple scaling relations for the minimal surface charge density that triggers the chain adsorption, as a function of the Debye screening length and surface curvature. The encapsulation of polyelectrolytes is governed by interplay of the electrostatic attraction energy toward the adsorbing surface and entropic repulsion of the chain squeezed into a thin slit or small cavities. Under the conditions of surface-mediated confinement, substantially larger polymer linear charge densities are required to adsorb a polyelectrolyte inside a charged spherical cavity, relative to a cylindrical pore and to a planar slit (at the same interfacial surface charge density). Possible biological implications are discussed briefly in the end.
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Affiliation(s)
- A G Cherstvy
- Institute of Complex Systems, ICS-2, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany.
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