配体链包覆纳米粒子的表面相分离及自组装的模拟研究

通过耗散粒子动力学方法,模拟了二元配体链包覆的纳米粒子表面的相分离行为,并与现有的模拟和实验体系进行对比.研究结果印证了相分离驱动力是配体链错位所导致的构象熵的结论.进一步以相分离得到的Janus和三嵌段Janus结构纳米粒子作为构筑单元,研究了其在选择性溶剂中的自组装行为.结果表明,Janus粒子易自组装成为双层囊泡结构,而三嵌段Janus粒子则更易形成单层囊泡结构.对于从配体链包覆的纳米粒子出发,设计具有特殊功能的囊泡提供了理论支持.     

软三嵌段两面神胶体粒子自组装行为的模拟研究

采用软补丁粒子模型及相应的介观动力学模拟方法, 研究了软三嵌段两面神胶体粒子在稀溶液条件下的自组装行为. 通过合理调节补丁大小和补丁之间的吸引强度, 软三嵌段两面神胶体粒子能够自组装形成非常丰富的聚集结构, 包括线状结构、 六方柱状结构、 体心四方束状结构以及三维网络状结构. 此外, 分析了与纤维结构类似的体心四方束状结构形成的动力学机理. 模拟结果为实验上设计并制备新颖的超胶体纳米结构提供一定的理论支持.     

ACB三嵌段粒子分级自组装的布朗动力学研究

利用布朗动力学方法研究了ACB三嵌段粒子的分级自组装过程.由第一级组装得到的结构作为第二级组装的初始构型,通过调控体系中补丁B部分的吸引强度和补丁粒子的浓度,研究了第二级组装过程中形成有序结构的影响因素.通过设计组装模型、组装规则和组装路线,得到了蜂巢状网络结构和金刚石状结构.结果表明,在较高的吸引强度和适当的浓度下,可以得到更多且更规整的蜂巢状结构;较高和较低的吸引强度和浓度都不利于金刚石状结构的形成.     

DNA非均匀功能化纳米粒子的可编程自组装行为

DNA非均匀功能化纳米粒子作为一种可编程原子等价物,在多层次自组装结构领域具有重要的应用前景。构建了DNA非均匀功能化纳米粒子的粗粒化模型,并利用分子动力学模拟其自组装过程。通过计算机模拟发现,互补DNA序列间发生杂化反应,纳米粒子形成三维网络状和支化超结构;通过构建纳米粒子自组装结构的几何模型,能够正确预测纳米粒子之间的相对位置及其分布;通过调节互补的DNA功能化纳米粒子的化学计量比,显著地改变了自组装超结构和动力学行为。     

嵌段共聚物调控纳米粒子自组装的研究进展

嵌段共聚物和纳米粒子复合纳米材料具有优异的性能,在生物医药、光电材料、催化材料等领域具有很大的应用价值,已成为备受关注的研究热点.利用嵌段共聚物自组装能够形成特定形态的纳米结构聚集体,将纳米粒子选择性的分布和定位于嵌段共聚物聚集体中,可以改善纳米粒子的性能及其应用.本文综述了近年来实验上利用自组装制备嵌段共聚物-纳米粒子复合纳米材料的方法,并总结分析了影响纳米粒子在嵌段共聚物聚集体中的分布和定位的各种因素,包括纳米粒子的大小、形状及其表面化学.最后总结了嵌段共聚物-纳米粒子的自组装在理论模拟方面的研究.     

多嵌段共聚物/纳米粒子杂化多级结构的光学性能

结合耗散粒子动力学模拟和时域有限差分方法,研究了A(BC)_n多嵌段共聚物和纳米粒子共混体系的自组装行为及其光学性能,分析了纳米粒子体积分数和嵌段间相互作用强度对自组装形貌及其光学性能的影响。结果表明,A(BC)_n多嵌段共聚物/纳米粒子共混体系可形成有机/无机杂化的多级结构,改变纳米粒子的体积分数和嵌段间相互作用强度可以调控纳米粒子的分布及其相应的多级结构。不同尺度的结构对不同频率光的反射作用有明显区别,而纳米粒子的加入显著增大了反射峰的强度和宽度。改变纳米粒子的分布可调控反射峰的强度和宽度。     

含Janus粒子组装体的构筑、调控及功能的模拟与理论分析

Janus粒子由于其表面性质与形状特征的不对称性而展现出独特的力学、光学、电学、磁学和表面两亲性能,在构筑复杂组装结构及设计新型功能材料方面有着广阔的应用前景.本文主要从计算机模拟与理论分析的角度,结合相关实验体系,系统地总结了目前对含Janus粒子组装体的体系构筑、结构调控及材料功能等的相关研究进展.从Janus粒子自组装结构的精确构筑与动态响应性、界面结构的熵驱调控、非平衡组装动力学及含Janus粒子组装体功能的模拟与预报等4个方面,详细阐述了Janus粒子的复杂多级组装结构及其背后蕴含的热力学与动力学的机理,并介绍了一系列基于含Janus粒子组装体的聚合物基复合材料独特的功能及其潜在应用.在此基础上,指出合理设计Janus粒子的非对称性质以及巧妙调控组装体内的熵、焓平衡,是控制其多级组装结构,进而开发相应新型功能材料的关键,并对Janus粒子未来的理论和模拟研究趋势进行了展望.     

由嵌段共聚物制备有形状的核壳结构聚合物纳米颗粒

嵌段共聚物可自发组装形成形貌丰富的纳米粒子和有序纳米结构的材料,为纳米材料和纳米技术领域提供了很重要的新材料和新手段.该领域的进一步发展提出了对嵌段共聚物的自组装体赋予功能性的要求,即需要通过可控聚合反应合成反应性嵌段共聚物,并且对其自组装的纳米粒子进行结构、形状及功能性的调控.本文针对以上研究目标,结合本课题组在该领...     

原位自组装形成二氧化硅/十六烷基三甲基溴化铵纳米网络粒子

提出了以具有纳米尺寸孔径及孔壁厚度的MCM 48作为无机基体、以无机 有机原位自组装的方法形成纳米网络粒子 .研究结果表明 ,在一定实验条件下 ,有机相可进入无机相的三维孔道自组装形成立方有序结构的纳米网络复合粒子 .通过研究纳米网络粒子在极性介质和非极性介质中的分散发现 ,有机相的存在有利于纳米网络粒子的分散     

PS胶体粒子表面逐层自组装固定化SOD及其生物活性

通过逐层自组装技术成功地把超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)吸附在聚苯乙烯(PS)胶体粒子表面.zeta电位和TEM证明了聚阳离子或聚阴离子型SOD与相反电荷的聚电解质在PS胶体粒子表面的交替吸附.通过测定SOD被胶体粒子吸附后上清液的生物活性,得到聚阴离子型SOD(pH=8.0)和聚阳离子型SOD(pH=4.3)在PS胶体粒子表面的吸附量分别为12和51IU,相对活性分别为23.4%和2.9%.聚阴离子型SOD在PS胶体粒子表面能形成平滑规整的膜,导致较高的相对活性.研究结果表明,通过调节pH值,可以优化自组装固定化酶的聚集状态和生物活性     

A modeling approach to describe the adhesion of rough, asymmetric particles to surfaces

A combined theoretical and experimental study of the adhesion of alumina particles and polystyrene latex spheres to silicon dioxide surfaces was performed. A boundary element technique was used to model electrostatic interactions between micron-scale particles and planar surfaces when the particles and surfaces were in contact. This method allows quantitative evaluation of the effects of particle geometry and surface roughness on the electrostatic interaction. The electrostatic interactions are combined with a previously developed model for van der Waals forces in particle adhesion. The combined model accounts for the effects of particle and substrate geometry, surface roughness and asperity deformation on the adhesion force. Predictions from the combined model are compared with experimental measurements made with an atomic force microscope. Measurements are made in aqueous solutions of varying ionic strength and solution pH. While van der Waals forces are generally dominant when particles are in contact with surfaces, results obtained here indicate that electrostatic interactions contribute to the overall adhesion force in certain cases. Specifically, alumina particles with complex geometries were found to adhere to surfaces due to both electrostatic and van der Waals interactions, while polystyrene latex spheres were not affected by electrostatic forces when in contact with various surfaces.     

Influence of perpendicular external magnetic field on microstructures of monolayer composed of ferromagnetic particles: analysis by means of quasi-two-dimensional Monte Carlo simulation

We investigated the influences of the magnetic field strength and particle areal density on the microstructure of a quasi-two-dimensional monolayer composed of ferromagnetic particles by means of a Monte Carlo simulation. The magnetic field was applied along a direction perpendicular to the plane of the monolayer. Microstructures of the monolayer obtained in the simulations were analyzed in terms of radial distribution and orientational distribution functions. Formation of the microstructures is discussed from the perspective of particle-particle interaction energy and the perpendicular magnetic susceptibility of the monolayer was calculated from simulated magnetization curves. The obtained results are summarized as follows. For small areal density of particles, formation of chain-like structures is prevented by the repulsive magnetic interaction between particles due to orientations of the magnetic moments in the particles along the magnetic field direction. For intermediate areal density of particles, the chain-like structures remain even when a relatively strong magnetic field is applied, because contributions of the attractive magnetic interactions increase. For large areal density of particles, mixtures of chain-like and locally ordered structures appear due to the anisotropic attractive magnetic interactions in the absence of the magnetic field. However, when a sufficiently strong magnetic field is applied, the magnetic interactions between particles change to isotropic repulsive interactions, which results in the short-range repulsive steric interactions between particles becoming dominant with the appearance of hexagonal close packed structures.     

Mesoscopic model for diffusion-influenced reaction dynamics

A hybrid mesoscopic multiparticle collision model is used to study diffusion-influenced reaction kinetics. The mesoscopic particle dynamics conserves mass, momentum, and energy so that hydrodynamic effects are fully taken into account. Reactive and nonreactive interactions with catalytic solute particles are described by full molecular dynamics. Results are presented for large-scale, three-dimensional simulations to study the influence of diffusion on the rate constants of the A + C <==> B + C reaction. In the limit of a dilute solution of catalytic C particles, the simulation results are compared with diffusion equation approaches for both the irreversible and reversible reaction cases. Simulation results for systems where the volume fraction phi of catalytic spheres is high are also presented, and collective interactions among reactions on catalytic spheres that introduce volume fraction dependence in the rate constants are studied.     

Lattice Boltzmann simulation of particles agglomeration and rheology in a particulate flow

The dynamics and rheology of particles in a Newtonian fluid subjected to shear are simulated using Lattice Boltzmann Method. A computationally-efficient Smoothed Profile Method is used to resolve fluid-solid interactions, and the Lennard-Jones inter-particle potential is implemented to account for inter-particle forces. The use of a bi-periodic computational domain with Lees-Edward boundary conditions allows simulation for systems consisting of a large number of particles under shear. The method is validated for single and dual particle problems and an analysis is performed for multi-particle problems under a range of shear rates and particle fractions. The introduction of particle-particle interactions, which are physically important in many engineering processes, is found to have a considerable impact on the dynamics, agglomeration and rheology. The total stress exhibits high unsteadiness primarily due to the solid component contribution, at higher particle fractions. The simulations underscore the complex interplay between shear, interparticle forces and agglomeration and the complex dependencies of the rheological properties.     

Simulation study of charged nanoparticles confined in a rectangular tube with discrete wall charges

The development of novel nanomaterials has been a subject of intense interest in recent years. An interesting structure among these materials is the so-called "pea pods" (i.e., nanoparticles confined in nanotubes). To facilitate the development and commercialization of these materials, it is important that we have an in-depth understanding of their behavior. The study of confined charged particles is particularly challenging because of the long-ranged nature of electrostatic interaction, and both interparticle and particle-confinement interactions are likely to play a role in determining the system behavior. The primary objective of this study is to develop a better understanding of the behavior of charged nanoparticles in a charged tubular confinement using Monte Carlo simulation, with particular focus on the effect of electrostatic interactions on the structure of the particles. Simulation results have shown that (i) the structuring of confined particles is associated with the asymmetry of the long-ranged interaction and (ii) factors such as confinement geometry and particle charge and size asymmetry can be manipulated to produce different particle structures. The present study represents the first step in an attempt to gain further insight into the behavior of confined nanosystems, with the ultimate objective of exploiting these characteristics, particularly the interactions between the confined particles and their external environment, in developing novel nanomaterials.     

Arrested chain growth during magnetic directed particle assembly in yield stress matrix fluids

The process of assembling particles into organized functional structures is influenced by the rheological properties of the matrix fluid in which the assembly takes place. Therefore, tuning these properties represents a viable and as yet unexplored approach for controlling particle assembly. In this Letter, we examine the effect of the matrix fluid yield stress on the directed assembly of polarizable particles into linear chains under a uniform external magnetic field. Using particle-level simulations with a simple yield stress model, we find that chain growth follows the same trajectory as in Newtonian matrix fluids up to a critical time that depends on the balance between the yield stress and the strength of magnetic interactions between particles; subsequently, the system undergoes structural arrest. Appropriate dimensionless groups for characterizing the arresting behavior are determined and relationships between these groups and the resulting structural properties are presented. Since field-induced structures can be indefinitely stabilized by the matrix fluid yield stress and "frozen" into place as desired, this approach may facilitate the assembly of more complex and sophisticated structures.     

3D Monte Carlo simulations of a magnetic disk-like particle dispersion

We have investigated the aggregate structures of a colloidal dispersion composed of ferromagnetic disk-like particles with a magnetic moment normal to the particle axis at the particle center, by means of 3D Monte Carlo simulations. Such disk-like particles have been modeled as a circular disk-like particle with the side section shape of spherocylinder. We have attempted to clarify the influences of the magnetic field strength, magnetic interactions between particles and volumetric fraction of particles. In order to discuss quantitatively the aggregate structures of clusters, we have focused on the radial distribution and orientational pair correlation functions, etc. For no applied magnetic field cases, long column-like clusters come to be formed with increasing magnetic particle–particle interactions. The internal structures of these clusters clearly show that the particles incline in a certain direction and their magnetic moments alternate in direction between the neighboring particles in the clusters. For applied magnetic field cases, the magnetic moment of each particle inclines in the magnetic field direction and therefore the column-like clusters are not formed straightforwardly. If the magnetic field is much stronger than magnetic particle–particle interactions, the particles do not have a tendency to form the clusters. As the influence of magnetic particle–particle interactions is significantly strong, thick chain-like clusters or column-like clusters or brick-wall-like clusters come to be formed along the magnetic field direction.     

Percolation and jamming in structures built through sequential deposition of particles

The strength of attractive interaction among particles on a surface, which was studied in our previous work, leads to different degrees of clustering and ordering. A growing structure percolates when all clusters connect and become one and finally the structure is jammed when there is no space large enough to accommodate one more particle. The lowest jamming limit reported is for structures from the random sequential adsorption. We studied here, by means of Monte Carlo simulation, structures built through sequential deposition of particles, into which surface diffusion and various degrees of attractive forces are incorporated and reported jamming limits along with the percolation thresholds. The higher the strength of attractive interactions, the larger the percolation densities and jamming limits are. These results were shown in a diagram as a function of temperature (or equivalently the strength of attractive interaction), ranging from very low temperature to very high temperature (RSA limit).     

具有特殊相互作用的聚合物共混物在选择性溶剂中的自组装行为

研究了磺化聚苯乙烯(SPS)/聚4-乙烯基吡啶(P4VP)在选择性溶剂甲醇中的自组装行为。用动态光散射的方法考察了P4VP/甲醇初始浓度以及Cu^2^+的加入对溶液中粒子尺寸的影响,并研究了Cu^2^+的加入对聚合物溶液粘度的影响。