1
|
Vialetto J, Ramakrishna SN, Isa L, Laurati M. Effect of particle stiffness and surface properties on the non-linear viscoelasticity of dense microgel suspensions. J Colloid Interface Sci 2024; 672:814-823. [PMID: 38878623 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2024.05.214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2024] [Revised: 05/24/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/07/2024]
Abstract
HYPOTHESIS Particle surface chemistry and internal softness are two fundamental parameters in governing the mechanical properties of dense colloidal suspensions, dictating structure and flow, therefore of interest from materials fabrication to processing. EXPERIMENTS Here, we modulate softness by tuning the crosslinker content of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) microgels, and we adjust their surface properties by co-polymerization with polyethylene glycol chains, controlling adhesion, friction and fuzziness. We investigate the distinct effects of these parameters on the entire mechanical response from restructuring to complete fluidization of jammed samples at varying packing fractions under large-amplitude oscillatory shear experiments, and we complement rheological data with colloidal-probe atomic force microscopy to unravel variations in the particles' surface properties. FINDINGS Our results indicate that surface properties play a fundamental role at smaller packings; decreasing adhesion and friction at contact causes the samples to yield and fluidify in a lower deformation range. Instead, increasing softness or fuzziness has a similar effect at ultra-high densities, making suspensions able to better adapt to the applied shear and reach complete fluidization over a larger deformation range. These findings shed new light on the single-particle parameters governing the mechanical response of dense suspensions subjected to deformation, offering synthetic approaches to design materials with tailored mechanical properties.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jacopo Vialetto
- Department of Chemistry "Ugo Schiff", University of Florence, via della Lastruccia 3, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (FI), Italy; Laboratory for Soft Materials and Interfaces, Department of Materials, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 5, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland; Consorzio interuniversitario per lo sviluppo dei Sistemi a Grande Interfase (CSGI), via della Lastruccia 3, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (FI), Italy.
| | - Shivaprakash N Ramakrishna
- Laboratory for Soft Materials and Interfaces, Department of Materials, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 5, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Lucio Isa
- Laboratory for Soft Materials and Interfaces, Department of Materials, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 5, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Marco Laurati
- Department of Chemistry "Ugo Schiff", University of Florence, via della Lastruccia 3, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (FI), Italy; Consorzio interuniversitario per lo sviluppo dei Sistemi a Grande Interfase (CSGI), via della Lastruccia 3, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (FI), Italy.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Schelling MPM, Verouden TWJ, Stevens TCM, Meijer JM. 3D visualization reveals the cooling rate dependent crystallization near a wall in dense microgel systems. SOFT MATTER 2024; 20:6343-6352. [PMID: 38963471 PMCID: PMC11323939 DOI: 10.1039/d4sm00517a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024]
Abstract
Controlled crystallization, melting and vitrification are important fundamental processes in nature and technology. However, the microscopic details of these fundamental phenomena still lack understanding, in particular how the cooling rate and presence of a wall influence the crystal nucleation and glass formation. Thermoresponsive microgels provide the possibility to study phase transitions at the single-particle level, owing to the ability to tune the particle size with temperature. In this study, we employ composite microgels consisting of a hard core and a crosslinked poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide-co-methacrylic acid) shell to study the crystallization of dense suspensions of soft colloids near a wall using confocal microscopy. We investigate the effect of the cooling rate on the fluid-to-solid transition close to the sample wall. The structures formed during cooling range from glassy in the case of a rapid temperature quench to crystalline when a slow cooling rate is used. Detailed analysis of the final structure reveals that the cooling rate also sets the degree of alignment of the crystal domains with the wall as a result of a balance between homogeneous and heterogeneous crystal nucleation. The results presented here yield valuable insight into the microscopic details of temperature-controlled crystallization near a wall. This understanding will help pave the way towards optimal crystallization conditions for microgel applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M P M Schelling
- Department of Applied Physics and Science Education, Eindhoven University of Technology, Groene Loper 19, 5612 AP Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
- Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Eindhoven University of Technology, Groene Loper 19, 5612 AP Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - T W J Verouden
- Department of Applied Physics and Science Education, Eindhoven University of Technology, Groene Loper 19, 5612 AP Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
- Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Eindhoven University of Technology, Groene Loper 19, 5612 AP Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - T C M Stevens
- Department of Applied Physics and Science Education, Eindhoven University of Technology, Groene Loper 19, 5612 AP Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
- Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Eindhoven University of Technology, Groene Loper 19, 5612 AP Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - J-M Meijer
- Department of Applied Physics and Science Education, Eindhoven University of Technology, Groene Loper 19, 5612 AP Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
- Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Eindhoven University of Technology, Groene Loper 19, 5612 AP Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Kawamoto T, Minato H, Suzuki D. Relationship between π- A isotherms and single microgel/microgel array structures revealed via the direct visualization of microgels at the air/water interface. SOFT MATTER 2024; 20:5836-5847. [PMID: 39007355 DOI: 10.1039/d4sm00640b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
The structures of single microgels and microgel arrays formed at the air/water interface were visualized directly, and their structures correlated with π-A isotherms in order to understand the compression behavior of soft and deformable microgels at this interface. Large microgels (ca. 4 μm) were synthesized so that these can be clearly visualized at the air/water interface, even under high compression, and a series of microgel compression experiments were directly evaluated using a Langmuir trough equipped with a fluorescence microscope. The experiments revealed that upon compressing the microgel arrays at the interface voids disappeared and colloidal crystallinity increased. However, the colloidal crystallinity decreased when the microgel arrays were strongly compressed. In addition, when the structures were observed at higher magnification, it became clear that the single microgel structures, when visualized from above, changed from circular to polygonal upon compressing the microgel array. The results of this study can be expected to improve the understanding of the compression behavior of microgel arrays adsorbed at the air/water interface and will thus be useful for the creation of new functional microgel stabilizers with potential applications in e.g., bubbles and emulsions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Takahisa Kawamoto
- Graduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, 3-1-1 Tsushimanaka, Kita-ku, Okayama, 700-8530, Japan.
- Graduate School of Textile Science & Technology, Shinshu University, 3-15-1 Tokida, Ueda, Nagano 386-8567, Japan
| | - Haruka Minato
- Graduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, 3-1-1 Tsushimanaka, Kita-ku, Okayama, 700-8530, Japan.
- Graduate School of Textile Science & Technology, Shinshu University, 3-15-1 Tokida, Ueda, Nagano 386-8567, Japan
| | - Daisuke Suzuki
- Graduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, 3-1-1 Tsushimanaka, Kita-ku, Okayama, 700-8530, Japan.
- Graduate School of Textile Science & Technology, Shinshu University, 3-15-1 Tokida, Ueda, Nagano 386-8567, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Höfken T, Gasser U, Schneider S, Petrunin AV, Scotti A. Real and In Silico Microgels Show Comparable Bulk Moduli Below and Above the Volume Phase Transition. Macromol Rapid Commun 2024; 45:e2400043. [PMID: 38613338 DOI: 10.1002/marc.202400043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
The compressibility of soft colloids influences their phase behavior and flow properties, especially in concentrated suspensions. Particle compressibility, which is proportional to the reciprocal of the bulk modulus K, is a key parameter for soft polymer-based particles that can be compressed in crowded environments. Here, microgels with different degrees of cross-linking, i.e., softness, are investigated below and above their volume phase transition temperature (VPTT). By combining molecular dynamics simulations with small-angle neutron scattering with contrast variation, a change in the particle bulk moduli of two orders of magnitude is observed. The degree of cross-linking has a significant impact on the bulk modulus of the swollen microgel, while above the VPTT the values of K are almost independent of the cross-linking density. The excellent agreement between experimental results and simulations also highlight that the model microgels from computer simulations possess both the internal architecture and the elastic properties of real polymeric networks. This paves the way to a systematic use of simulations to investigate the behavior of dense microgel suspensions below and above their VPTT.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tom Höfken
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Landoltweg 2, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Urs Gasser
- Laboratory for Neutron Scattering and Imaging, Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen, 5232, Switzerland
| | - Stefanie Schneider
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Landoltweg 2, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Alexander V Petrunin
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Landoltweg 2, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Andrea Scotti
- Department of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Health and Society, Malmö University, Malmö, SE-205 06, Sweden
- Biofilms-Research Center for Biointerfaces, Malmö University, Malmö, SE-205 06, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Bassani CL, van Anders G, Banin U, Baranov D, Chen Q, Dijkstra M, Dimitriyev MS, Efrati E, Faraudo J, Gang O, Gaston N, Golestanian R, Guerrero-Garcia GI, Gruenwald M, Haji-Akbari A, Ibáñez M, Karg M, Kraus T, Lee B, Van Lehn RC, Macfarlane RJ, Mognetti BM, Nikoubashman A, Osat S, Prezhdo OV, Rotskoff GM, Saiz L, Shi AC, Skrabalak S, Smalyukh II, Tagliazucchi M, Talapin DV, Tkachenko AV, Tretiak S, Vaknin D, Widmer-Cooper A, Wong GCL, Ye X, Zhou S, Rabani E, Engel M, Travesset A. Nanocrystal Assemblies: Current Advances and Open Problems. ACS NANO 2024; 18:14791-14840. [PMID: 38814908 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c10201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
We explore the potential of nanocrystals (a term used equivalently to nanoparticles) as building blocks for nanomaterials, and the current advances and open challenges for fundamental science developments and applications. Nanocrystal assemblies are inherently multiscale, and the generation of revolutionary material properties requires a precise understanding of the relationship between structure and function, the former being determined by classical effects and the latter often by quantum effects. With an emphasis on theory and computation, we discuss challenges that hamper current assembly strategies and to what extent nanocrystal assemblies represent thermodynamic equilibrium or kinetically trapped metastable states. We also examine dynamic effects and optimization of assembly protocols. Finally, we discuss promising material functions and examples of their realization with nanocrystal assemblies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carlos L Bassani
- Institute for Multiscale Simulation, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Greg van Anders
- Department of Physics, Engineering Physics, and Astronomy, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - Uri Banin
- Institute of Chemistry and the Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Dmitry Baranov
- Division of Chemical Physics, Department of Chemistry, Lund University, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden
| | - Qian Chen
- University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
| | - Marjolein Dijkstra
- Soft Condensed Matter & Biophysics, Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science, Utrecht University, 3584 CC Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Michael S Dimitriyev
- Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, USA
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA
| | - Efi Efrati
- Department of Physics of Complex Systems, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
- James Franck Institute, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA
| | - Jordi Faraudo
- Institut de Ciencia de Materials de Barcelona (ICMAB-CSIC), Campus de la UAB, E-08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Oleg Gang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, USA
- Department of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, USA
- Center for Functional Nanomaterials, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973, USA
| | - Nicola Gaston
- The MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Department of Physics, The University of Auckland, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
| | - Ramin Golestanian
- Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization (MPI-DS), 37077 Göttingen, Germany
- Rudolf Peierls Centre for Theoretical Physics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PU, UK
| | - G Ivan Guerrero-Garcia
- Facultad de Ciencias de la Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, 78295 San Luis Potosí, México
| | - Michael Gruenwald
- Department of Chemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, USA
| | - Amir Haji-Akbari
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, USA
| | - Maria Ibáñez
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA), 3400 Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | - Matthias Karg
- Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Tobias Kraus
- INM - Leibniz-Institute for New Materials, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
- Saarland University, Colloid and Interface Chemistry, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Byeongdu Lee
- X-ray Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, Illinois 60439, USA
| | - Reid C Van Lehn
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53717, USA
| | - Robert J Macfarlane
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, USA
| | - Bortolo M Mognetti
- Center for Nonlinear Phenomena and Complex Systems, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Arash Nikoubashman
- Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e.V., 01069 Dresden, Germany
- Institut für Theoretische Physik, Technische Universität Dresden, 01069 Dresden, Germany
| | - Saeed Osat
- Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization (MPI-DS), 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Oleg V Prezhdo
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA
| | - Grant M Rotskoff
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA
| | - Leonor Saiz
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Davis, California 95616, USA
| | - An-Chang Shi
- Department of Physics & Astronomy, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4M1, Canada
| | - Sara Skrabalak
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, USA
| | - Ivan I Smalyukh
- Department of Physics and Chemical Physics Program, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA
- International Institute for Sustainability with Knotted Chiral Meta Matter, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima City 739-0046, Japan
| | - Mario Tagliazucchi
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, C1428EHA Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires 1428 Argentina
| | - Dmitri V Talapin
- Department of Chemistry, James Franck Institute and Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA
- Center for Nanoscale Materials, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL 60439, USA
| | - Alexei V Tkachenko
- Center for Functional Nanomaterials, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973, USA
| | - Sergei Tretiak
- Theoretical Division and Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA
| | - David Vaknin
- Iowa State University and Ames Lab, Ames, Iowa 50011, USA
| | - Asaph Widmer-Cooper
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Exciton Science, School of Chemistry, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
- The University of Sydney Nano Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
| | - Gerard C L Wong
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Xingchen Ye
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, USA
| | - Shan Zhou
- Department of Nanoscience and Biomedical Engineering, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Rapid City, South Dakota 57701, USA
| | - Eran Rabani
- Department of Chemistry, University of California and Materials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
- The Raymond and Beverly Sackler Center of Computational Molecular and Materials Science, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Michael Engel
- Institute for Multiscale Simulation, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Alex Travesset
- Iowa State University and Ames Lab, Ames, Iowa 50011, USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Jana S, Nevskyi O, Höche H, Trottenberg L, Siemes E, Enderlein J, Fürstenberg A, Wöll D. Local Water Content in Polymer Gels Measured with Super-Resolved Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202318421. [PMID: 38165135 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202318421] [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: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Water molecules play an important role in the structure, function, and dynamics of (bio-) materials. A direct access to the number of water molecules in nanoscopic volumes can thus give new molecular insights into materials and allow for fine-tuning their properties in sophisticated applications. The determination of the local water content has become possible by the finding that H2 O quenches the fluorescence of red-emitting dyes. Since deuterated water, D2 O, does not induce significant fluorescence quenching, fluorescence lifetime measurements performed in different H2 O/D2 O-ratios yield the local water concentration. We combined this effect with the recently developed fluorescence lifetime single molecule localization microscopy imaging (FL-SMLM) in order to nanoscopically determine the local water content in microgels, i.e. soft hydrogel particles consisting of a cross-linked polymer swollen in water. The change in water content of thermo-responsive microgels when changing from their swollen state at room temperature to a collapsed state at elevated temperature could be analyzed. A clear decrease in water content was found that was, to our surprise, rather uniform throughout the entire microgel volume. Only a slightly higher water content around the dye was found in the periphery with respect to the center of the swollen microgels.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sankar Jana
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Landoltweg 2, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Oleksii Nevskyi
- Third Institute of Physics - Biophysics, Georg August University, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Hannah Höche
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Landoltweg 2, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Leon Trottenberg
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Landoltweg 2, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Eric Siemes
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Landoltweg 2, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Jörg Enderlein
- Third Institute of Physics - Biophysics, Georg August University, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence "Multiscale Bioimaging: from Molecular Machines to Networks of Excitable Cells" (MBExC), Georg August University, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Alexandre Fürstenberg
- Department of Physical Chemistry and Department of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, University of Geneva, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Dominik Wöll
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Landoltweg 2, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Zavala-Martínez AB, Grelet E. M13-Phage-Based Star-Shaped Particles with Internal Flexibility. ACS NANO 2024; 18:281-287. [PMID: 38113352 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c06134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
We report on the construction and the dynamics of monodisperse star-shaped particles, mimicking, at the mesoscale, star polymers. Such multiarm star-like particles result from the self-assembly of gold nanoparticles, forming the core, with tip-linked filamentous viruses (M13 bacteriophages) acting as spines in a sea urchin-like structure. By combining fluorescence and dark-field microscopy with dynamic light scattering, we investigate the diffusion of these hybrid spiny particles. We reveal the internal dynamics of the star particles by probing their central metallic core, which exhibits a hindered motion that can be described as a Brownian particle trapped in a harmonic potential. We therefore show that the filamentous viruses and specifically their tip proteins behave as entropic springs, extending the relevance of the study of such hybrid mesoscopic analogues of star polymers to phage biotechnology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Arantza B Zavala-Martínez
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Centre de Recherche Paul-Pascal, UMR 5031,115Avenue du Dr. Schweitzer, F-33600 Pessac, France
| | - Eric Grelet
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, Centre de Recherche Paul-Pascal, UMR 5031,115Avenue du Dr. Schweitzer, F-33600 Pessac, France
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Schmidt MM, Ruiz-Franco J, Bochenek S, Camerin F, Zaccarelli E, Scotti A. Interfacial Fluid Rheology of Soft Particles. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2023; 131:258202. [PMID: 38181345 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.131.258202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024]
Abstract
In situ interfacial rheology and numerical simulations are used to investigate microgel monolayers in a wide range of packing fractions, ζ_{2D}. The heterogeneous particle compressibility determines two flow regimes characterized by distinct master curves. To mimic the microgel architecture and reproduce experiments, an interaction potential combining a soft shoulder with the Hertzian model is introduced. In contrast to bulk conditions, the elastic moduli vary nonmonotonically with ζ_{2D} at the interface, confirming long-sought predictions of reentrant behavior for Hertzian-like systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian M Schmidt
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Landoltweg 2, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - José Ruiz-Franco
- Laboratory of Physical Chemistry and Soft Matter, Wageningen University & Research, Stippeneng 4, 6708 WE Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Steffen Bochenek
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Landoltweg 2, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Fabrizio Camerin
- Soft Condensed Matter & Biophysics, Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science, Utrecht University, Princetonplein 1, 3584 CC Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Emanuela Zaccarelli
- Italian National Research Council-Institute for Complex Systems (CNR-ISC), Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
- Department of Physics, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 2, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Andrea Scotti
- Department of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Health and Society, Malmö University, SE-205 06 Malmö, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Akgonullu DZ, Murray BS, Connell SD, Fang Y, Linter B, Sarkar A. Synthetic and biopolymeric microgels: Review of similarities and difference in behaviour in bulk phases and at interfaces. Adv Colloid Interface Sci 2023; 320:102983. [PMID: 37690329 DOI: 10.1016/j.cis.2023.102983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 08/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
This review discusses the current knowledge of interfacial and bulk interactions of biopolymeric microgels in relation to the well-established properties of synthetic microgels for applications as viscosity modifiers and Pickering stabilisers. We present a timeline showing the key milestones in designing microgels and their bulk/ interfacial performance. Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (pNIPAM) microgels have remained as the protagonist in the synthetic microgel domain whilst proteins or polysaccharides have been primarily used to fabricate biopolymeric microgels. Bulk properties of microgel dispersions are dominated by the volume fraction (ϕ) of the microgel particles, but ϕ is difficult to pinpoint, as addressed by many theoretical models. By evaluating recent experimental studies over the last five years, we find an increasing focus on the analysis of microgel elasticity as a key parameter in modulating their packing at the interfaces, within the provinces of both synthetic and biopolymeric systems. Production methods and physiochemical factors shown to influence microgel swelling in the aqueous phase can have a significant impact on their bulk as well as interfacial performance. Compared to synthetic microgels, biopolymer microgels show a greater tendency for polydispersity and aggregation and do not appear to have a core-corona structure. Comprehensive studies of biopolymeric microgels are still lacking, for example, to accurately determine their inter- and intra- particle interactions, whilst a wider variety of techniques need to be applied in order to allow comparisons to real systems of practical usage.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daisy Z Akgonullu
- Food Colloids and Bioprocessing Group, School of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Leeds, UK
| | - Brent S Murray
- Food Colloids and Bioprocessing Group, School of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Leeds, UK
| | - Simon D Connell
- Molecular and Nanoscale Physics Group, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds, UK
| | - Yuan Fang
- PepsiCo, Valhalla, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Anwesha Sarkar
- Food Colloids and Bioprocessing Group, School of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Leeds, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Hildebrandt M, Pham Thuy D, Kippenberger J, Wigger TL, Houston JE, Scotti A, Karg M. Fluid-solid transitions in photonic crystals of soft, thermoresponsive microgels. SOFT MATTER 2023; 19:7122-7135. [PMID: 37695048 DOI: 10.1039/d3sm01062g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
Microgels are often discussed as well-suited model system for soft colloids. In contrast to rigid spheres, the microgel volume and, coupled to this, the volume fraction in dispersion can be manipulated by external stimuli. This behavior is particularly interesting at high packings where phase transitions can be induced by external triggers such as temperature in the case of thermoresponsive microgels. A challenge, however, is the determination of the real volume occupied by these deformable, soft objects and consequently, to determine the boundaries of the phase transitions. Here we propose core-shell microgels with a rigid silica core and a crosslinked, thermoresponsive poly-N-isopropylacrylamide (PNIPAM) shell with a carefully chosen shell-to-core size ratio as ideal model colloids to study fluid-solid transitions that are inducible by millikelvin changes in temperature. Specifically, we identify the temperature ranges where crystallization and melting occur using absorbance spectroscopy in a range of concentrations. Slow annealing from the fluid to the crystalline state leads to photonic crystals with Bragg peaks in the visible wavelength range and very narrow linewidths. Small-angle X-ray scattering is then used to confirm the structure of the fluid phase as well as the long-range order, crystal structure and microgel volume fraction in the solid phase. Thanks to the scattering contrasts and volume ratio of the cores with respect to the shells, the scattering data do allow for form factor analysis revealing osmotic deswelling at volume fractions approaching and also exceeding the hard sphere packing limit.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M Hildebrandt
- Institut für Physikalische Chemie I: Kolloide und Nanooptik, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Universitätsstraße 1, D-40225 Düsseldorf, Germany.
| | - D Pham Thuy
- Institut für Physikalische Chemie I: Kolloide und Nanooptik, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Universitätsstraße 1, D-40225 Düsseldorf, Germany.
| | - J Kippenberger
- Institut für Physikalische Chemie I: Kolloide und Nanooptik, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Universitätsstraße 1, D-40225 Düsseldorf, Germany.
| | - T L Wigger
- Institut für Physikalische Chemie I: Kolloide und Nanooptik, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Universitätsstraße 1, D-40225 Düsseldorf, Germany.
| | - J E Houston
- European Spallation Source ERIC, Box 176, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden
| | - A Scotti
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Landoltweg 2, 52056 Aachen, Germany
| | - M Karg
- Institut für Physikalische Chemie I: Kolloide und Nanooptik, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Universitätsstraße 1, D-40225 Düsseldorf, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Petrunin AV, Schmidt MM, Schweins R, Houston JE, Scotti A. Self-Healing of Charged Microgels in Neutral and Charged Environments. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2023. [PMID: 37220302 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.2c03054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
The softness of microgels depends on many aspects, such as particle characteristic lengths, sample concentration, chemical composition of the sample, and elastic moduli of the particle. Here, the response to crowding of ionic microgels is studied. Charged and uncharged ionic microgels are studied in concentrated suspensions of both neutral and ionic microgels with the same swollen size. The combination of small-angle X-ray and neutron scattering with contrast variation allows us to probe both the particle-to-particle arrangement and the response of individual ionic microgels to crowding. When the ionic microgels are uncharged, initial isotropic deswelling followed by faceting is observed. Therefore, the ionizable groups in the polymeric network do not affect the response of the ionic microgel to crowding, which is similar to what has been reported for neutral microgels. In contrast, the kind of microgels composing the matrix plays a key role once the ionic microgels are charged. If the matrix is composed of neutral microgels, a pronounced faceting and negligible deswelling is observed. When only charged ionic microgels are present in the suspension, isotropic deswelling without faceting is dominant.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexander V Petrunin
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Landoltweg 2, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Maximilian M Schmidt
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Landoltweg 2, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Ralf Schweins
- Institut Laue-Langevin ILL, DS/LSS, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, F-38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Judith E Houston
- European Spallation Source ERIC, Box 176, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden
| | - Andrea Scotti
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Landoltweg 2, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Moncho-Jordá A, Göth N, Dzubiella J. Liquid structure of bistable responsive macromolecules using mean-field density-functional theory. SOFT MATTER 2023; 19:2832-2846. [PMID: 37000605 DOI: 10.1039/d2sm01523d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Macromolecular crowding typically applies to biomolecular and polymer-based systems in which the individual particles often feature a two-state folded/unfolded or coil-to-globule transition, such as found for proteins and peptides, DNA and RNA, or supramolecular polymers. Here, we employ a mean-field density functional theory (DFT) of a model of soft and bistable responsive colloids (RCs) in which the size of the macromolecule is explicitly resolved as a degree of freedom living in a bimodal 'Landau' energy landscape (exhibiting big and small states), thus directly responding to the crowding environment. Using this RC-DFT we study the effects of self-crowding on the liquid bulk structure and thermodynamics for different energy barriers and softnesses of the bimodal energy landscape, in conditions close to the coil-to-globule transition. We find substantial crowding effects on the internal distributions, a complex polydispersity behavior, and quasi-universal compression curves for increasing (generalized) packing fractions. Moreover, we uncover distinct signatures of bimodal versus unimodal behavior in the particle compression. Finally, the analysis of the pair structure - derived from the test particle route - reveals that the microstructure of the liquid is quite inhomogeneous due to local depletion effects, tuneable by particle softness.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Arturo Moncho-Jordá
- Institute Carlos I for Theoretical and Computational Physics, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, Campus Fuentenueva S/N, 18071 Granada, Spain.
- Departamento de Física Aplicada, Universidad de Granada, Campus Fuentenueva S/N, 18071 Granada, Spain
| | - Nils Göth
- Physikalisches Institut, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Hermann-Herder Straße 3, D-79104 Freiburg, Germany.
| | - Joachim Dzubiella
- Physikalisches Institut, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Hermann-Herder Straße 3, D-79104 Freiburg, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Shaulli X, Rivas-Barbosa R, Bergman MJ, Zhang C, Gnan N, Scheffold F, Zaccarelli E. Probing Temperature Responsivity of Microgels and Its Interplay with a Solid Surface by Super-Resolution Microscopy and Numerical Simulations. ACS NANO 2023; 17:2067-2078. [PMID: 36656959 PMCID: PMC9933603 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.2c07569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Super-resolution microscopy has become a powerful tool to investigate the internal structure of complex colloidal and polymeric systems, such as microgels, at the nanometer scale. An interesting feature of this method is the possibility of monitoring microgel response to temperature changes in situ. However, when performing advanced microscopy experiments, interactions between the particle and the environment can be important. Often microgels are deposited on a substrate, since they have to remain still for several minutes during the experiment. This study uses direct stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (dSTORM) and advanced coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations to investigate how individual microgels anchored on hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces undergo their volume phase transition with temperature. We find that, in the presence of a hydrophilic substrate, the structure of the microgel is unperturbed and the resulting density profiles quantitatively agree with simulations performed under bulk conditions. Instead, when a hydrophobic surface is used, the microgel spreads at the interface and an interesting competition between the two hydrophobic strengths,monomer-monomer vs monomer-surface,comes into play at high temperatures. The robust agreement between experiments and simulations makes the present study a fundamental step to establish this high-resolution monitoring technique as a platform for investigating more complex systems, these being either macromolecules with peculiar internal structure or nanocomplexes where molecules of interest can be encapsulated in the microgel network and controllably released with temperature.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xhorxhina Shaulli
- Department
of Physics, University of Fribourg, Chemin du Musée 3, 1700Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Rodrigo Rivas-Barbosa
- Department
of Physics, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 2, 00185Roma, Italy
| | - Maxime J. Bergman
- Department
of Physics, University of Fribourg, Chemin du Musée 3, 1700Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Chi Zhang
- Department
of Physics, University of Fribourg, Chemin du Musée 3, 1700Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Nicoletta Gnan
- Department
of Physics, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 2, 00185Roma, Italy
- CNR
Institute of Complex Systems, Uos Sapienza, Piazzale Aldo Moro 2, 00185Roma, Italy
| | - Frank Scheffold
- Department
of Physics, University of Fribourg, Chemin du Musée 3, 1700Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Emanuela Zaccarelli
- Department
of Physics, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 2, 00185Roma, Italy
- CNR
Institute of Complex Systems, Uos Sapienza, Piazzale Aldo Moro 2, 00185Roma, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Nickel AC, Denton AR, Houston JE, Schweins R, Plivelic TS, Richtering W, Scotti A. Beyond simple self-healing: How anisotropic nanogels adapt their shape to their environment. J Chem Phys 2022; 157:194901. [DOI: 10.1063/5.0119527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The response of soft colloids to crowding depends sensitively on the particles’ compressibility. Nanogel suspensions provide model systems that are often studied to better understand the properties of soft materials and complex fluids from the formation of colloidal crystals to the flow of viruses, blood, or platelet cells in the body. Large spherical nanogels, when embedded in a matrix of smaller nanogels, have the unique ability to spontaneously deswell to match their size to that of the nanogel composing the matrix. In contrast to hard colloids, this self-healing mechanism allows for crystal formation without giving rise to point defects or dislocations. Here, we show that anisotropic ellipsoidal nanogels adapt both their size and their shape depending on the nature of the particles composing the matrix in which they are embedded. Using small-angle neutron scattering with contrast variation, we show that ellipsoidal nanogels become spherical when embedded in a matrix of spherical nanogels. In contrast, the anisotropy of the ellipsoid is enhanced when they are embedded in a matrix of anisotropic nanogels. Our experimental data are supported by Monte Carlo simulations that reproduce the trend of decreasing aspect ratio of ellipsoidal nanogels with increasing crowding by a matrix of spherical nanogels.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anne C. Nickel
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, 52056 Aachen, Germany
| | - Alan R. Denton
- Department of Physics, North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota 58108-6050, USA
| | | | - Ralf Schweins
- Institut Laue-Langevin ILL DS/LSS, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, F-38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Tomàs S. Plivelic
- MAX IV Laboratory, Lund University, P.O. Box 118, 22100 Lund, Sweden
| | - Walter Richtering
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, 52056 Aachen, Germany
| | - Andrea Scotti
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, 52056 Aachen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Vialetto J, Ramakrishna SN, Isa L. In situ imaging of the three-dimensional shape of soft responsive particles at fluid interfaces by atomic force microscopy. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabq2019. [PMID: 36351021 PMCID: PMC9645722 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abq2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
The reconfiguration of individual soft and deformable particles upon adsorption at a fluid interface underpins many aspects of their dynamics and interactions, ultimately regulating the properties of monolayers of relevance for applications. In this work, we demonstrate that atomic force microscopy can be used for the in situ reconstruction of the three-dimensional conformation of model poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) microgels adsorbed at an oil-water interface. We image the particle topography from both sides of the interface to characterize its in-plane deformation and to visualize the occurrence of asymmetric swelling in the two fluids. In addition, the technique enables investigating different fluid phases and particle architectures, as well as studying the effect of temperature variations on particle conformation in situ. We envisage that these results open up an exciting range of possibilities to provide microscopic insights into the single-particle behavior of soft objects at fluid interfaces and into the resulting macroscopic material properties.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Lucio Isa
- Corresponding author. (J.V.); (S.N.R.); (L.I.)
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Scotti A, Gasser U, Petrunin AV, Fruhner L, Richtering W, Houston JE. Experimental determination of the bulk moduli of hollow nanogels. SOFT MATTER 2022; 18:5750-5758. [PMID: 35899831 DOI: 10.1039/d2sm00680d] [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
The softness of an object can be quantified by one of the fundamental elastic moduli. The bulk modulus of the particle is most appropriate in the presence of isotropic compressions. Here, we use small-angle neutron scattering with contrast variation to directly access the bulk modulus of polymeric nanocapsules - pNIPAM-based hollow nanogels. We show that the size of the cavity is the most important quantity that determines the softness of hollow nanogels. During initial compression, the polymer collapses into the cavity and leads to a large change in the particle volume, resulting in a very small initial bulk modulus. Once the cavity is partially occupied by the polymer, the hollow nanogels become significantly stiffer since now the highly crosslinked network has to be compressed. Furthermore, we show that the larger the cavity, the softer the nanogel.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Scotti
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, 52056 Aachen, Germany.
| | - Urs Gasser
- Laboratory for Neutron Scattering and Imaging, Paul Scherrer Institut, 5232 Villigen, Switzerland
| | | | - Lisa Fruhner
- Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH Jülich Centre for Neutron Science (JCNS-1) and Institute for Biological Information processing (IBI-8), 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Walter Richtering
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, 52056 Aachen, Germany.
| | - Judith E Houston
- European Spallation Source ERIC, Box 176, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Xu Y, Zhu H, Denduluri A, Ou Y, Erkamp NA, Qi R, Shen Y, Knowles TPJ. Recent Advances in Microgels: From Biomolecules to Functionality. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2022; 18:e2200180. [PMID: 35790106 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202200180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The emerging applications of hydrogel materials at different length scales, in areas ranging from sustainability to health, have driven the progress in the design and manufacturing of microgels. Microgels can provide miniaturized, monodisperse, and regulatable compartments, which can be spatially separated or interconnected. These microscopic materials provide novel opportunities for generating biomimetic cell culture environments and are thus key to the advances of modern biomedical research. The evolution of the physical and chemical properties has, furthermore, highlighted the potentials of microgels in the context of materials science and bioengineering. This review describes the recent research progress in the fabrication, characterization, and applications of microgels generated from biomolecular building blocks. A key enabling technology allowing the tailoring of the properties of microgels is their synthesis through microfluidic technologies, and this paper highlights recent advances in these areas and their impact on expanding the physicochemical parameter space accessible using microgels. This review finally discusses the emerging roles that microgels play in liquid-liquid phase separation, micromechanics, biosensors, and regenerative medicine.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yufan Xu
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Hongjia Zhu
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Akhila Denduluri
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Yangteng Ou
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Nadia A Erkamp
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Runzhang Qi
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
| | - Yi Shen
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
- The University of Sydney Nano Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Tuomas P J Knowles
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK
- Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB3 0HE, UK
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Houston JE, Fruhner L, de la Cotte A, Rojo González J, Petrunin AV, Gasser U, Schweins R, Allgaier J, Richtering W, Fernandez-Nieves A, Scotti A. Resolving the different bulk moduli within individual soft nanogels using small-angle neutron scattering. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabn6129. [PMID: 35776796 PMCID: PMC10883365 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abn6129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The bulk modulus, K, quantifies the elastic response of an object to an isotropic compression. For soft compressible colloids, knowing K is essential to accurately predict the suspension response to crowding. Most colloids have complex architectures characterized by different softness, which additionally depends on compression. Here, we determine the different values of K for the various morphological parts of individual nanogels and probe the changes of K with compression. Our method uses a partially deuterated polymer, which exerts the required isotropic stress, and small-angle neutron scattering with contrast matching to determine the form factor of the particles without any scattering contribution from the polymer. We show a clear difference in softness, compressibility, and evolution of K between the shell of the nanogel and the rest of the particle, depending on the amount of cross-linker used in their synthesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Lisa Fruhner
- Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH Jülich Centre for Neutron Science (JCNS-1) and Institute for Biological Information Processing (IBI-8), 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Alexis de la Cotte
- Department of Condensed Matter Physics, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Javier Rojo González
- Department of Condensed Matter Physics, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Urs Gasser
- Laboratory for Neutron Scattering and Imaging, Paul Scherrer Institut, 5232 Villigen, Switzerland
| | - Ralf Schweins
- Institut Laue-Langevin ILL DS/LSS, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, F-38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Jürgen Allgaier
- Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH Jülich Centre for Neutron Science (JCNS-1) and Institute for Biological Information Processing (IBI-8), 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Walter Richtering
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, 52056 Aachen, Germany
- JARA-SOFT, 52056 Aachen, Germany
| | - Alberto Fernandez-Nieves
- Department of Condensed Matter Physics, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- ICREA-Institucio Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avancats, 08010 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Andrea Scotti
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, 52056 Aachen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Scotti A, Schulte MF, Lopez CG, Crassous JJ, Bochenek S, Richtering W. How Softness Matters in Soft Nanogels and Nanogel Assemblies. Chem Rev 2022; 122:11675-11700. [PMID: 35671377 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.2c00035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Softness plays a key role in determining the macroscopic properties of colloidal systems, from synthetic nanogels to biological macromolecules, from viruses to star polymers. However, we are missing a way to quantify what the term "softness" means in nanoscience. Having quantitative parameters is fundamental to compare different systems and understand what the consequences of softness on the macroscopic properties are. Here, we propose different quantities that can be measured using scattering methods and microscopy experiments. On the basis of these quantities, we review the recent literature on micro- and nanogels, i.e. cross-linked polymer networks swollen in water, a widely used model system for soft colloids. Applying our criteria, we address the question what makes a nanomaterial soft? We discuss and introduce general criteria to quantify the different definitions of softness for an individual compressible colloid. This is done in terms of the energetic cost associated with the deformation and the capability of the colloid to isotropically deswell. Then, concentrated solutions of soft colloids are considered. New definitions of softness and new parameters, which depend on the particle-to-particle interactions, are introduced in terms of faceting and interpenetration. The influence of the different synthetic routes on the softness of nanogels is discussed. Concentrated solutions of nanogels are considered and we review the recent results in the literature concerning the phase behavior and flow properties of nanogels both in three and two dimensions, in the light of the different parameters we defined. The aim of this review is to look at the results on micro- and nanogels in a more quantitative way that allow us to explain the reported properties in terms of differences in colloidal softness. Furthermore, this review can give researchers dealing with soft colloids quantitative methods to define unambiguously which softness matters in their compound.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Scotti
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Landoltweg 2, 52056 Aachen, Germany, European Union
| | - M Friederike Schulte
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Landoltweg 2, 52056 Aachen, Germany, European Union
| | - Carlos G Lopez
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Landoltweg 2, 52056 Aachen, Germany, European Union
| | - Jérôme J Crassous
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Landoltweg 2, 52056 Aachen, Germany, European Union
| | - Steffen Bochenek
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Landoltweg 2, 52056 Aachen, Germany, European Union
| | - Walter Richtering
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Landoltweg 2, 52056 Aachen, Germany, European Union
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Marcelo G, Salardón N, Pecharromán C, Mendicuti F, Trabado I, Batanero B. Tuneable fluorescence and structural colour in PNIPAM microgel assemblies. Eur Polym J 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2022.111319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
|
21
|
Shamana H, Dutcher JR. Transition in the Glassy Dynamics of Melts of Acid-Hydrolyzed Phytoglycogen Nanoparticles. Biomacromolecules 2022; 23:2040-2050. [PMID: 35390260 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.2c00046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The deformability, responsiveness, and tunability of soft nanoparticles (NPs) offer unique opportunities to learn about their complex properties and the interactions between particles. In the present study, we provide new insights into the physical properties of phytoglycogen (PG) NPs, which are soft, compact particles with a dendritic architecture that are produced in the kernels of sweet corn. In particular, we study PG NPs modified using acid hydrolysis, which not only reduces their diameter but also alters their stiffness, internal structure, and the interactions between particles in aqueous dispersions. We used steady shear rheology to determine the dependence of the relative zero-shear viscosity ηr of aqueous dispersions of acid-hydrolyzed PG NPs on the effective volume fraction ϕeff, which indicated a reduction in stiffness of the particles relative to that of native PG NPs. We quantified this difference by analyzing the nature of the colloidal glasses formed at high ϕeff. We measured a smaller value of the fragility index m for acid-hydrolyzed PG NP glasses than that for native PG NP glasses, indicating that acid-hydrolyzed PG NPs form stronger glasses and are therefore softer than native PG NPs. Unlike the native PG NPs, we observed a distinctive change in the character of the glass transition of the acid-hydrolyzed PG NPs as ϕeff was increased above ϕeff∼1: a crossover in the dependence of ηr on ϕeff from Vogel-Fulcher-Tammann behavior to a more gradual, Arrhenius-like behavior. By expressing the steady shear and oscillatory rheology data in terms of generalized Péclet numbers, we obtained collapse of the data onto master curves. We interpret this result in terms of the acid-hydrolyzed PG NPs predominantly interpenetrating neighboring particles at large ϕeff, for which fluctuations of the outer chains enhance the mobility of the particles and make α-relaxation times τα experimentally accessible.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hurmiz Shamana
- Department of Physics, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - John R Dutcher
- Department of Physics, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Bergman MJ, García-Astrain C, Fuchs N, Manne K, Yazhgur P, Froufe-Pérez LS, Liz-Marzán LM, Scheffold F. Macroporous Silica Foams Fabricated via Soft Colloid Templating. SMALL METHODS 2022; 6:e2101491. [PMID: 35218331 DOI: 10.1002/smtd.202101491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Revised: 02/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Macroporous materials with controlled pore sizes are of high scientific and technological interest, due to their low specific weight, as well as unique acoustic, thermal, or optical properties. Solid foams made of titania, silica, or silicon, as representative materials, have been previously obtained with several hundred nanometer pore sizes, by using sacrificial templates such as spherical emulsion droplets or colloidal particles. Macroporous structures in particular are excellent candidates as photonic materials with applications in structural coloration and photonic bandgap devices. However, whereas using spherical building blocks as templates may provide tight control over pore shape and size, it results in materials with an often unfavorable local topology. Templating dry-foam or compressed-emulsion structures appear as attractive alternatives, but have not been demonstrated so far for submicron pore sizes. Herein, the use of soft, flexible microgel colloids decorated with silica nanoparticles as templates of macroporous foams is reported. These purposely synthesized core-shell colloids are assembled at ultra-high effective volume fractions by centrifuging and thermal swelling, thereby resulting in uniform disordered materials with facetted pores, mimicking dry foams. After removal of the polymer component via calcination, lightweight pure silica structures are obtained with a well-defined cellular or network topology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maxime J Bergman
- Department of Physics and Fribourg Center for Nanomaterials (FriMat), University of Fribourg, CH-1700, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Clara García-Astrain
- CIC biomaGUNE, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), 20014, Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Nathan Fuchs
- Department of Physics and Fribourg Center for Nanomaterials (FriMat), University of Fribourg, CH-1700, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Kalpana Manne
- Department of Physics and Fribourg Center for Nanomaterials (FriMat), University of Fribourg, CH-1700, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Pavel Yazhgur
- Department of Physics and Fribourg Center for Nanomaterials (FriMat), University of Fribourg, CH-1700, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Luis S Froufe-Pérez
- Department of Physics and Fribourg Center for Nanomaterials (FriMat), University of Fribourg, CH-1700, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Luis M Liz-Marzán
- CIC biomaGUNE, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), 20014, Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain
- Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, 43009, Bilbao, Spain
| | - Frank Scheffold
- Department of Physics and Fribourg Center for Nanomaterials (FriMat), University of Fribourg, CH-1700, Fribourg, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Hildebrandt M, Lazarev S, Pérez J, Vartanyants IA, Meijer JM, Karg M. SAXS Investigation of Core–Shell Microgels with High Scattering Contrast Cores: Access to Structure Factor and Volume Fraction. Macromolecules 2022. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.2c00100] [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)
- Marco Hildebrandt
- Institut für Physikalische Chemie I: Kolloide und Nanooptik, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Universitätsstraße 1, D-40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Sergey Lazarev
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Javier Pérez
- Synchrotron SOLEIL, L’Orme des Merisiers, Saint-Aubin, BP 48, 91192 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France
| | - Ivan A. Vartanyants
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Janne-Mieke Meijer
- Department of Applied Physics and Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Matthias Karg
- Institut für Physikalische Chemie I: Kolloide und Nanooptik, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Universitätsstraße 1, D-40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Höfken T, Strauch C, Schneider S, Scotti A. Changes in the Form Factor and Size Distribution of Nanogels in Crowded Environments. NANO LETTERS 2022; 22:2412-2418. [PMID: 35258981 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.2c00120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Particle size disparities suppress crystallization. However, soft deformable nanogels can change the size of the larger particles in suspension and crystallize even at a high initial size-polydispersity. Using neutron scattering with contrast variation, the response of individual nanogels in crowded environments was probed, and an increase of the parameter describing size-polydispersity was found, which is often interpreted as deformation. Here, computer simulations are used to generate deformed nanogels and the corresponding form factor. The data are fitted with the spherical model used to analyze scattering data. The fits show the same qualitative increase of the parameter related to the size-polydispersity with increasing particle deformation. Starting from the simulated deformed spheres, we also reproduce experimental scattering data. A further analysis of the particle shows that the size disparities between nanogels do not increase significantly. In contrast, their shapes strongly vary from one nanogel to the other.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tom Höfken
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, 52056 Aachen, Germany
| | - Christian Strauch
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, 52056 Aachen, Germany
| | - Stefanie Schneider
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, 52056 Aachen, Germany
| | - Andrea Scotti
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, 52056 Aachen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Bury E, Koh AS. Multimodal Deformation of Liquid Metal Multimaterial Composites as Stretchable, Dielectric Materials for Capacitive Pressure Sensing. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2022; 14:13678-13691. [PMID: 35258947 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c21734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Traditional electronic devices are composed of rigid materials and components that tend to be unsuitable for soft robotic and stretchable electronic applications, such as wearable or continuous pressure sensing. However, deformable materials have the potential to improve upon traditional devices through enhanced sensitivity and responsiveness, better conformability and biocompatibility at the human-machine interface, and greater durability. This work presents deformable composite materials composed of the gallium-indium-tin alloy galinstan (GaInSn) that combines the conductivity of a metal and the intrinsic deformability of a liquid. Dispersing galinstan in an elastomer allows for the formation of deformable dielectric materials that have tunable mechanical and electrical behavior, for example, modulus and relative permittivity. Galinstan composites have been shown previously to have a minimal modulus impact on the elastomer but concurrently achieve impressive dielectric performance. However, galinstan dispersions can be costly and face challenges of mechanical and electrical reliability. Thereby, this work investigates multimaterial composites composed of galinstan and a rigid filler, either iron or barium titanate, with respect to morphology, mechanical behavior, dielectric behavior, and pressure sensing performance for the purpose of achieving a balance between a low modulus and superior electrical performance. By combining galinstan and rigid fillers, it was found that the mechanical and electrical properties, such as modulus, permittivity, loss behavior, sensitivity, and linearity of the multimaterial composites can be improved by tuning filler formulation. This suggests that these dielectric materials can be used for sensing applications that can be precisely calibrated to specific material properties and the needs of the user. These deformable multimaterial composites, found to be stretchable and highly responsive in sensing applications, will expand the current mechanical abilities of deformable dielectric materials to improve soft robotic and stretchable electronic devices.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Bury
- Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35487, United States
| | - Amanda S Koh
- Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35487, United States
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Echeverría C, Mijangos C. Rheology Applied to Microgels: Brief (Revision of the) State of the Art. Polymers (Basel) 2022; 14:1279. [PMID: 35406152 PMCID: PMC9003433 DOI: 10.3390/polym14071279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability of polymer microgels to rapidly respond to external stimuli is of great interest in sensors, lubricants, and biomedical applications, among others. In most of their uses, microgels are subjected to shear, deformation, and compression forces or a combination of them, leading to variations in their rheological properties. This review article mainly refers to the rheology of microgels, from the hard sphere versus soft particles' model. It clearly describes the scaling theories and fractal structure formation, in particular, the Shih et al. and Wu and Morbidelli models as a tool to determine the interactions among microgel particles and, thus, the viscoelastic properties. Additionally, the most recent advances on the characterization of microgels' single-particle interactions are also described. The review starts with the definition of microgels, and a brief introduction addresses the preparation and applications of microgels and hybrid microgels.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Coro Echeverría
- Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Polímeros (ICTP-CSIC), C/Juan de la Cierva 3, 28006 Madrid, Spain;
| | | |
Collapse
|
27
|
Lapkin D, Mukharamova N, Assalauova D, Dubinina S, Stellhorn J, Westermeier F, Lazarev S, Sprung M, Karg M, Vartanyants IA, Meijer JM. In situ characterization of crystallization and melting of soft, thermoresponsive microgels by small-angle X-ray scattering. SOFT MATTER 2022; 18:1591-1602. [PMID: 34994372 PMCID: PMC8864529 DOI: 10.1039/d1sm01537k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Depending on the volume fraction and interparticle interactions, colloidal suspensions can form different phases, ranging from fluids, crystals, and glasses to gels. For soft microgels that are made from thermoresponsive polymers, the volume fraction can be tuned by temperature, making them excellent systems to experimentally study phase transitions in dense colloidal suspensions. However, investigations of phase transitions at high particle concentration and across the volume phase transition temperature in particular, are challenging due to the deformability and possibility for interpenetration between microgels. Here, we investigate the dense phases of composite core-shell microgels that have a small gold core and a thermoresponsive microgel shell. Employing Ultra Small-Angle X-ray Scattering, we make use of the strong scattering signal from the gold cores with respect to the almost negligible signal from the shells. By changing the temperature we study the freezing and melting transitions of the system in situ. Using Bragg peak analysis and the Williamson-Hall method, we characterize the phase transitions in detail. We show that the system crystallizes into an rhcp structure with different degrees of in-plane and out-of-plane stacking disorder that increase upon particle swelling. We further find that the melting process is distinctly different, where the system separates into two different crystal phases with different melting temperatures and interparticle interactions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dmitry Lapkin
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Dameli Assalauova
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Svetlana Dubinina
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (State University), Institutskiy Per. 9, 141701 Dolgoprudny, Moscow Region, Russia
| | - Jens Stellhorn
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Hiroshima University, 1-4-1 Kagamiyama, Higashihiroshima 739-8527, Japan
| | - Fabian Westermeier
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Sergey Lazarev
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- National Research Tomsk Polytechnic University (TPU), Lenin Avenue 30, 634050 Tomsk, Russia
| | - Michael Sprung
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Matthias Karg
- Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Universitätsstraße 1, D-40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Ivan A Vartanyants
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- National Research Nuclear University MEPhI (Moscow Engineering Physics Institute), Kashirskoe shosse 31, 115409 Moscow, Russia.
| | - Janne-Mieke Meijer
- Department of Applied Physics and Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Eindhoven University of Technology, Groene Loper 19, 5612 AP Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Romero-Sanchez I, Pihlajamaa I, Adžić N, Castellano LE, Stiakakis E, Likos CN, Laurati M. Blunt-End Driven Re-entrant Ordering in Quasi Two-Dimensional Dispersions of Spherical DNA Brushes. ACS NANO 2022; 16:2133-2146. [PMID: 35130432 PMCID: PMC8867906 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.1c07799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
We investigate the effects of crowding on the conformations and assembly of confined, highly charged, and thick polyelectrolyte brushes in the osmotic regime. Particle tracking experiments on increasingly dense suspensions of colloids coated with ultralong double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) fragments reveal nonmonotonic particle shrinking, aggregation, and re-entrant ordering. Theory and simulations show that aggregation and re-entrant ordering arise from the combined effect of shrinking, which is induced by the osmotic pressure exerted by the counterions absorbed in neighbor brushes and of a short-range attractive interaction competing with electrostatic repulsion. An unconventional mechanism gives origin to the short-range attraction: blunt-end interactions between stretched dsDNA fragments of neighboring brushes, which become sufficiently intense for dense and packed brushes. The attraction can be tuned by inducing free-end backfolding through the addition of monovalent salt. Our results show that base stacking is a mode parallel to hybridization to steer colloidal assembly in which attractions can be fine-tuned through salinity and, potentially, grafting density and temperature.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ivany Romero-Sanchez
- Dipartimento
di Chimica & CSGI, Università
di Firenze, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
- División
de Ciencias e Ingenierías, Universidad
de Guanajuato, 37150 León, Mexico
| | - Ilian Pihlajamaa
- Faculty
of Physics, University of Vienna, Bolzmanngasse 5, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
- Eindhoven
University of Technology, Department of
Applied Physics, Soft Matter and Biological Physics, Postbus 513, NL-5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Natasa Adžić
- Faculty
of Physics, University of Vienna, Bolzmanngasse 5, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Laura E. Castellano
- División
de Ciencias e Ingenierías, Universidad
de Guanajuato, 37150 León, Mexico
| | - Emmanuel Stiakakis
- Biomacromolecular
Systems and Processes, Institute of Biological Information Processing
(IBI-4), 4 Forschungszentrum Jülich, D-52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Christos N. Likos
- Faculty
of Physics, University of Vienna, Bolzmanngasse 5, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Marco Laurati
- Dipartimento
di Chimica & CSGI, Università
di Firenze, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Yasmeen N, Kalecki J, Borowicz P, Kutner W, Sharma PS. Electrochemically Initiated Synthesis of Polyacrylamide Microgels and Core-shell Particles. ACS APPLIED POLYMER MATERIALS 2022; 4:452-462. [PMID: 35059644 PMCID: PMC8762648 DOI: 10.1021/acsapm.1c01359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Herein, we developed a simple procedure for synthesizing micrometer-sized microgel particles as a suspension in an aqueous solution and thin films deposited as shells on different inorganic cores. A sufficiently high constant potential was applied to the working electrode to commence the initiator decomposition that resulted in gelation. Under hydrodynamic conditions, this initiation allowed preparing different morphology microgels at room temperature. Importantly, neither heating nor UV-light illumination was needed to initiate the polymerization. Moreover, thin films of the cross-linked gel were anchored on different core substrates, including silica and magnetic nanoparticles. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy imaging confirmed the microgel particles' and films' irregular shape and porous structure. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy indicated that the core coating with the microgel film was successful. Dynamic light scattering measured the micrometer size of gel particles with different combinations of acrylic monomers. Thermogravimetric analysis and the first-derivative thermogravimetric analysis revealed that the microgels' thermal stability of different compositions was different. Fourier-transform infrared and 13C NMR spectroscopy showed successful copolymerization of the main, functional, and cross-linking monomers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nabila Yasmeen
- Institute
of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of
Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Jakub Kalecki
- Institute
of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of
Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Pawel Borowicz
- Institute
of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of
Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Wlodzimierz Kutner
- Institute
of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of
Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland
- Faculty
of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, School of Sciences, Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University in Warsaw, Wóycickiego 1/3, 01-938 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Piyush S. Sharma
- Institute
of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of
Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Bakhshandeh A, Segala M, Escobar Colla T. Equilibrium Conformations and Surface Charge Regulation of Spherical Polymer Brushes in Stretched Regimes. Macromolecules 2021. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.1c02077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Amin Bakhshandeh
- Instituto de Física, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, 91501-970 Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
- Departamento de Físico-Química, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, 91501-970 Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Maximiliano Segala
- Instituto de Física, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, 35400-000 Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil
- Departamento de Físico-Química, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, 91501-970 Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Thiago Escobar Colla
- Instituto de Física, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, 35400-000 Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Wang D, Treado JD, Boromand A, Norwick B, Murrell MP, Shattuck MD, O'Hern CS. The structural, vibrational, and mechanical properties of jammed packings of deformable particles in three dimensions. SOFT MATTER 2021; 17:9901-9915. [PMID: 34697616 PMCID: PMC9118367 DOI: 10.1039/d1sm01228b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
We investigate the structural, vibrational, and mechanical properties of jammed packings of deformable particles with shape degrees of freedom in three dimensions (3D). Each 3D deformable particle is modeled as a surface-triangulated polyhedron, with spherical vertices whose positions are determined by a shape-energy function with terms that constrain the particle surface area, volume, and curvature, and prevent interparticle overlap. We show that jammed packings of deformable particles without bending energy possess low-frequency, quartic vibrational modes, whose number decreases with increasing asphericity and matches the number of missing contacts relative to the isostatic value. In contrast, jammed packings of deformable particles with non-zero bending energy are isostatic in 3D, with no quartic modes. We find that the contributions to the eigenmodes of the dynamical matrix from the shape degrees of freedom are significant over the full range of frequency and shape parameters for particles with zero bending energy. We further show that the ensemble-averaged shear modulus 〈G〉 scales with pressure P as 〈G〉 ∼ Pβ, with β ≈ 0.75 for jammed packings of deformable particles with zero bending energy. In contrast, β ≈ 0.5 for packings of deformable particles with non-zero bending energy, which matches the value for jammed packings of soft, spherical particles with fixed shape. These studies underscore the importance of incorporating particle deformability and shape change when modeling the properties of jammed soft materials.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dong Wang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA.
| | - John D Treado
- Department of Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA.
- Integrated Graduate Program in Physical and Engineering Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA
| | - Arman Boromand
- Department of Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA.
| | - Blake Norwick
- Department of Physics, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA
| | - Michael P Murrell
- Integrated Graduate Program in Physical and Engineering Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA
- Department of Physics, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA
- Systems Biology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, Connecticut, 06516, USA
| | - Mark D Shattuck
- Benjamin Levich Institute and Physics Department, The City College of New York, New York, New York 10031, USA
| | - Corey S O'Hern
- Department of Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA.
- Integrated Graduate Program in Physical and Engineering Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA
- Department of Physics, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA
- Department of Applied Physics, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Islam MR, Nguyen R, Lyon LA. Emergence of Non-Hexagonal Crystal Packing of Deswollen and Deformed Ultra-Soft Microgels under Osmotic Pressure Control. Macromol Rapid Commun 2021; 42:e2100372. [PMID: 34491600 PMCID: PMC8542600 DOI: 10.1002/marc.202100372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Revised: 07/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Highly solvent swollen poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylic acid) microgels are synthesized without exogenous crosslinker, making them extremely soft and deformable. These ultralow crosslinked microgels (ULC) are incubated under controlled osmotic pressure to provide a slow (and presumably thermodynamically controlled) approach to higher packing densities. It is found that ULC microgels show stable colloidal packing over a very wide range of osmotic pressures and thus packing densities. Surprising observation of co-existence between hexagonal and square lattices is also made over the lower range of studied osmotic pressures, with microgels apparently changing shape from spheres to cubes in defects or grain boundaries. It is proposed that the unusual packing behavior observed for ULC microgels is due to the extreme softness of these particles, where deswelling causes deformation and shrinking of the particles that result in unique packing states governed by contributions to the entropy at the colloidal system, single particle and ionic levels. These observations further suggest that more detailed experimental and theoretical studies of ultra-soft microgels are required to obtain a complete understanding of their behavior in packed and confined geometries.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Molla R Islam
- Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, CA, 92780, USA
| | - Rachel Nguyen
- Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, CA, 92780, USA
| | - Louis Andrew Lyon
- Dale E. and Sarah Ann Fowler School of Engineering, Chapman University, Orange, CA, 92866, USA
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Two-step deswelling in the Volume Phase Transition of thermoresponsive microgels. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2109560118. [PMID: 34508008 PMCID: PMC8449345 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2109560118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Microgels, colloidal-scale polymer networks, are the prototype soft colloids. When the constituent polymers are thermoresponsive, they undergo a volume phase transition (VPT) from a swollen to a collapsed state at a characteristic temperature, close to ambient one, of great appeal for several applications. To describe this phenomenon, microgels are usually treated as neutral, but here we show that electrostatics needs to be taken into account. In particular, deswelling occurs via a two-step, rather than a homogeneous, particle collapse, mainly driven by peripheral charges located on the microgel corona, for which we also establish a unifying framework encompassing all studied microgels. Our work thus provides a change of perspective to describe these fascinating systems. Thermoresponsive microgels are one of the most investigated types of soft colloids, thanks to their ability to undergo a Volume Phase Transition (VPT) close to ambient temperature. However, this fundamental phenomenon still lacks a detailed microscopic understanding, particularly regarding the presence and the role of charges in the deswelling process. This is particularly important for the widely used poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)–based microgels, where the constituent monomers are neutral but charged groups arise due to the initiator molecules used in the synthesis. Here, we address this point combining experiments with state-of-the-art simulations to show that the microgel collapse does not happen in a homogeneous fashion, but through a two-step mechanism, entirely attributable to electrostatic effects. The signature of this phenomenon is the emergence of a minimum in the ratio between gyration and hydrodynamic radii at the VPT. Thanks to simulations of microgels with different cross-linker concentrations, charge contents, and charge distributions, we provide evidence that peripheral charges arising from the synthesis are responsible for this behavior and we further build a universal master curve able to predict the two-step deswelling. Our results have direct relevance on fundamental soft condensed matter science and on applications where microgels are involved, ranging from materials to biomedical technologies.
Collapse
|
34
|
Luo J, Zhu Y, Ruan Y, Wu W, Ouyang X, Du Z, Liu G. Diameter and Elasticity Governing the Relaxation of Soft-Nanoparticle Melts. Macromolecules 2021. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.1c01111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jintian Luo
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, Center for Advanced Low-dimension Materials, College of Material Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Yihui Zhu
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, Center for Advanced Low-dimension Materials, College of Material Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Yifu Ruan
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, Center for Advanced Low-dimension Materials, College of Material Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Weiwei Wu
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, Center for Advanced Low-dimension Materials, College of Material Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Xikai Ouyang
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, Center for Advanced Low-dimension Materials, College of Material Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Zhukang Du
- South China Advanced Institute for Soft Matter Science and Technology, School of Molecular Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - GengXin Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, Center for Advanced Low-dimension Materials, College of Material Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Frenzel L, Dartsch M, Balaguer GM, Westermeier F, Grübel G, Lehmkühler F. Glass-liquid and glass-gel transitions of soft-shell particles. Phys Rev E 2021; 104:L012602. [PMID: 34412357 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.104.l012602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
We study the structure and dynamics of colloidal particles with a spherical hard core and a thermo-responsive soft shell over the whole phase diagram by means of small-angle x-ray scattering and x-ray photon correlation spectroscopy. By changing the effective volume fraction by temperature and particle concentration, liquid, repulsive glass. and attractive gel phases are observed. The dynamics slow down with increasing volume fraction in the liquid phase and reflect a Vogel-Fulcher-Tamann behavior known for fragile glass formers. We find a liquid-glass transition above 50 vol.% that is independent of the particles' concentration and temperature. In an overpacked state at effective volume fractions above 1, the dispersion does not show a liquid phase but undergoes a gel-glass transition at an effective volume fraction of 34 vol.%. At the same concentration, extrema of subdiffusive dynamics are found in the liquid phase at lower weight fractions. We interpret this as dynamic precursors of the glass-gel transition.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lara Frenzel
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestr. 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany.,The Hamburg Centre for Ultrafast Imaging, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Michael Dartsch
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestr. 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany.,The Hamburg Centre for Ultrafast Imaging, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Fabian Westermeier
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestr. 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Gerhard Grübel
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestr. 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany.,The Hamburg Centre for Ultrafast Imaging, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Felix Lehmkühler
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestr. 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany.,The Hamburg Centre for Ultrafast Imaging, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Li Q, Peng X, Chen D, McKenna GB. Softness mapping of the concentration dependence of the dynamics in model soft colloidal systems. J Colloid Interface Sci 2021; 605:398-409. [PMID: 34332413 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2021.07.089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2021] [Revised: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The dynamics of a series of soft colloids comprised of polystyrene cores with poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) coronas was investigated by diffusing wave spectroscopy (DWS). The modulus of the coronas was varied by changing the cross-link density and we were able to interpret the results within a hard-soft mapping framework. The soft, swellable particle properties were modeled using an extended Flory-Rehner theory and a Hertzian pair potential. Following volume fraction jumps, softness effects on the concentration dependence of dynamics were determined, with a 'soft colloids make strong glass-forming liquid'-type of behavior observed close to the nominal glass transition volume fraction, φg. Such behavior from the current systems cannot be fully explained by the osmotic deswelling model alone. However, inspired by the soft-hard mapping from Schmiedeberg et al, [Europhys. Lett. 2011, 96(3), 36010] we estimated effective hard-sphere diameters and achieved a successful mapping of the α-relaxation times to a master curve below φg. Above φg, the curves no longer collapse but show strong deviations from a Vogel-Fulcher type of divergence onto soft jamming plateaux. Our results provide evidence that osmotic deswelling itself cannot fully explain the observed dynamics. Softness also plays an important role in the dynamics of soft, concentrated colloids.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qi Li
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, United States
| | - Xiaoguang Peng
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, United States
| | - Dongjie Chen
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, United States
| | - Gregory B McKenna
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Roullet M, Clegg PS, Frith WJ. Rheology of protein-stabilised emulsion gels envisioned as composite networks. 2 - Framework for the study of emulsion gels. J Colloid Interface Sci 2021; 594:92-100. [PMID: 33756372 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2021.02.088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Revised: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
HYPOTHESIS The aggregation of protein-stabilised emulsions leads to the formation of emulsion gels. These soft solids may be envisioned as droplet-filled matrices. Here however, it is assumed that protein-coated sub-micron droplets contribute to the network formation in a similar way to proteins. Emulsion gels are thus envisioned as composite networks made of proteins and droplets. EXPERIMENTS Emulsion gels with a wide range of composition are prepared and their viscoelasticity and frequency dependence are measured. Their rheological behaviours are then analysed and compared with the properties of pure gels presented in the first part of this study. FINDINGS When the concentrations of droplets and protein are expressed as an effective volume fraction, the rheological behaviour of emulsion gels is shown to depend mostly on the total volume fraction, while the composition of the gel indicates its level of similarity with either pure droplet gels or pure protein gels. These results help to form an emerging picture of protein-stabilised emulsion gel as intermediate between droplet and protein gels. This justifies a posteriori the hypothesis of composite networks, and opens the road for the formulation of emulsion gels with fine-tuned rheology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marion Roullet
- Unilever R& D Colworth, Sharnbrook, Bedford MK44 1LQ, UK; School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Peter Guthrie Tait Road, Edinburgh EH9 3FD, UK.
| | - Paul S Clegg
- School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Peter Guthrie Tait Road, Edinburgh EH9 3FD, UK.
| | | |
Collapse
|
38
|
Scotti A. Characterization of the volume fraction of soft deformable microgels by means of small-angle neutron scattering with contrast variation. SOFT MATTER 2021; 17:5548-5559. [PMID: 33978056 DOI: 10.1039/d1sm00277e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The volume occupied by colloids in a suspension - namely the volume fraction - is the thermodynamic variable that determines the phase behavior of these systems. While for hard incompressible spheres this quantity is well defined, for soft compressible colloids such as microgels - polymeric crosslinked networks swollen in a good solvent - the determination of the real volume occupied by these particles in solution is particularly challenging. This fact depends on two aspects: first the surface and, therefore, the volume of the microgels is hard to define properly given their external fuzziness; second, microgels can osmotically deswell, deform or interpenetrate their neighbors, i.e. change their shape and size depending on the solution concentration. Here, the form factors of few hydrogenated microgels embedded in a matrix of deuterated but otherwise identical microgels are measured using small-angle neutron scattering with contrast variation. From the analysis of the scattering data, the variation of the volume of the microgels as a function of concentration is obtained and used to calculate the real microgel volume fraction in solution. Soft neutral microgels are shown to facet already at low concentrations while in contrast, harder microgels maintain their shape and change their volume.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Scotti
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, 52056, Aachen, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Affiliation(s)
- Yuichiro Nishizawa
- Graduate School of Textile Science & Technology, Shinshu University, 3-15-1 Tokida, Ueda, Nagano 386-8567, Japan
| | - Kenshiro Honda
- Graduate School of Textile Science & Technology, Shinshu University, 3-15-1 Tokida, Ueda, Nagano 386-8567, Japan
| | - Daisuke Suzuki
- Graduate School of Textile Science & Technology, Shinshu University, 3-15-1 Tokida, Ueda, Nagano 386-8567, Japan
- Research Initiative for Supra-Materials, Interdisciplinary Cluster for Cutting Edge Research, Shinshu University, 3-15-1 Tokida, Ueda, Nagano 386-8567, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Chaudhary G, Ghosh A, Kang JG, Braun PV, Ewoldt RH, Schweizer KS. Linear and nonlinear viscoelasticity of concentrated thermoresponsive microgel suspensions. J Colloid Interface Sci 2021; 601:886-898. [PMID: 34186277 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2021.05.111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Revised: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
We present an integrated experimental and theoretical study of the dynamics and rheology of self-crosslinked, slightly charged, temperature responsive soft poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (pNIPAM) microgels over a wide range of concentration and temperature spanning the sharp change in particle size and intermolecular interactions across the lower critical solution temperature (LCST). Dramatic, non-monotonic changes in viscoelasticity are observed as a function of temperature, with distinct concentration dependence in the dense fluid, glassy, and soft-jammed regimes. Motivated by our experimental observations, we formulate a minimalistic model for the size dependence of a single microgel particle and the change of the interparticle interaction from purely repulsive to attractive upon heating. Using microscopic equilibrium and time-dependent statistical mechanical theories, theoretical predictions are quantitatively compared with experimental measurements of the shear modulus. Good agreement is found for the nonmonotonic temperature behavior that originates as a consequence of the competition between reduced microgel packing fraction and increasing interparticle attractions. Testable predictions are made for nonlinear rheological properties such as the yield stress and strain. To our knowledge, this is the first attempt to quantitatively understand in a unified manner the viscoelasticity of dense, temperature-responsive microgel suspensions spanning a wide range of temperatures and concentrations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gaurav Chaudhary
- Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Ashesh Ghosh
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Jin Gu Kang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Paul V Braun
- Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Randy H Ewoldt
- Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA.
| | - Kenneth S Schweizer
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Shewan HM, Yakubov GE, Bonilla MR, Stokes JR. Viscoelasticity of non-colloidal hydrogel particle suspensions at the liquid-solid transition. SOFT MATTER 2021; 17:5073-5083. [PMID: 33929481 DOI: 10.1039/d0sm01624a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Suspensions of soft particles transition from a viscous fluid to a soft material upon increases in phase volume. The criteria defining the transition to this jammed state are difficult to define due to the porous and deformable nature of soft particles. Here, we characterise the rheology of aqueous suspensions of industrially relevant non-colloidal, polydisperse, frictional agarose microgels and evaluate shear and viscoelastic behaviour across a range of phase volumes from the dilute regime to the highly concentrated regime. In order to model the viscoelastic response of suspensions without free fitting parameters, the random close packing volume fraction (φrcp) and the particle modulus are determined, respectively, from particle size distribution measurements and direct measurements of reduced elastic modulus of individual particles (Erp) using Atomic Force Microscopy. It is found that at φrcp, previously shown to correspond to divergence of the viscosity, also corresponds to the suspension transition from a viscous to viscoelastic fluid. However, the transition to a jammed solid-like state (φj) occurs at phase volumes exceeding this value (i.e. φj > φrcp). The suspension modulus and its sudden growth at φj are well-predicted by the Evans and Lips model that incorporates the Erp of the hydrogel particles. This rheological behaviour showing a dual transition is reminiscent of two families of systems: (i) colloidal suspensions and (ii) frictional-adhesive non-colloidal suspensions. However, it does not strictly follow either case. We propose that the width of the transition region is dictated by frictional contact, particle size distribution and particle modulus, and plan to further probe this in future work.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Heather M Shewan
- School of Chemical Engineering, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia.
| | - Gleb E Yakubov
- School of Chemical Engineering, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia.
| | - Mauricio R Bonilla
- School of Chemical Engineering, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia.
| | - Jason R Stokes
- School of Chemical Engineering, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Shangwei L, Urakawa O, Inoue T. Rheo-Optical Study on the Viscoelastic Relaxation Modes of a Microgel Particle Suspension around the Liquid–Solid Transition Regime. Macromolecules 2021. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.0c02205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Li Shangwei
- Department of Macromolecular Science, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama-cho, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0043, Japan
| | - Osamu Urakawa
- Department of Macromolecular Science, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama-cho, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0043, Japan
| | - Tadashi Inoue
- Department of Macromolecular Science, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama-cho, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0043, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Nishizawa Y, Minato H, Inui T, Saito I, Kureha T, Shibayama M, Uchihashi T, Suzuki D. Nanostructure and thermoresponsiveness of poly( N-isopropyl methacrylamide)-based hydrogel microspheres prepared via aqueous free radical precipitation polymerization. RSC Adv 2021; 11:13130-13137. [PMID: 35423887 PMCID: PMC8697349 DOI: 10.1039/d1ra01650d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Thermoresponsive hydrogel microspheres (microgels) are smart materials that quickly respond to external stimuli, and their thermoresponsiveness can be tuned by varying the constituent chemical species. Although uniformly sized microgels can be prepared via aqueous free radical precipitation polymerization, the nanostructure of the obtained microgels is complex and remains unclear so far. In the present study, the nanostructure and thermoresponsiveness of poly(N-isopropyl methacrylamide) (pNIPMAm)-based microgels, which have a volume-transition temperature of ∼43 °C, were evaluated mainly using temperature-controllable high-speed atomic force microscopy. These observations, which are characterized by high spatio-temporal resolution, revealed that the pNIPMAm microgels have a peculiar heterogeneous structure, for example a core-shell and non-thermoresponsive nanostructure in the core region, that originates from the precipitation polymerization process. Furthermore, it was found that the adsorption concentration of the microgels on the substrate is one of the keys for controlling their thermoresponsiveness. These findings can be expected to advance the design of new materials such as thermoresponsive nanosheets and stimuli-responsive coatings.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuichiro Nishizawa
- Graduate School of Textile Science & Technology, Shinshu University 3-15-1 Tokida Ueda Nagano 386-8567 Japan
| | - Haruka Minato
- Graduate School of Textile Science & Technology, Shinshu University 3-15-1 Tokida Ueda Nagano 386-8567 Japan
| | - Takumi Inui
- Graduate School of Textile Science & Technology, Shinshu University 3-15-1 Tokida Ueda Nagano 386-8567 Japan
| | - Ikuma Saito
- Graduate School of Textile Science & Technology, Shinshu University 3-15-1 Tokida Ueda Nagano 386-8567 Japan
| | - Takuma Kureha
- Graduate School of Science & Technology, Hirosaki University 3, Bunkyo-cho, Hirosaki Aomori 036-8561 Japan
| | - Mitsuhiro Shibayama
- Neutron Science and Technology Center, Comprehensive Research Organization for Science and Society 162-1 Shirakata Tokai Ibaraki 319-1106 Japan
| | - Takayuki Uchihashi
- Department of Physics, Structural Biology Research Center, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University Furo-cho, Chiksusa-ku Nagoya Aichi 464-8602 Japan
- Exploratory Research Center on Life and Living Systems, National Institutes of Natural Science 5-1 Higashiyama, Myodaiji Okazaki Aichi 444-8787 Japan
| | - Daisuke Suzuki
- Graduate School of Textile Science & Technology, Shinshu University 3-15-1 Tokida Ueda Nagano 386-8567 Japan
- Research Initiative for Supra-Materials, Interdisciplinary Cluster for Cutting Edge Research, Shinshu University 3-15-1 Tokida Ueda Nagano 386-8567 Japan
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Colloidal and polymeric contributions to the yielding of dense microgel suspensions. J Colloid Interface Sci 2021; 587:437-445. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2020.11.101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2020] [Revised: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
|
45
|
Tavagnacco L, Chiessi E, Zaccarelli E. Molecular insights on poly( N-isopropylacrylamide) coil-to-globule transition induced by pressure. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2021; 23:5984-5991. [PMID: 33666621 PMCID: PMC8247264 DOI: 10.1039/d0cp06452a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
By using extensive all-atom molecular dynamics simulations of an atactic linear polymer chain, we provide microscopic insights into poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) coil-to-globule transition addressing the roles played by both temperature and pressure. We detect a coil-to-globule transition up to large pressures, showing a reentrant behavior of the critical temperature with increasing pressure in agreement with experimental observations. Furthermore, again confirming the experimental findings, we report the existence at high pressures of a new kind of globular state. It is characterized by a more structured hydration shell that is closer to PNIPAM hydrophobic domains, as compared to the globular state observed at atmospheric pressure. Our results highlight that temperature and pressure induce a PNIPAM coil-to-globule transition through different molecular mechanisms, opening the way for a systematic use of both thermodynamic variables to tune the location of the transition and the properties of the associated swollen/collapsed states.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Letizia Tavagnacco
- CNR-ISC and Department of Physics, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale A. Moro 2, 00185, Rome, Italy.
| | - Ester Chiessi
- Department of Chemical Sciences and Technologies, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via della Ricerca Scientifica I, 00133, Rome, Italy.
| | - Emanuela Zaccarelli
- CNR-ISC and Department of Physics, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale A. Moro 2, 00185, Rome, Italy.
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Del Monte G, Camerin F, Ninarello A, Gnan N, Rovigatti L, Zaccarelli E. Charge affinity and solvent effects in numerical simulations of ionic microgels. JOURNAL OF PHYSICS. CONDENSED MATTER : AN INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS JOURNAL 2021; 33:084001. [PMID: 33105117 DOI: 10.1088/1361-648x/abc4cb] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Ionic microgel particles are intriguing systems in which the properties of thermo-responsive polymeric colloids are enriched by the presence of charged groups. In order to rationalize their properties and predict the behaviour of microgel suspensions, it is necessary to develop a coarse-graining strategy that starts from the accurate modelling of single particles. Here, we provide a numerical advancement of a recently-introduced model for charged co-polymerized microgels by improving the treatment of ionic groups in the polymer network. We investigate the thermoresponsive properties of the particles, in particular their swelling behaviour and structure, finding that, when charged groups are considered to be hydrophilic at all temperatures, highly charged microgels do not achieve a fully collapsed state, in favorable comparison to experiments. In addition, we explicitly include the solvent in the description and put forward a mapping between the solvophobic potential in the absence of the solvent and the monomer-solvent interactions in its presence, which is found to work very accurately for any charge fraction of the microgel. Our work paves the way for comparing single-particle properties and swelling behaviour of ionic microgels to experiments and to tackle the study of these charged soft particles at a liquid-liquid interface.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Del Monte
- CNR Institute of Complex Systems, Uos Sapienza, Piazzale Aldo Moro 2, 00185, Roma, Italy
- Department of Physics, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 2, 00185 Roma, Italy
- Center for Life NanoScience, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Camerin
- CNR Institute of Complex Systems, Uos Sapienza, Piazzale Aldo Moro 2, 00185, Roma, Italy
- Department of Basic and Applied Sciences for Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, via Antonio Scarpa 14, 00161 Roma, Italy
| | - Andrea Ninarello
- CNR Institute of Complex Systems, Uos Sapienza, Piazzale Aldo Moro 2, 00185, Roma, Italy
- Department of Physics, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 2, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Nicoletta Gnan
- CNR Institute of Complex Systems, Uos Sapienza, Piazzale Aldo Moro 2, 00185, Roma, Italy
- Department of Physics, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 2, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Rovigatti
- CNR Institute of Complex Systems, Uos Sapienza, Piazzale Aldo Moro 2, 00185, Roma, Italy
- Department of Physics, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 2, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Emanuela Zaccarelli
- CNR Institute of Complex Systems, Uos Sapienza, Piazzale Aldo Moro 2, 00185, Roma, Italy
- Department of Physics, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 2, 00185 Roma, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Eisold S, Hoppe Alvarez L, Ran K, Hengsbach R, Fink G, Centeno Benigno S, Mayer J, Wöll D, Simon U. DNA introduces an independent temperature responsiveness to thermosensitive microgels and enables switchable plasmon coupling as well as controlled uptake and release. NANOSCALE 2021; 13:2875-2882. [PMID: 33306082 DOI: 10.1039/d0nr05650b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
A novel DNA-microgel hybrid system with dual thermal responsiveness is introduced uitilizing covalent coupling of single stranded DNA (ssDNA) to thermoresponsive microgels (μGs). The spatial distribution of the coupling sites for the ssDNA was characterized with 3D superresolution fluorescence microscopy. The DNA-functionalized μGs remain thermoresponsive and can take up dye-labeled complementary ssDNA, which can be released again by overcoming the dehybridization temperature of the DNA independently of the volume phase transition (VPT) of the μGs. The same holds for nano-objects represented by plasmonic gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), the penetration depth of which was visualized via TEM tomography and 3D reconstruction and which show enhanced plasmonic coupling in the collapsed state of the μG and thus gets switchable. In contrast, if ssDNA was taken up just by non-specific interactions, i.e. into non-functionalized μGs, its release is temperature-independent and can only be induced by increasing the salt concentration. Thus, the incorporated ssDNA represents highly selectice binding sites determined by their base number and sequence, which makes the VPT, beeing determined by the μG composition, and the reversible uptake and release enabled through programmable DNA hybridization are independent features. The combination with the typically high biocompatibility and the retained swellability and permeability hold promise for new fundamental insights as well as for potential applications in biological environments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sabine Eisold
- Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
48
|
Scotti A, Denton AR, Brugnoni M, Schweins R, Richtering W. Absence of crystals in the phase behavior of hollow microgels. Phys Rev E 2021; 103:022612. [PMID: 33736081 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.103.022612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2020] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Solutions of microgels have been widely used as model systems to gain insight into atomic condensed matter and complex fluids. We explore the thermodynamic phase behavior of hollow microgels, which are distinguished from conventional colloids by a central cavity. Small-angle neutron and x-ray scattering are used to probe hollow microgels in crowded environments. These measurements reveal an interplay among deswelling, interpenetration, and faceting and an unusual absence of crystals. Monte Carlo simulations of model systems confirm that, due to the cavity, solutions of hollow microgels more readily form a supercooled liquid than for microgels with a cross-linked core.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A Scotti
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, 52056 Aachen, Germany
| | - A R Denton
- Department of Physics, North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota 58108-6050 USA
| | - M Brugnoni
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, 52056 Aachen, Germany
| | - R Schweins
- Institut Laue-Langevin ILL DS/LSS, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, F-38000 Grenoble, France
| | - W Richtering
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, 52056 Aachen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Yin J, Zheng Z, Yang J, Liu Y, Cai L, Guo Q, Li M, Li X, Sun TL, Liu GX, Huang C, Cheng SZD, Russell TP, Yin P. Unexpected Elasticity in Assemblies of Glassy Supra‐Nanoparticle Clusters. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021; 60:4894-4900. [DOI: 10.1002/anie.202013361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2020] [Revised: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jia‐Fu Yin
- South China Advanced Institute for Soft Matter Science and Technology School of Molecular Science and Engineering State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices South China University of Technology Guangzhou 510640 China
| | - Zhao Zheng
- South China Advanced Institute for Soft Matter Science and Technology School of Molecular Science and Engineering State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices South China University of Technology Guangzhou 510640 China
| | - Junsheng Yang
- South China Advanced Institute for Soft Matter Science and Technology School of Molecular Science and Engineering State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices South China University of Technology Guangzhou 510640 China
| | - Yuchu Liu
- South China Advanced Institute for Soft Matter Science and Technology School of Molecular Science and Engineering State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices South China University of Technology Guangzhou 510640 China
| | - Linkun Cai
- South China Advanced Institute for Soft Matter Science and Technology School of Molecular Science and Engineering State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices South China University of Technology Guangzhou 510640 China
| | - Qing‐Yun Guo
- South China Advanced Institute for Soft Matter Science and Technology School of Molecular Science and Engineering State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices South China University of Technology Guangzhou 510640 China
| | - Mu Li
- South China Advanced Institute for Soft Matter Science and Technology School of Molecular Science and Engineering State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices South China University of Technology Guangzhou 510640 China
| | - Xinpei Li
- South China Advanced Institute for Soft Matter Science and Technology School of Molecular Science and Engineering State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices South China University of Technology Guangzhou 510640 China
| | - Tao Lin Sun
- South China Advanced Institute for Soft Matter Science and Technology School of Molecular Science and Engineering State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices South China University of Technology Guangzhou 510640 China
| | - Geng Xin Liu
- Center for Advanced Low-Dimension Materials State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials College of Material Science and Engineering Donghua University Shanghai 201620 China
| | - Caili Huang
- Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry for Energy Conversion and Storage Ministry of Education School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Huazhong University of Science and Technology Wuhan 430074 China
| | - Stephen Z. D. Cheng
- South China Advanced Institute for Soft Matter Science and Technology School of Molecular Science and Engineering State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices South China University of Technology Guangzhou 510640 China
| | - Thomas P. Russell
- Department of Polymer Science and Engineering University of Massachusetts Amherst 120 Governors Drive Amherst MA 01003 USA
| | - Panchao Yin
- South China Advanced Institute for Soft Matter Science and Technology School of Molecular Science and Engineering State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices South China University of Technology Guangzhou 510640 China
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Yin J, Zheng Z, Yang J, Liu Y, Cai L, Guo Q, Li M, Li X, Sun TL, Liu GX, Huang C, Cheng SZD, Russell TP, Yin P. Unexpected Elasticity in Assemblies of Glassy Supra‐Nanoparticle Clusters. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202013361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jia‐Fu Yin
- South China Advanced Institute for Soft Matter Science and Technology School of Molecular Science and Engineering State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices South China University of Technology Guangzhou 510640 China
| | - Zhao Zheng
- South China Advanced Institute for Soft Matter Science and Technology School of Molecular Science and Engineering State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices South China University of Technology Guangzhou 510640 China
| | - Junsheng Yang
- South China Advanced Institute for Soft Matter Science and Technology School of Molecular Science and Engineering State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices South China University of Technology Guangzhou 510640 China
| | - Yuchu Liu
- South China Advanced Institute for Soft Matter Science and Technology School of Molecular Science and Engineering State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices South China University of Technology Guangzhou 510640 China
| | - Linkun Cai
- South China Advanced Institute for Soft Matter Science and Technology School of Molecular Science and Engineering State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices South China University of Technology Guangzhou 510640 China
| | - Qing‐Yun Guo
- South China Advanced Institute for Soft Matter Science and Technology School of Molecular Science and Engineering State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices South China University of Technology Guangzhou 510640 China
| | - Mu Li
- South China Advanced Institute for Soft Matter Science and Technology School of Molecular Science and Engineering State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices South China University of Technology Guangzhou 510640 China
| | - Xinpei Li
- South China Advanced Institute for Soft Matter Science and Technology School of Molecular Science and Engineering State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices South China University of Technology Guangzhou 510640 China
| | - Tao Lin Sun
- South China Advanced Institute for Soft Matter Science and Technology School of Molecular Science and Engineering State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices South China University of Technology Guangzhou 510640 China
| | - Geng Xin Liu
- Center for Advanced Low-Dimension Materials State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials College of Material Science and Engineering Donghua University Shanghai 201620 China
| | - Caili Huang
- Key Laboratory of Material Chemistry for Energy Conversion and Storage Ministry of Education School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Huazhong University of Science and Technology Wuhan 430074 China
| | - Stephen Z. D. Cheng
- South China Advanced Institute for Soft Matter Science and Technology School of Molecular Science and Engineering State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices South China University of Technology Guangzhou 510640 China
| | - Thomas P. Russell
- Department of Polymer Science and Engineering University of Massachusetts Amherst 120 Governors Drive Amherst MA 01003 USA
| | - Panchao Yin
- South China Advanced Institute for Soft Matter Science and Technology School of Molecular Science and Engineering State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices South China University of Technology Guangzhou 510640 China
| |
Collapse
|