高分子相分离的分子动力学模拟

用粗粒化分子动力学(MD)模拟方法从分子层次研究两组分聚合物共混体系相分离过程中的动力学. 在相分离初期, 相区尺寸不随时间增加而变化; 在相分离中期, 相区尺寸与时间有很好的标度关系, 标度指数(α=1/3)符合Lifshiz-Slyozov提出的以扩散为主导的蒸发-凝聚机理的标度预测; 在相分离后期, 体系实现宏观相分离, 相区尺寸不再随时间改变而变化. 体积分数小的高分子链尺寸在相分离过程中先收缩再扩张, 在实现宏观相分离后, 高分子链尺寸又回到本体状态尺寸.     

高分子/单链高分子纳米粒子复合体系中的界面性质

高分子与纳米粒子复合是改善高分子材料性能的有效途径.近20年来关于高分子/纳米粒子复合物的研究引起了学术界广泛的兴趣.然而由于此类体系中的影响因素复杂,虽然学者们在相关材料性能的研究方面取得了重要进展,但是相关理论的发展却相对滞后,其中一个重要原因是实验上表征手段的缺失,导致对体系中纳米粒子与本体高分子链相互作用规律的认识(尤其是两者界面性质的认识)不够.本文总结和阐述了我们近几年利用分子动力学模拟技术研究高分子/单链高分子纳米粒子复合体系的主要结果,并围绕此类复合体系中的界面结构及动力学性质,讨论并总结了纳米粒子对本体高分子链的作用范围及影响规律,指出单链纳米粒子对熔体链的作用范围与纳米粒子的自身尺寸相当,而与熔体高分子链的分子量没有直接的关系.该结论将为纳米复合体系高分子理论的发展提供重要参考.     

Micellar crystals in solution from molecular dynamics simulations

Polymers with both soluble and insoluble blocks typically self-assemble into micelles, which are aggregates of a finite number of polymers where the soluble blocks shield the insoluble ones from contact with the solvent. Upon increasing concentration, these micelles often form gels that exhibit crystalline order in many systems. In this paper, we present a study of both the dynamics and the equilibrium properties of micellar crystals of triblock polymers using molecular dynamics simulations. Our results show that equilibration of single micelle degrees of freedom and crystal formation occur by polymer transfer between micelles, a process that is described by transition state theory. Near the disordered (or melting) transition, bcc lattices are favored for all triblocks studied. Lattices with fcc ordering are also found but only at lower kinetic temperatures and for triblocks with short hydrophilic blocks. Our results lead to a number of theoretical considerations and suggest a range of implications to experimental systems with a particular emphasis on Pluronic polymers.     

聚合物熔体界面扩散理论与研究方法

本文结合与聚合物加工过程密切相关的界面扩散问题,从动力学和热力学两方面综述了与聚合物界面互扩散相关的基础理论.结合在聚合物界面扩散方面的研究进展,系统介绍了聚合物熔体界面扩散的常用研究方法.对其中的流变学方法的原理及进展作了重点论述,该方法不仅可以有效表征聚合物熔体界面扩散的动力学过程,进一步从分子动力学角度发展并完善聚合物扩散理论,而且对于聚合物加工成型过程的界面结构设计和性能优化起到关键的指导作用.本文最后提出了聚合物熔体界面扩散研究中存在的问题并对其前景进行了展望.     

聚合物接枝Janus纳米片形变的耗散粒子动力学研究

由于在检测、药物输运、分子马达等领域具有广阔的应用前景,二维柔性响应Janus材料受到了广泛的关注。但遗憾的是,这些二维材料的响应形变的分子机理仍不明确。基于此,我们采用介观尺度的耗散粒子动力学模拟方法系统研究了Janus纳米片两侧接枝不同长度和不同溶剂相容性的高分子链对Janus纳米片形变的影响。我们发现由于构象熵和混合焓的共同作用,通过对接枝链长度和溶剂相容性的调整,Janus纳米片可以形成如反相包覆、信封装包覆和碗状等新奇的结构。我们的理论结果首次提供了对二维柔性Janus材料可控形变的基本认识,并预报了设计合成新型Janus纳米器件在药物和生物医学领域的潜在应用。     

高分子熔体结晶的两维计算机模拟

高分子熔体结晶的两维计算机模拟胡文兵，于同隐，卜海山（复旦大学高分子科学系，复旦大学材料科学系，上海，２００４３３）关键词计算机模拟，有序相变，高分子１９５６年Ｆｌｏｒｙ［１］从平均场近似的格子模型证明：高分子链的非柔顺性会导致长链的完全有序排列．此...     

受限状态聚合物熔体的分子动力学模拟

用粗粒化的分子动力学(MD)模拟方法从分子层次研究了受限于粗糙壁内的聚合物熔体的动力学性质. 结果表明, 对于链长较短的受限聚合物熔体体系, 随着膜厚的增加, 体系内部高分子链的松弛时间逐渐减少; 然而对于链长较长的受限体系, 聚合物链的松弛时间随着膜厚的增加先减少后增加. 推测这种由于链长的变化所引起的动力学性质的差异源自受限熔体内聚合物链聚集状态的改变, 并且通过考察交叠参数对这种改变进行了分析. 结果表明, 在膜厚增加的过程中, 决定受限状态高分子长链松弛机理的因素逐渐从受限效应转变成为链间的缠结效应.     

Mesoscale model of polymer melt structure: self-consistent mapping of molecular correlations to coarse-grained potentials

Development and application of coarse-graining methods to condensed phases of macromolecules is an active area of research. Multiscale modeling of polymeric systems using coarse-graining methods presents unique challenges. Here we apply a coarse-graining method that self-consistently maps structural correlations from detailed molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of alkane oligomers onto coarse-grained potentials using a combination of MD and inverse Monte Carlo methods. Once derived, the coarse-grained potentials allow computationally efficient sampling of ensemble of conformations of significantly longer polyethylene chains. Conformational properties derived from coarse-grained simulations are in excellent agreement with experiments. The level of coarse graining provides a control over the balance of computational efficiency and retention of chemical identity of the underlying polymeric system. Challenges to extension and application of this and similar structure-based coarse-graining methods to model dynamics and phase behavior in polymeric systems are briefly discussed.     

Modulation of electroosmotic flow by neutral polymers

Polymer coating is widely used to modulate the fluid flow in micro- and nanometer pores and flows that are sensitive to surface properties such as electroosmotic flow. Here we report on the dissipative particle dynamics simulations of the modulation of electroosmotic flow by neutral polymers. In these coarse-grained simulations, fluid and polymers are resolved at a scale comparable to polymer size and the two-way coupling between polymer conformation and fluid flow are explicitly accounted for. The simulations indicate that, in the parameter space explored, the screening of electroosmotic flow by polymers decreases nonlinearly as the external electric field increases. Such an observation is understood by analyzing the surface coverage by polymers, height and orientation of the grafted polymers, and the two different modes of flow screening by polymer segments as a function of the external electric field. Understanding the effects and interplay of these physical processes is crucial for the rational design of polymer coating for flow control in microfluidic and nanofluidic systems.     

在“高聚物的结构与性能”课程中讲透高聚物的特点

通过对高分子链的柔性、聚合物独有的熵弹性、显著的粘弹性、特有的描述链段运动的WLF方程,可能实现的大尺寸取向和小尺寸解取向、银纹、单链凝聚态、折叠链片晶和伸直链晶体、分子量的多分散性、高分子溶液特性和高聚物熔体的弹性行为等的讨论,希望能突出“高聚物的结构与性能”课程中高聚物的特点。     

Monte Carlo simulations of polymer dynamics: Recent advances

A brief review is given of applications of Monte Carlo simulations to study the dynamical properties of coarse-grained models of polymer melts, emphasizing the crossover from the Rouse model toward reptation, and the glass transition. The extent to which Monte Carlo algorithms can mimic the actual chain dynamics is critically examined, and the need for the use of coarse-grained rather than fully atomistic models for such simulations is explained. It is shown that various lattice and continuum models yield qualitatively similar results, and the behavior agrees with the findings of corresponding molecular dynamics simulations and experiments, where available. It is argued that these simulations significantly enhance our understanding of the theoretical concepts on the dynamics of dense macromolecular systems. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Molecular dynamics simulations of heptyl phosphonic acid: a potential polymer component for fuel cell polymer membrane

Atomistic molecular dynamics simulations have been performed on heptyl phosphonic acid (HPA) to understand the dynamic hydrogen bonding network in the liquid phase. HPA is a phosphonic-acid functionalized alkane (heptane) and a model compound for one of the promising polymers for high temperature (>100 degrees C) fuel cell polymer electrolyte membranes. For the simulation, a force field for this molecule has been generated with the help of quantum chemical calculations and optimized by simplex algorithm. The force field has been validated against experimentally measured properties, for example, density and self-diffusion constant. From molecular dynamics simulations conducted at different temperatures, we have confirmed the hypothesis of dynamic hydrogen bond network formation in this material.     

Coarse-grained molecular dynamics modeling of strongly associating fluids: thermodynamics, liquid structure, and dynamics of symmetric binary mixture fluids

Symmetric binary mixtures capable of strong association via a highly directional and saturable specific interaction between unlike molecules are investigated by canonical molecular dynamics simulations. The specific interaction of the molecules is defined in a new coarse-grained pair potential that can be applied in continuous molecular dynamics as well as in Monte Carlo simulations. The thermodynamic, structural, and dynamic properties of the associating mixture fluids are investigated as a function of density, temperature, and association strength of the specific interaction. Detailed analysis of the simulation data confirms a two-stage mechanism in the formation of specific bonds with increasing interaction strength, including a fast dimerization process and a subsequent stage of perfecting the bonds. A large heat capacity peak is found during the formation or breaking of the bonds, reflecting the large energy fluctuation introduced by the strong association. The fractions of nonbonded molecules obtained from the simulations as a function of density, temperature, and interaction strength are in excellent agreement with the predictions of Wertheim's thermodynamic perturbation theory. The translational and rotational dynamics of the Tmer mixture are effectively retarded with increasing association strength and are analyzed in terms of autocorrelation functions and a non-Gaussian parameter for the translational dynamics. The lifetimes of molecules in bonded and nonbonded states provide detailed information about the transformation of molecules between the bonded state and the nonbonded state. Finally, simulation sampling problems inherent to strongly interacting systems are easily overcome using the parallel tempering simulation technique. This latter result confirms that with the new continuous coarse-grained simulation potential we have a versatile and flexible interaction potential that can be used with many available molecular dynamics and Monte Carlo algorithms under various ensembles.     

Local Transient Jamming in Stress Relaxation of Bulk Amorphous Polymers

Bulk amorphous polymers become stretched and parallel-aligned under loading stress,and their intermolecular cooperation slows down the subsequent stress relaxation process.By means of dynamic Monte Carlo simulations,we employed the linear viscoelastic Maxwell model for stress relaxation of single polymers and investigated their intermolecular cooperation in the stress relaxation process of stretched and parallel-aligned bulk amorphous polymers.We carried out thermal fluctuation analysis on the reproduced Debye relaxation and Arrhenius fluid behaviors of bulk polymers.We found a transient state with stretch-coil coexistence among polymers in the stress relaxation process.Further structure analysis revealed a scenario of local jamming at the transient state,resulting in an entropy barrier for stretch-coil transition of partial polymers.The microscopic mechanism of intermolecular cooperation appears as unique to polymer stress relaxation,which interprets the hydrodynamic interactions as one of essential factors raising a high viscosity in bulk amorphous polymers.Our simulations set up a platform of molecular modeling in the study of polymer stress relaxation,which brought new insights into polymer dynamics and the related mechanical/rheological properties.     

Dynamic evolution in coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations of polyethylene melts

We test a coarse-grained model assigned based on united atom simulations of C50 polyethylene to seven chain lengths ranging from C76 to C300. The prior model accurately reproduced static and dynamic properties. For the dynamics, the coarse-grained time evolution was scaled by a constant value [t=alphatCG] predictable based on the difference in intermolecular interactions. In this contribution, we show that both static and dynamic observables have continued accuracy when using the C50 coarse-grained force field for chains representing up to 300 united atoms. Pair distribution functions for the longer chain systems are unaltered, and the chain dimensions present the expected N0.5 scaling. To assess dynamic properties, we compare diffusion coefficients to experimental values and united atom simulations, assign the entanglement length using various methods, examine the applicability of the Rouse model as a function of N, and compare tube diameters extracted using a primitive path analysis to experimental values. These results show that the coarse-grained model accurately reproduces dynamic properties over a range of chain lengths, including systems that are entangled.     

Molecular scale simulations on thermoset polymers: A review

This article reviews the field of molecular simulations of thermoset polymers. This class of polymers is of interest in applications ranging from structural components for aerospace to electronics packaging and predictive simulations of their response is playing an increasing role in understanding the molecular origin of their properties and complementing experiments in the search for tailored materials for specific applications. It focuses on modeling and simulation of the process of curing to predict the molecular structure of these polymers and their thermomechanical response by all-atom molecular dynamics simulations. Results from Monte Carlo and coarse-grained simulations are briefly summarized. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2015 , 53, 103–122     

高分子结构与性能关系原理-结构层次的意义

高分子结构是高分子性能的重要物质基础,对其结构进行合理的划分,有助于准确把握高分子物理知识体系的内在脉络。高分子结构层次的划分不仅要思考静态时特定质点在空间的堆砌特征,而且也要考虑结构出现运动或是变化的基本单元。按照质点尺度的不同,高聚物的结构可以分为单一高分子结构(链结构)、多个高分子结构(凝聚结构)和多种高分子结构(织态结构)三个主要层次。其中,化学因素所确定的链结构层次包括相对分子质量以及构造、构型等同分异构体形式;物理因素所确定的结构层次为高分子局部质点集合在空间的堆砌和排列;链段是容易被忽视、但又是最为重要的运动(变化)单元。