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.     

在平行板受限条件下AB两嵌段共聚物/纳米粒子复合物自组装行为的Monte Carlo模拟

采用Monte Carlo模拟方法研究了在平行板受限条件下A_(15)B_5非对称两嵌段共聚物与纳米粒子复合物的自组装行为,其中平行板对多组分嵌段A具有吸引相互作用.模拟结果表明,纳米粒子在两嵌段共聚物/纳米粒子复合物中的体积分数、嵌段共聚物不同嵌段与纳米粒子间的相互作用均对体系在平行板受限条件下的形貌结构及纳米粒子在体系中的分布有重要影响.当平行板间距一定时,未添加纳米粒子的A_(15)B_5非对称两嵌段共聚物中的A嵌段被吸附在平行板上形成层状相,而B嵌段则在平行板中形成六角堆积穿孔层状结构.加入与A嵌段不相容而与B嵌段相容的纳米粒子后,增加了纳米粒子与B嵌段的相容性,有利于保持B嵌段所形成的穿孔结构及孔洞尺寸,同时纳米粒子能够均匀地分散在B相区中.当引入的纳米粒子与A和B两嵌段均不相容时,降低纳米粒子与嵌段共聚物的不相容性同样有利于维持体系的穿孔结构.当纳米粒子与AB两嵌段共聚物间的排斥作用微弱时,即使含量较高,纳米粒子也不聚集,并且均匀分布在A相区与B相区的交界处.     

受限于平行板中高分子刷/磁性纳米粒子体系的构象性质研究

采用蒙特卡洛模拟方法研究了在外磁场作用下磁性纳米粒子/高分子刷组成的共混体系的统计构象性质.共混体系受限于两平行板之间,高分子刷—端随机嫁接在乎行板上,另一端自由生长,高分子刷与高分子刷之间以及磁性纳米粒子与磁性纳米粒子之间存在相互排斥作用,而高分子刷和磁性纳米粒子之间存在相互吸引作用,所施加的磁场方向与两平行板垂直....     

嵌段序列对聚合物囊泡形成过程影响的Monte Carlo模拟

采用Monte Carlo模拟方法研究了具有相同链长和组分比的不同嵌段序列的AB两嵌段共聚物与ABA三嵌段共聚物在选择性溶剂中形成囊泡的动力学过程. 模拟结果表明, AB两嵌段共聚物囊泡的形成与ABA三嵌段共聚物囊泡的形成的动力学过程不同. 在慢速退火条件下, ABA三嵌段共聚物囊泡是通过亲水链段向胶束的表面和中心扩散而形成的, 而AB两嵌段共聚物囊泡则由片层弯曲闭合而形成. 相对而言, 退火速度对AB两嵌段共聚物囊泡形成的动力学过程没有显著影响, 其改变仅影响亲水链段与疏水链段发生相分离的难易程度. 当退火速度较快时, 亲水链段和疏水链段发生相分离的速度较快且相分离发生在囊泡形成之前; 而当退火速度较慢时亲水链段和疏水链段之间的相分离在囊泡形成之后仍在进行.     

两嵌段共聚物反相溶剂中组装结构转变动力学的模拟研究

利用耗散粒子动力学方法,分别研究了不同结构的组装体在改变溶剂的选择性后,在溶液及界面上的结构演变动力学.模拟结果表明,在改变溶剂的选择性后,大球形胶束在溶液中转变形成反向球形胶束,而在界面上则转变形成反向环状胶束,当前模拟结果与已有的实验结果一致.此外,模拟结果还预测出,在改变溶剂的选择性后,环状胶束在溶液中转变形成反向环状胶束,而在界面处受限形成反向的支化蠕虫状胶束;蠕虫状胶束则在溶液中转变形成反向环状胶束,而在界面处受限形成多层纳米球结构;囊泡在溶液中转变形成分散的小胶束聚集体,而在界面处受限形成球形的补丁纳米粒子.     

光催化还原制备Au/Ag核壳结构纳米粒子及其修饰电极的电催化性能

以Keggin结构硅钨杂多酸H4SiW12O40(SiW12)为光催化还原剂,通过光化学还原法制备Au/Ag核壳结构纳米粒子. 透射电子显微镜分析显示,所得纳米粒子粒径为30～40 nm,呈均匀分散的球形颗粒,该制备方法的特点是可以较好的避免单金属纳米粒子的形成. 将Au/Ag核壳纳米粒子修饰到具有PVP膜的玻碳电极表面,得到SiW12-(Au/Ag)-PVP多层膜修饰电极. 该修饰电极在0.5 mol/L H2SO4介质中具有良好的电化学响应,在0～-0.75 V电位范围内,出现了3对归属于SiW12的氧化还原峰,且电极性能稳定,灵敏度高. 对H2O2的电催化还原性能明显优于单金属Ag纳米粒子修饰电极,说明Au核的存在可以很好的改善Ag的电催化性能,Au和Ag之间存在相互协同催化作用.     

显式溶剂模型模拟嵌段共聚物在纳米微滴中的图案化结构

采用耗散粒子动力学(DPD)方法研究了嵌段共聚物在纳米微滴中的相分离行为.模拟是将共聚物纳米微滴置于溶剂环境中进行自发相分离,从而形成一些图案化结构.由于是受限体系,所形成的结构和在溶液或熔融体中形成的相分离结构有所差异,这些结构的形成与亲/疏溶剂嵌段比例(RH/T)有关系.随着亲/疏溶剂嵌段比例的增加,依次形成了枣糕球体、排球状相、多层囊泡(洋葱相)、笼状相、纳米杆状相和分散胶束等结构.我们对洋葱相的形成过程进行了详细的描述.溶剂粒子的集群属性有助于更加深入地了解洋葱相的结构衍化.采用密度曲线分析了洋葱相的结构.在较高的亲/疏溶剂嵌段的比例条件下,嵌段共聚物主要表现为亲溶剂性,通过吸收大量的溶剂溶胀形成疏松结构或瓦解形成分散的胶束悬浮在溶剂中.本文模拟结果与理论或实验结果基本吻合.     

等规聚丁烯-1/硬脂酸改性CaCO3纳米粒子复合材料制备与性能研究

通过双螺杆挤出共混制备了等规聚丁烯-1（iPB-1）/硬脂酸改性CaCO₃纳米粒子复合材料,以扫描电子显微镜（SEM）、差示扫描量热法（DSC）、动态流变及拉伸、冲击和弯曲等手段对其结构和性能进行表征,考察了不同含量CaCO₃纳米粒子在加入2种不同相对分子质量iPB-1时的影响规律.结果显示CaCO₃纳米粒子在较低相对分子质量iPB-1中分散较好,所得复合材料的动态流变复数模量、储能模量、损耗模量及复数黏度等动态流变性能以及拉伸强度等力学性能均随CaCO₃纳米粒子用量增多而明显增加;而CaCO₃纳米粒子在较高相对分子质量iPB-1中分散较差,所得复合材料的动态流变性能和力学性能变化较小甚至没有影响.iPB-1短链因端链作用相对长链在链构象调整时更容易而链活动性更强且缠结弱,对CaCO₃纳米粒子填充更敏感;iPB-1长链则主要受链缠结主导限制了其链构象调整能力进而链活动性较低,表现为更“强”的“强流体”特性,进而降低了CaCO₃纳米粒子...     

耗散粒子动力学研究片状双层——囊泡转变

片状双层是囊泡自发形成过程中的重要中间态,由片状双层向囊泡的转变机理一直未被认清．本文以磷脂分子DMPC作为模拟对象,采用普适性的粗粒化模型和耗散粒子动力学模拟方法,以体系粒子无序分布和无应力片状双层作为初态,对水溶液中片状双层——囊泡的转变过程进行了深入研究．发现尾-水粒子间憎水作用能最小化是片状双层卷曲形成囊泡的微观本质．囊泡的双分子层为二维流体．此外还得到了囊泡上粒子的位置分布和化学键排列取向等方面的结构信息．     

ABC三嵌段共聚物的聚合诱导自组装研究

聚合诱导自组装(PISA)是一种在高浓度溶液中可连续大量制备纳米材料的新技术,结合计算模拟方法,研究其动力学过程可强化对PISA的认识和调控.通过耗散粒子动力学(DPD)模拟,研究了ABC三嵌段共聚物的聚合诱导自组装过程.先利用亲溶剂A链段引发B单体聚合,随着疏溶剂B链段的增长,AB二嵌段共聚物可组装并发生聚集体结构的连续转变,由球形胶束→蠕虫状胶束→层状结构→囊泡.再将C单体逐步聚合到AB共聚物上,调控C链段的亲疏溶剂性,可聚合诱导组装或解组装形成不同的ABC三嵌段共聚物聚集体.     

Dynamic Monte Carlo simulation of aggregation of nanoparticles in the presence of diblock copolymer

The aggregation of hydrophobic nanoparticles in the presence of diblock copolymers is investigated using dynamic Monte Carlo simulation on a simple cubic lattice. One nanoparticle occupies one lattice site, one block copolymer (A(m)B(m)) occupies 2m sequentially linked sites with m segments of A and m segments of B, and solvents are represented by any unoccupied sites. All of them are self-avoiding and nearest-neighbor interactions are considered. A compact big aggregate, dispersed aggregates wrapped by polymer chains, and an ordered lamellar structure are obtained by varying the concentration of copolymer. The structures are seen to be controlled by competing forces between the interaction of copolymer with nanoparticles and the self-assembly of copolymer in solution. The critical concentration of copolymer needed to form the lamellar structure, C(p,L), decreases with the chain length. It is also found that C(p,L) decreases roughly linearly with the concentration of nanoparticles C(n), which can be approximately expressed as C(p,L)=0.764-0.857C(n) when m=2. The simulation demonstrates that addition of diblock copolymer can effectively control the aggregation of nanoparticles and lead to the formation of a variety of nanostructures.     

Vesicle formation and stability in aqueous mixtures of the hydrolyzed copolymer of styrene-maleic anhydride and conventional single-tailed cationic surfactants

Vesicle formation in aqueous mixtures of the hydrolyzed copolymer of styrene-maleic anhydride (HSMA) and a series of single-tailed cationic surfactants (C(n)H(2n+1)N(C(m)H(2m+1))3Br, n = 8, 10, 12, 16, m = 1, 2, 3, 4) was studied by fluorescence measurement, zeta potential measurement, and transmission electron microscopy. The driving forces of vesicle formation in this kind of system are attributed to the combination of electrostatic attraction and the hydrophobic interaction. Variation of the surfactant structure had a great influence on vesicle formation. A model for the conformation of the molecular packing in the vesicle membrane was suggested on the basis of XRD measurement and Chem3D simulation. Moreover, these vesicles showed superstability to aging time, to NaBr, and to ethanol.     

Morphology transitions of AB diblock copolymer melts confined in nanocylindrical tubes

By employing Monte Carlo simulations for various values for the interactions energies epsilonAB between the beads A and B, the selectivity of the surface for one of the beads, and the diameter d of the nanotube, the morphology transitions in A5B5 and A7B3 diblock copolymer melts were investigated. In symmetrical systems and for a negligible preference of the surface for A and B and not too large values of d, as epsilonAB increases, increasingly thicker stacked-disk macrodomains normal to the tube surface were formed. When epsilonAB became sufficiently large, a configuration transition to helixes occurred which became deformed at larger values of epsilonAB. The helixes contained an imperfect single helix of A coupled with an imperfect single helix of B or imperfect double helixes of A coupled with imperfect double helixes of B. When at constant and relatively large epsilonAB, the attractive interaction epsilonAS between the A bead and the surface was increased, a transition from a succession consisting of stacked disks and a helix to a helical one occurred, which changed to a circular lamellar structure at a sufficiently large attraction epsilonAS by the surface. When the diameter d was increased, in addition to the helixes already mentioned imperfect triple helixes of A coupled with triple helixes of B were identified. In the asymmetrical case, two kinds of helixes were observed, namely, those identified in the symmetrical case, as well as a helix formed by one kind of beads immersed in the matrix of the other one.     

Monte Carlo Simulations of the Phase Separation of a Copolymer Blend in a Thin Film

Monte Carlo simulations were carried out to study the phase separation of a copolymer blend comprising an alternating copolymer and/or block copolymer in a thin film, and a phase diagram was constructed with a series of composed recipes. The effects of composition and segregation strength on phase separation were discussed in detail. The chain conformation of the block copolymer and alternating copolymer were investigated with changes of the segregation strength. Our simulations revealed that the segment distribution along the copolymer chain and the segregation strength between coarse‐grained beads are two important parameters controlling phase separation and chain conformation in thin films of a copolymer blend. A well‐controlled phase separation in the copolymer blend can be used to fabricate novel nanostructures.     

利用TDGL方法模拟嵌段共聚物链长和浓度对A/B/A-B三组分体系相形态演化的影响

从Flory-Huggins自由能出发,得到了适合TDGL模拟的自由能泛函.在自由能中保留了各序参量的耦合项,并且还保留了链长的信息.利用自由能中的链长的信息,模拟了不同嵌段共聚物链长以及不同浓度下体系的形态变化,在均聚物的链长和浓度确定的条件下,存在一个使体系的相区尺寸最小的最佳嵌段共聚物链长.同时,在嵌段共聚物和均聚物的链长都一定的情况下,研究了不同量的嵌段共聚物对体系相行为的影响,发现嵌段共聚物的浓度不同,体系的结构存在很大的区别.此外,如果均聚物A和B的浓度不同,其相区的结构也不同.     

Interfacial reactivity of block copolymers: understanding the amphiphile-to-hydrophile transition

Block copolymers offer an interesting platform to study chemically triggered transitions in self-assembled structures. We have previously reported the oxidative degradation of vesicles made of poly(propylene sulfide)-poly(ethylene glycol) (PPS-PEG) copolymers. Here we propose a mechanism for vesicle degradation deduced from copolymer conformational changes occurring at the air/water interface in a Langmuir trough together with a reactive subphase. The hydrophobic PPS block is converted into hydrophilic poly(propylene sulfoxide) and poly(propylene sulfone) by oxidation upon exposure to 1% aqueous H(2)O(2) subphase. As a result, a dramatic increase in area per molecule at constant surface pressure (Pi) was observed, followed by an apparent decrease (recorded as decrease in area at constant Pi) due to copolymer dissolution. For monolayers at the air/water surface, the large interfacial tensions present suppress increases in local curvature for alleviating the increased hydrophilicity of the copolymer chains. By contrast, vesicles can potentially rearrange molecules in their bilayers to accommodate a changing hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB). Similar time scales for monolayer rearrangement and vesicle degradation imply a common copolymer chain solubilization mechanism, which in vesicles lead to an eventual transition to aggregates of higher curvature, such as cylindrical and spherical micelles. Subtle differences in response to the applied surface pressure for the diblock compared to the triblock suggest an effect of the different chain mobility.     

Influence of polymer matrix composition and architecture on polymer nanocomposite formation: Coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulation

Coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations of stacks of two-dimensional platelets immersed in a polymer melt were performed to investigate aspects of the polymer matrix that promote the formation of intercalated or exfoliated nanocomposite structures. Such factors include temperature, copolymer architecture, and blend composition. Increasing the polymer-sheet attractive interaction led to binding of the sheets, where individual beads simultaneously attract two neighboring sheets, thus kinetically blocking intercalation by occupying the perimeter of the affected gallery. Polymers with a small polymer-sheet attraction, but having a strongly attractive chain end (end-functionalized polymers) minimized the bonding of adjacent sheets. These systems exhibited some sheet sliding because a majority of the confined polymer beads only interacted weakly with adjacent sheets; however, the number density of intercalated polymer was low. Mixtures of end-functionalized and nonfunctionalized polymers, however, yielded better intercalation efficiency. For the mixed system, the reduced number of highly attractive beads provided sufficient interaction for intercalation to occur, enabling greater intercalation rates, less sheet-bridging, and incorporation of the nonfunctionalized polymers into the galleries. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 41: 3272–3284, 2003     

Self-assembly Behavior of Symmetrical Linear ABCA Tetrablock Copolymer: A Self-consistent Field Theory Study

ABCA tetrablock copolymers offer new opportunities for design of materials with novel structures. Using real-space self-consistent field theory and simulation, we systematically examined the self-assembly behavior of linear ABCA tetrablock copolymers in a 2D space. The simulation was carried out under conditions of symmetrical compositions and interactions. We focus on the influence of chain length ratio of block A and interactions between block A and other blocks B and C on the self-assembly behavior of the copolymer system. The simulation results show that most of the structures self-assembled by the ABCA tetrablock copolymers are centrosymmetric, such as diblock-like lamella phase, two kinds of lamellae with beads at interface, two kinds of hierarchical lamella phase, hexagonal honeycomb-like phase, lamella phase with mixed BC and hexagonal spheres with mixed BC. Furthermore, we find that a novel noncentrosymmetric Janus spheres can be obtained when the interaction between blocks B and C is strong, whereas a noncentrosymmetric lamella phase was obtained at weak interaction between blocks B and C. Phase diagrams for the ABCA tetrablock copolymers with different interaction strength between blocks B and C are constructed by comparing free energies of candidate ordered structures. In addition, studies on the metastable behavior of the system reveal that enthalpy plays an important role in the metastable behavior of the ABCA tetrablock copolymer system. Our work can provide useful guide for structure control of such kind of tetrablock copolymers in experiments.     

Synthesis and characterization of a biodegradable amphiphilic copolymer based on branched poly(ϵ‐caprolactone) and poly(ethylene glycol)

A novel biodegradable amphiphilic copolymer with hydrophobic poly(ε‐caprolactone) branches containing cholic acid moiety and a hydrophilic poly(ethylene glycol) chain was synthesized. The copolymer was characterized by FTIR, ¹H NMR, gel permeation chromatography (GPC), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), polarizing light microscopy (PLM), and wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction (WAXD) analysis. The amphiphilic copolymer could self‐assemble into micelles in an aqueous solution. The critical micelle concentration of the amphiphilic copolymer was determined by fluorescence spectroscopy. A nanoparticle drug delivery system with a regularly spherical shape was prepared with high encapsulation efficiency. The in vitro drug release from the drug‐loaded polymeric nanoparticles was investigated. Because of the branched structure of the hydrophobic part of the copolymer and the relatively fast degradation rate of the copolymer, an improved release behavior was observed. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 5256–5265, 2007     

Study of pH-sensitive copolymer/phospholipid complexes using the langmuir balance technique: effect of anchoring sequence and copolymer molecular weight

The behavior of three copolymers of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM), methacrylic acid (MAA), and hydrophobic moiety was studied at phospholipid monolayer/subphase interfaces. The hydrophobic moieties, N-terminal dioctadecylamine (DODA) and random octadecylacrylate (ODA), were used as anchoring groups. The interactions between a 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine (DSPC) monolayer and the copolymers were studied using the Langmuir balance technique. The effect of subphase pH, distribution of anchors along the copolymer chain, and copolymer molecular weight on the nature of the interactions between the copolymer chains and the DSPC monolayer were investigated. A first-order kinetics model was used to analyze the copolymers adsorption at the DSPC monolayer/subphase interface and allowed the interaction area between the copolymer chains and the DSPC monolayer, A(x), to be determined. The interaction area appears to depend on the subphase pH and the copolymer molecular weight. On decreasing pH, the interaction area of high molecular weight copolymers increases significantly; this is consistent with the copolymer chain phase transition from an extended coil to a collapsed globule while pH is lowered. In the latter conformation, strong hydrophobic attractive interactions between the copolymer chains and the hydrophobic part of the DSPC monolayer favor the copolymer intercalation, which could eventually provoke the phospholipidic layer destabilization or rupture.