Statistical mechanical treatment of protein conformation. II. A three-state model for specific-sequence copolymers of amino acids.

A one-dimensional three-state Ising model [involving alpha-helical (alpha), extended (epsilon), and coil (or other) (c) states] for specific-sequence copolymers of amino acids ahs been formulated in order to treat the conformational states of proteins. This model involves four parameters (wh,iota, vh, iota, v episilon, iota, and uc, iota), and requires a 4 X 4 matrix for generating statistical weights. Some problems in applying this model to a specific-sequence copolymer of amino acids are discussed. A nearest-neighbor approximation for treating this three-state model is also formulated; it requires a 3 X 3 matrix, in which the same four parameters appear, but (as with the 4 X 4 matrix treatment) only three parameters (wh, uh, and v epsilon) are required if relative statistical weights are used. The relationship between the present three-state model (3 X 3 matrix treatment) and models of the helix--coil transition is discussed. Then, the three-state model (3 X 3 matrix treatment) is incorporated into an earlier (Tanaka--Scheraga) model of the helix-coil transition, in which asymmetric nucleation of helical sequences is taken into account. A method for calculating molecular averages and conformational-sequence probabilities, P(iota/eta/(rho)), i.e., the probability of finding a sequence of eta residues in a specific conformational state (rho), starting at the iotath position of the chain, is described. Two alternative methods for calculating P(iota/eta/(rho)), that can be applied to a model involving any number of states, are proposed and presented; one is the direct matrix-multiplication method, and the other uses a first-order a priori probability and a conditional probability. In this paper, these calculations are performed with the nearest-neighbor model, and without the feature of asymmetric nucleation. Finally, it is indicated how the three-state model and the methods for computing P(iota/eta/(rho)) can be applied to predict protein conformation.     

Kinetically constrained block copolymer self-assembly a simple method to control domain size

In this work asymmetric polystyrene-block-polyethylene oxide (PS-PEO) diblock copolymers were blended with high and low molecular polystyrene (PS) homopolymer and spin cast, resulting in the rapid self-assembly of vertically oriented PEO cylinders in a matrix of PS. Due to the kinetically constrained phase separation of the system, increasing addition of homopolymer is shown to reduce the diameter of the PEO domains, even when the homopolymer was of significantly higher molecular weight than the PS block in the PS-PEO diblock copolymer and would be predicted to macro-phase separate from the copolymer. The outcomes of this study provide a novel method that requires the adjustment of a single variable to tune the size of vertically oriented PEO domains between 10 and 100 nm, with potential applications in a number of areas including membrane technologies.     

Low-temperature nucleation in a kinetic Ising model under different stochastic dynamics with local energy barriers

Using both analytical and simulational methods, we study low-temperature nucleation rates in kinetic Ising lattice-gas models that evolve under two different Arrhenius dynamics that interpose between the Ising states a transition state representing a local energy barrier. The two dynamics are the transition-state approximation [T. Ala-Nissila, J. Kjoll, and S. C. Ying, Phys. Rev. B 46, 846 (1992)] and the one-step dynamic [H. C. Kang and W. H. Weinberg, J. Chem. Phys. 90, 2824 (1989)]. Even though they both obey detailed balance and are here applied to a situation that does not conserve the order parameter, we find significant differences between the nucleation rates observed with the two dynamics, and between them and the standard Glauber dynamic [R. J. Glauber, J. Math. Phys. 4, 294 (1963)], which does not contain transition states. Our results show that great care must be exercised when devising kinetic Monte Carlo transition rates for specific physical or chemical systems.     

在含嵌段共聚物的“稳固体溶液”中决定共聚物胶束作用的诸因素

在含嵌段共聚物可结晶型“稀固体溶液”的结晶过程中,我们已发现共聚物胶束既可起着成核剂的作用,也可起抑制成核数目的作用.本文根据进一步的研究结果,论述了共聚物胶束是起着成核剂的作用,还是起抑制成核作用或对体系的成核行为无影响主要取决于共聚物和均聚物的相对结晶能力及共混体系的相容性.     

在含嵌段共聚物的“稳固体溶液”中决定共聚物胶束作用的诸因素

 在含嵌段共聚物可结晶型“稀固体溶液”的结晶过程中,我们已发现共聚物胶束既可起着成核剂的作用,也可起抑制成核数目的作用.本文根据进一步的研究结果,论述了共聚物胶束是起着成核剂的作用,还是起抑制成核作用或对体系的成核行为无影响主要取决于共聚物和均聚物的相对结晶能力及共混体系的相容性.     

嵌段共聚物/均聚物共混体系的结晶行为 I. 非球状共聚物胶束的作用

将Leibler, Whitmore和Mayes等近期关于非晶嵌段共聚物“稀固体溶液”的理论应用于嵌段聚共聚物结晶型“稀固体溶液”结晶行为的研究。发现球状共聚物胶束既可起成核剂作用, 也可起抑制成核作用。报导了当共聚物胶束由球形变为非球形时, 共聚物胶束的上述作用都会发生较大的变化, 并根据Leibler和Mayes分别提出的球形和非球形胶束理论解释了这一实验现象。     

SOME ASPECTS OF MORPHOLOGIES AND INTERFACES IN COPOLYMER/HOMOPOLYMER BLENDS

Based on a series of morphological studies of blends of homopolymer (Homo) and a variety of block and graft copolymers (Cop), the nature of phase separation, interface, emulsification and inner morphology of copolymer-dispersed phase etc. in the blends are discussed. In the cases of Cop AB/Homo A/Homo B systems, in which one homopolymer forms matrix, it is observed that the dispersed homopolymer phase is exclusively associated with Cop AB, i.e. no Homo A-Homo B interface exists. This phenomenon is believed to be caused by minimizing the interfacial energy of the systems. Meanwhile, preferential solubilization or anchoring of the like chains of copolymer into homopolymer matrix leads to stabilization of the dispersed phase in the matrix. In addition, regular variation of the inner morphology of the dispersed copolymer phase with the composition and molecular parameters of the component polymers is observed. When the two components have comparable proportions, alternating concentric shells are the most common feature which is associated with minimizing the interfacial energy in the Cop/Homo systems.     

低乙烯含量共聚聚丙烯链结构和相结构与应力应变行为的关系

研究了两种典型的低温抗冲共聚聚丙烯(ICPP)的应力应变行为及温度依赖性,其低温应力应变行为揭示ICPP具有优异的低温抗冲性能和综合力学性能的结构本质.从初始弹性模量、屈服应力及断裂伸长随温度变化所显示的变化规律进一步确认了两种ICPP的序列结构特征和相结构特征.断裂伸长变化显示了乙丙橡胶相的增韧作用,屈服应力变化显示了分散相对基质结合紧密程度的影响,弹性模量则与基质的结晶状况和结晶形态有着比较密切的关系,同时也与乙丙橡胶相和聚丙烯基质的玻璃化转变温度密切相关.     

Nanomechanical fingerprints of individual blocks of a diblock copolymer chain

Atomic force microscopy (AFM)-based single polymer chain pulling experiments have been used to study the structural transitions of individual homopolymer chains in water. Polystyrene (PS) showed a three-regime force-extension profile exhibiting a force plateau reminiscent of a first-order transition, as predicted theoretically, whereas poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) showed a characteristic saw-tooth pattern reminiscent of multidomain disassembly behavior. The two distinct structural transtions provide fingerprints for the individual homopolymers, which can be used to identify individual blocks of symmetric and asymmetric PS- b-PMMA diblock copolymer chains.     

Obtaining reaction coordinates by likelihood maximization

We present a new approach for calculating reaction coordinates in complex systems. The new method is based on transition path sampling and likelihood maximization. It requires fewer trajectories than a single iteration of existing procedures, and it applies to both low and high friction dynamics. The new method screens a set of candidate collective variables for a good reaction coordinate that depends on a few relevant variables. The Bayesian information criterion determines whether additional variables significantly improve the reaction coordinate. Additionally, we present an advantageous transition path sampling algorithm and an algorithm to generate the most likely transition path in the space of collective variables. The method is demonstrated on two systems: a bistable model potential energy surface and nucleation in the Ising model. For the Ising model of nucleation, we quantify for the first time the role of nuclei surface area in the nucleation reaction coordinate. Surprisingly, increased surface area increases the stability of nuclei in two dimensions but decreases nuclei stability in three dimensions.     

低乙烯含量聚丙烯共聚物结晶成核剂研究

利用ＤＳＣ和偏光显微镜等手段研究了部分成核剂对聚丙烯均聚物（ＰＰ）、低乙烯含量聚丙烯共聚物及聚丙烯／聚乙烯（ＰＰ／ＰＥ）共混物结晶行为的影响，结果表明所用成核剂对ＰＰ和改性ＰＰ具有一定的普适性。聚丙烯共聚物中，由于链结构规整性变差，成核剂的作用显得特别突出，而ＰＰ／ＰＥ共混物中，由于成核剂向ＰＥ相迁移而使其对ＰＰ结晶的成核效率降低。     

微量PEO-PS-PEO/PEO共混体系结晶过程中共聚物胶束的成核作用

本工作将Leibler等近期关于含非晶两嵌段共聚物“稀固体溶液”的胶束理论推广并应用到含结晶三嵌段共聚物的“稀固体溶液”.对微量聚氧化乙烯-聚苯乙烯-聚氧化乙烯三嵌段共聚物/聚氧化乙烯均聚物共混体系的结晶行为进行了研究.结果表明,共聚物胶束在共混体系的结晶过程中可以起到成核剂的作用.这对改善结晶均聚物的性能具有一定的应用价值.     

微量PEO-PS-PEO/PEO共混体系结晶过程中共聚物胶束的成核作用

 本工作将Leibler等近期关于含非晶两嵌段共聚物“稀固体溶液”的胶束理论推广并应用到含结晶三嵌段共聚物的“稀固体溶液”.对微量聚氧化乙烯-聚苯乙烯-聚氧化乙烯三嵌段共聚物/聚氧化乙烯均聚物共混体系的结晶行为进行了研究.结果表明,共聚物胶束在共混体系的结晶过程中可以起到成核剂的作用.这对改善结晶均聚物的性能具有一定的应用价值.     

On the critical cluster in the two-dimensional Ising model: computer-assisted exact results

For a nearest-neighbor Ising model on a square lattice all cluster configurations with 17 or fewer spins are identified. In neglect of cluster-cluster interactions, critical sizes and barriers to nucleation are obtained as functions of temperature and magnetic field for two alternative definitions of a "critical cluster."     

乳液共聚反应过程与聚合物结构关系及~（13）C－NMR对聚合物结构的表征

用间歇法和半连续法进行了丙烯酸丁酯（ＢｕＡ）与醋酸乙烯酯（ＶＡｃ）乳液共聚合．１３Ｃ－ＮＭＲ对共聚产物分子结构测试表明，在间歇法共聚合中随着反应进行其组成及结构发生很大变化，而半连续法确能制得成份及结构均匀一致的Ｐ（ＢｕＡ－ＶＡｃ）共聚物．由于ＢｕＡ水溶性小于ＶＡｃ，而其竟聚率远大于ＶＡｃ，间歇法共聚合反应初期只有少量ＶＡｃ参加共聚合．通过对间歇法共聚合中不同反应时间聚合物的１３Ｃ－ＮＭＲ测试，表明反应初期聚合的ＶＡｃ以单链节或二元序列形式存在于主要由ＢｕＡ单元构成的分子链中，而并未形成较长ＶＡｃ链段．对上述试样玻璃化转变温度的测试结果与１３Ｃ－ＮＭＲ实验结果颇为一致．     

嵌段共聚物/均聚物共混体系的结晶行为——Ⅰ.非球状共聚物胶束的作用

将Leibler,Whitmore和Mayes等近期关于非晶嵌段共聚物“稀固体溶液”的理论应用于嵌段聚共聚物结晶型“稀固体溶液”结晶行为的研究。发现球状共聚物胶束既可起成核剂作用,也可起抑制成核作用。报导了当共聚物胶束由球形变为非球形时,共聚物胶束的上述作用都会发生较大的变化,并根据Leibler和Mayes分别提出的球形和非球形胶束理论解释了这一实验现象。     

Observation of single-chain scattering from homopolymer blended with a triblock copolymer

A small-angle neutron scattering method has been developed to determine the chain conformation of homopolymer chains dispersed in a block copolymer matrix. Two contrast matching techniques are used to achieve this result and are demonstrated for a system based on a styrene-hydrogenated butadiene-styrene triblock copolymer and a hydrogenated butadiene homo-polymer. Composition matching uses a blend of labeled and unlabeled molecules to match the scattering density of another component. Phase matching requires a block copolymer which has been synthesized such that the scattering densities of the blocks are equal. This polymer provides a transparent matrix in which a composition-matched blend of homopolymer can be dispersed to isolate the single-chain scattering function of the homopolymer chains.     

聚醚醚酮链段连接方式与其性能关系的研究

利用亲核取代反应,通过缩聚法合成了一种新型聚芳醚酮50％交替共聚物PEDEK-PETMDEK,通过¹HNMR证明其具有预期的结构.通过考察50％无规共聚物、50％交替共聚物、均聚物PEDEK和PET-MDEK的溶解性和热性能,发现聚醚醚酮共聚物的链段连接方式对聚合物性能有很大影响.50％交替共聚物是一种无定形固体,易溶于通常的有机溶剂,而50％无规共聚物却是半结晶聚合物,除浓硫酸外几乎不溶于任何溶剂;50％交替共聚物具有比50％无规共聚物更高的玻璃化转变温度.     

Reconstruction of the free energy in the metastable region using the path ensemble

By quenching into the metastable region of the three-dimensional Ising model, we investigate the paths that the magnetization (energy) takes as a function of time. We accumulate the magnetization (energy) paths into time-dependent distributions from which we reconstruct the free energy as a function of the magnetic field, temperature, and system size. From the reconstructed free energy, we obtain the free-energy barrier that is associated with the transition from a metastable state to the stable equilibrium state. Although mean-field theory predicts a sharp transition between the metastable and the unstable region where the free-energy barrier is zero, the results for the nearest-neighbor Ising model show that the free-energy barrier does not go to zero.     

The effect of copolymer composition on the dynamics of random copolymers in a homopolymer matrix

The effect of copolymer composition on the dynamics of random copolymers in a homopolymer matrix is studied using computer simulations within the framework of the bond-fluctuation model on blends containing low concentrations (10%) of A-B copolymers, where A and B are two different types of monomers, dispersed in a homopolymer matrix of chains with only A-type monomers. Four copolymer compositions were studied, phi(A)=0.33, phi(A)=0.5, phi(A)=0.66, and phi(A)=0.82, while maintaining a statistically random sequence distribution. For this study, we have only included intermolecular interactions between A and B monomers. Our results indicate, in agreement with experimental data, that copolymer composition has an impact on system dynamics. Analysis of the structure reveals that copolymers with majority A content are expanded in the homopolymer matrix, have fewer interchain copolymer-copolymer contacts, and are well dispersed in the homopolymer matrix. On the other hand, copolymers with lower A content form a more compact structure, have more interchain contacts, and form aggregates that are short lived. This in turn leads to slower system dynamics. Both the radius of gyration (Rg) and copolymer end-to-end vectors (Re) increase with increasing A content until phi(A)=0.66 and then decrease. Copolymers with lower A content form more compact structures as the repulsive interactions between unlike species are minimized by the copolymers folding back on themselves and forming aggregates of copolymer chains. Thus, these results provide insight into the variation of copolymer dynamics with composition in the system by documenting the correlation between the thermodynamics of this mixture, the conformation of a copolymer chain in a homopolymer matrix, and the dynamics of both components in this blend.