Molecular dynamics simulations of the hydration of poly(vinyl methyl ether):Hydrogen bonds and quasi-hydrogen bonds

Atomistic detailed hydration structures of poly(vinyl methyl ether)(PVME) have been investigated by molecular dynamics simulations under 300 K at various concentrations. Both radial distribution functions and the distance distributions between donors and acceptors in hydrogen bonds show that the hydrogen bonds between the polymer and water are shorter by 0.005 nm than those between water molecules. The Quasi-hydrogen bonds take only 7.2% of the van der Waals interaction pairs. It was found the hydrogen bonds are not evenly distributed along the polymer chain,and there still exists a significant amount(10%) of ether oxygen atoms that are not hydrogen bonded to water at a concentration as low as 3.3%. This shows that in polymer solutions close contacts occur not only between polymer chains but also between chain segments within the polymer,which leads to inefficient contacts between ether oxygen atoms and water molecules. Variation of the quasi-hydrogen bonds with the concentration is similar to that of hydrogen bonds,but the ratio of the repeat units forming quasi-hydrogen bonds to those forming hydrogen bonds approaches 0.2. A transition was found in the demixing enthalpy at around 30% measured by dynamic testing differential scanning calorimetry(DTDSC) for aqueous solutions of a mono-dispersed low molecular weight PVME,which can be related to the transition of the fractions of hydrogen bonds and quasi-hydrogen bonds at ～27%. The transition of the fractions of hydrogen bonds and quasi-hydrogen bonds at ～27% can be used to explain the demixing enthalpy transition at 30% at a molecular scale. In addition,at the concentration of 86%,each ether oxygen atom bonded with water is assigned 1.56 water molecules on average,and 'free' water molecules emerge at the concentration of around 54%.     

Deuterium Isotope Effect on the Phase Separation of Zipper‐Type Hydrogen‐Bonding Inter‐Polymer Complexes in Solution

We have investigated the deuterium isotope effect on phase separation in aqueous zipper‐type hydrogen‐bonding polymer solutions. The phase separation temperature of poly(acrylic acid)‐poly(acrylamide) in heavy water is about 16°C higher than that in water. This large isotope effect in the aqueous zipper‐type macromolecular system arises from the polymer‐polymer interaction due to cooperative hydrogen bonds in the polymer‐polymer complex.     

葡萄糖水溶液氢键结构和动力分析

利用分子动力学模拟方法研究了不同浓度下葡萄糖水溶液的氢键结构和氢键生存周期. 分析了参与i个氢键(分子内、分子间、所有类型)的葡萄糖分子和水分子的百分比分布. 研究发现存在一个特征数N, 参与N个氢键的分子的比例最高, 当iN时, 参与i个氢键的分子的比例随着浓度的增加而减小. 还分析了不同类型氢键(葡萄糖分子内、葡萄糖分子间、水分子间、葡萄糖分子与水分子间、所有类型)的连续和截断自相关函数, 并计算了对应的氢键生存周期.     

聚N,N-二乙基丙烯酰胺低聚物水溶液的分子动力学研究

对50个单元构成的聚N,N-二乙基丙烯酰胺(PDEA)低聚物的水溶液体系进行了分子动力学的研究,分别模拟了300 K时的伸展链、310 K时的伸展链以及紧缩链与水构成的体系,对溶液中PDEA周围溶剂水分子的分布情况以及水分子形成氢键的情况进行了统计,结果表明在PDEA周围的水产生了比本体水更有序的结构,形成了更多的氢键,这种有序结构维持到第二水合层甚至更远.发生相分离后,PDEA与水分子形成的氢键大部分未被破坏,水合层中每个水分子形成的氢键数也没有明显变化,但水合层(形成有序结构的水分子)内水分子数目的减少使得总的氢键数目减少,从而造成体系能量增加及熵增加.同时还研究了聚合物及水分子的自扩散系数,表明PDEA影响周围水分子结构的同时,对水的动力学性质也产生了很大影响.     

Effects of ion concentration on the hydrogen bonded structure of water in the vicinity of ions in aqueous NaCl solutions

Molecular dynamics simulations of dilute and concentrated aqueous NaCl solutions are carried out to investigate the changes of the hydrogen bonded structures in the vicinity of ions for different ion concentrations. An analysis of the hydrogen bond population in the first and second solvation shells of the ions and in the bulk water is done. Although essentially no effect of ions on the hydrogen bonding is observed beyond the first solvation shell of the ions for the dilute solutions, for the concentrated solutions a noticeable change in the average number of water-water hydrogen bonds is observed in the second solvation shells of the ions and even beyond. However, the changes in the average number of hydrogen bonds are found to be relatively less when both water-water and ion-water hydrogen bonds are counted. Thus, the changes in the total number of hydrogen bonds per water are not very dramatic beyond the first solvation shell even for concentrated solutions.     

Dielectric Properties of Solutions Isomorphous with Water

The dielectric properties of aqueous solutions of ammonia, hydrogen fluoride, hydrogen peroxide, and ammonium halides are determined by the number of hydrogen bonds formed by the solute species with the molecules forming the water framework. For such solutions, the product of the concentration coefficient of the dielectric permittivity by the ratio of the number of hydrogen bonds per solute molecule and per water molecule is constant. In aqueous solutions with a water-like structure, the mechanism of the dielectric polarization is the same as in pure water (proton-activation mechanism) and is determined by proton fluctuations on the line of hydrogen bonds.__________Translated from Zhurnal Obshchei Khimii, Vol. 75, No. 1, 2005, pp. 39–45.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Potapov, Parkhomenko.     

Molecular dynamics simulations of atomistic hydration structures of poly(vinyl methyl ether)

Molecular dynamics simulations have been performed on the aqueous solutions of poly(vinyl methyl ether) (PVME) at various concentrations. Both radial and spatial distribution functions are used to investigate the detailed hydration structures. The structures of water are found to get increasingly concentrated when polymers are introduced and the water motions are severely hindered by the polymer matrix. At low concentrations, larger populations of tt conformers in meso dyads than those at higher concentrationsare found and this phenomenon is believed to be due to the increasing in bonding of water molecule to two ether oxygens in meso dyad. At higher concentrations, the size and conformations of polymers are quite similar to those in bulk. A transition of hydrogen bond fractions between PVME and water at around the concentration of 0.3 is observed and this value is perfectly in agreement with the results of conformational analysis and Raman spectra. Second neighbor hydrogen bond statistics revealed the domination of complicated hydrogen bond networks at low concentrations, but single hydrogen bonds as well as isolated clusters composed of 2-4 water molecules are usual around each polymer repeat unit.     

甘油水溶液氢键特性的分子动力学模拟

为了研究低温保护剂溶液的结构和物理化学特性, 以甘油为保护剂, 采用分子动力学方法, 对不同浓度的甘油和水的二元体系进行了模拟. 得到了不同浓度的甘油水溶液在2 ns内的分子动力学运动轨迹, 通过对后1 ns内运动轨迹的分析, 得到了各个原子对的径向分布函数和甘油分子的构型分布. 根据氢键的图形定义, 分析了氢键的结构和动力学特性. 计算了不同浓度下体系中平均每个原子(O和H)和分子(甘油和水)参与氢键个数的百分比分布及其平均值. 同时还计算了所有氢键、水分子之间的氢键以及甘油与水分子之间的氢键的生存周期.     

Hydrogen-bonding dynamics in aqueous solutions of amides and acids: monomer, dimer, trimer, and polymer

Hydrogen-bonding dynamics in aqueous solutions of series of amides and acids have been investigated by means of femtosecond Raman-induced Kerr effect spectroscopy and ab initio quantum chemistry calculation. The amides and acids studied here are acetamide, 1,3-propanedicarboxamide, 1,3,5-pentanetricaroxamide, polyacrylamide with Mw=1500, acetic acid, 1,3-propanedicarboxylic acid, 1,3,5-pentanetricarboxylic acid, and poly(acrylic acid) with Mw=2000. The femtosecond damped transient feature for aqueous amide solutions, which arises from the intermolecular hydrogen bonds of amide and water, becomes clearer with the larger molecular weight of amide. A characteristic vibrational band at about 100 cm(-1) is assigned as the hydrogen-bonding vibrational mode and the ab initio quantum chemistry calculation result indicates that at least two waters, which make up the hydrogen-bonding network with amide, are necessary for this mode. The hydrogen-bonding vibrational mode at about 100 cm(-1) in aqueous amide solutions shifts to the higher frequency with the larger molecular weight amide in consequence of the stronger intermolecular interaction between amide and water. The evidence likely comes from the stronger hydrophobic interaction for polymer than oligomers and monomer. In the picosecond time region, an extra slow relaxation process with a time constant of about 60 ps has been found in the aqueous polymer solutions. The relaxation is assigned as a local motion of the constitutional repeat unit of polymers from comparison with monomer and oligomers.     

In situ study of diffusion and interaction of water and mono- or divalent anions in a positively charged membrane using two-dimensional correlation FT-IR/attenuated total reflection spectroscopy

Two-dimensional (2D) correlation analysis based on time-resolved FT-IR/attenuated total reflection (ATR) spectroscopy has been used to study the diffusion behavior of water and mono- or divalent anions in the positively charged membranes of different charge density. In 2D FT-IR/ATR spectra, the splitting of the water delta(OH) bending band in the spectral range 1700-1500 cm-1 indicates that there are three different states of water in the positively charged membrane, that is, the water molecules forming strong or weak hydrogen bonds with hydrophilic groups of the membrane and water molecularly dispersed with weaker hydrogen bonds. The wavenumber difference of the delta(OH) band in the low- and high-charge-density membrane indicates that water molecules form much stronger hydrogen bonds with hydrophilic groups in the high-charge-density membrane. The sequential order of the three water bands intensity changes shows that, in the process of water diffusion into the high-charge-density membrane, the hydrogen-bonding interaction between hydrophilic groups of the membrane and water molecules takes place gradually due to the highly cross-linked network structure of the membrane; in the process of water diffusion into the low-charge-density membrane, the strong hydrogen-bonding interaction between hydrophilic groups of the membrane and water molecules takes place instantaneously and this type of water easily diffuses due to the weak interactions between the water molecules and the membrane polymer. Furthermore, the diffusion processes of the electrolyte solution such as NaAc and Na2SO4 aqueous solutions in the positively charged membrane have also been examined.     

Hydrophilic nature and sorption-diffusion properties of nanocomposite hybrid polysulfone films

Hybrid nanocomposite films containing silica (??11.4 wt.%) or titania (??18.8 wt.%) in the polymer matrix were prepared by the sol-gel method using the hydrolytic polycondensation of tetraethoxysilane and tetrabutoxysilane in a THF solution of aromatic polymer, polysulfone (PSF). The influence of the oxide nature and the film composition on the structure, the interaction of the polymer with oxides, hydrophilicity, and sorption-diffusion properties of the hybrid films were studied by FTIR spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, dynamic light scattering, and a complex of other physicochemical methods. The absence of chemical or intermolecular hydrogen bonds between the polymer and oxide particles in the PSF films was shown. The average size of the oxides (SiO₂, ??20 nm; TiO₂, ??90 nm) in the films and roughness of their surface (??0.2?C0.8 nm) were determined. The introduction of oxides into the polymer matrix increases the hydrophilic properties and the ability of the PSF films to swell in water; the diffusion coefficients of water and permeability of water vapor in the PSF films also increase. Titania also induces a more considerable change in the structure of the polymer matrix and more strongly affects the sorption-diffusion properties of the hybrid films in aqueous solutions of THF. All prepared nanocomposite films PSF/SiO₂ and PSF/TiO₂ are capable of extracting an organic component from aqueous solutions and can be used as sorbents and membrane films for the removal of organic substances from the aqueous medium.     

Hydrogen bond and residence dynamics of ion-water and water-water pairs in supercritical aqueous ionic solutions: dependence on ion size and density

We have carried out a series of molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the hydrogen bond and residence dynamics of X(-)-water (X=F, Cl, and I) and pairs in aqueous solutions at a temperature of 673 K. The calculations are done at six different water densities ranging from 1.0 to 0.15 g cm(-3). The hydrogen bonds are defined by using a set of configurational criteria with respect to the anion(oxygen)-oxygen and anion(oxygen)-hydrogen distances and the anion(oxygen)-oxygen-hydrogen angle for an anion(water)-water pair. The F(-)-water hydrogen bonds are found to have a longer lifetime than all other hydrogen bonds considered in the present study. The lifetime of Cl(-)-water hydrogen bonds is shorter than that of F(-)-water hydrogen bonds but longer than the lifetime of water-water hydrogen bonds. The lifetimes of I(-)-water and water-water hydrogen bonds are found to be very similar. Generally, the lifetimes of both anion-water and water-water hydrogen bonds are found to be significantly shorter than those found under ambient conditions. In addition to hydrogen bond lifetimes, we have also calculated the residence times and the orientational relaxation times of water molecules in ion(water) hydration shells and have discussed the correlations of these dynamical quantities with the observed dynamics of anion(water)-water hydrogen bonds as functions of the ion size and density of the supercritical solutions.     

Investigation of the structure of aqueous solutions of 1,2-and 1,4-butanediol by positron annihilation and ultrasonic methods

The structure of aqueous solutions of 1,2-butanediol and 1,4-butanediol was investigated using adiabatic compressibility measurements and positron annihilation methods. In the case of 1,2-butanediol the experimental results are very similar to those obtained earlier for systems where hydrophobic hydration dominates. In both cases there are evidences for increased rigidity of the water network, which arises from the formation of hydrogen bonds between diols and water. The usefulness of both the methods applied in investigating the structure of liquid solutions was proved.     

Molecular clusters in aqueous solutions of pyridine and its methyl derivatives

Small-angle neutron scattering proved that molecules in aqueous solutions of pyridine, 2-methylpyridine and 2,6-dimethylpyridine form clusters. The clusters are dynamic aggregates consisting of hydrogen-bonded water-amine complexes. Strengthening of the hydrogen bonds between water and amine molecules due to the methyl groups in the ortho position in the pyridine ring makes the structures more stable, as was evidenced by relatively long times of the structural relaxation. The strong intermolecular forces affect the thermal expansion of the systems. No aggregates similar to those in aqueous systems are present in the methanolic ones. That points to the crucial role of water in the molecular clustering. A molecule of methanol, although capable of hydrogen bonding with the amines, cannot participate in larger structures because of the lack of protons that could form the enhanced network. Thus, even if the amine-methanol complexes occur, they are incapable of further association. It was shown that the co-operative nature of hydrogen bonds and the propensity of water to association are the main factors that determine the properties of aqueous systems.     

Water-in-water emulsions stabilized by non-amphiphilic interactions: polymer-dispersed lyotropic liquid crystals

Emulsion systems involving surfactants are mainly driven by the separation of the hydrophobic interactions of the aliphatic chains from the hydrophilic interactions of amphiphilic molecules in water. In this study, we report an emulsion system that does not include amphiphilic molecules but molecules with functional groups that are completely solvated in water. These functional groups give rise to molecular interactions including hydrogen bonding, pi stacking, and salt bridging and are segregated into a dispersion of droplets forming a water-in-water emulsion. This water-in-water emulsion consists of dispersing droplets of a water-solvated biocompatible liquid crystal--disodium cromoglycate (DSCG)--in a continuous aqueous solution containing specific classes of water-soluble polymers. Whereas aqueous solutions of polyols support the formation of emulsions of spherical droplets consisting of lyotropic liquid crystal DSCG with long-term stability (for at least 30 days), aqueous solutions of polyamides afford droplets of DSCG in the shape of prolate ellipsoids that are stable for only 2 days. The DSCG liquid crystal in spherical droplets assumes a radial configuration in which the optical axis of the liquid crystal aligns perpendicular to the surface of the droplets but assumes a tangential configuration in prolate ellipsoids in which the optical axis of the liquid crystal aligns parallel to the surface of the droplet. Other classes of water-soluble polymers including polyethers, polycations, and polyanions do not afford a stable emulsion of DSCG droplets. Both the occurrence and the stability of this unique emulsion system can be rationalized on the basis of the functional groups of the polymer. The different configurations of the liquid crystal (DSCG) droplets were also found to correlate with the strength of the hydrogen bonding that can be formed by the functional groups on the polymer.     

Hydrogen Bonding of Carboxylic Acids in Aqueous Solutions—UV Spectroscopy, Viscosity, and Molecular Simulation of Acetic Acid

The UV spectra of aqueous acetic acid solutions up to 2M were investigated. At these wavelengths, the carboxylic acids exhibit an absorption peak, attributed to the C=O group, which shifts when hydrogen bonds are formed.. The measured spectra were best fitted to several bands, either of Gaussian or Lorentzian shape, which can be explained as several types of structural units formed by hydrogen bonds established between acetic acid and water molecules and between acetic acid molecules themselves. Molecular dynamics simulation of these mixtures was also performed, confirming the occurrence of several types of hydrogen bonds and showing the presence of dimers at higher concentrations. The viscosity and density of these solutions were also measured at different concentrations and temperatures. These results give a more complete picture of the hydrogen bond network of the system.     

无规共聚物P(MEO2MA-co-OEGMA)的合成及其在水溶液中温度诱导相转变行为

利用原子转移自由基聚合(ATRP)方法,由单体2-(2-甲氧基乙氧基)甲基丙烯酸乙酯(MEO₂MA)和寡聚(乙二醇)甲基醚甲基丙烯酸酯(OEGMA, M_n = 500 g·mol^-1)合成了无规共聚物P(MEO₂MA-co-OEGMA).并采用动态光散射(DLS)、紫外光谱及透射电子显微镜(TEM)等技术考察聚合物在水溶液中的温度响应性聚集行为,获得其在水溶液中的最低临界溶解温度(LCST)及其随组成的变化规律.结果表明,该聚合物具有良好且可逆的温度响应行为,这主要归因于聚合物与水分子之间氢键作用,及其分子本身疏水作用之间为了保持一种微妙的动态平衡而自发对聚集形态进行的“自我调整”,从而达到新的热力学平衡状态的结果.该聚合物的LCST与聚合物中单体OEGMA所占的摩尔比例呈线性关系,可以通过改变单体的摩尔配比实现对聚合物LCST的调控.     

Effect of the type of hydrogen bonding on the reactivity of hydroxyl groups in the acetalization of poly(vinyl alcohol) with butanal

The parameters of hydrogen bonds formed during acetalization of poly(vinyl alcohol) with butanal are determined via computer-simulation methods. It is shown that alcohol groups involved in the formation of intermolecular hydrogen bonds are the least active in acetalization reactions. The kinetics of the acetalization reactions in 2,4-pentanediol-water-butanal and (vinyl alcohol)-water-butanal systems are studied at various concentrations of alcohols that model a change in the ratio of hydrogen bonds of various types and are realized in the aqueous solutions of poly(vinyl alcohol) and poly(vinyl butyral). The calculated rate constants are in agreement with the computer-simulation-based order of reactivity of alcohol groups involved in hydrogen bonds of various types. It is proposed that the reactivity of residual alcohol groups in a poly(vinyl butyral) macromolecule should increase when a certain conversion of the polymer is attained.     

Effect of electrization on molecular mobility in gold nanocomposites based on arabinogalactan

A correlation is found between the proton spin-spin relaxation times in gold nanocomposites based on arabinogalactan in aqueous solutions and the maximum conducting layer thicknesses of films cast from solutions of composites. The obtained correlation is considered from the viewpoint of electrization’s effect on the mobility of macromolecules of the investigated polymer nanocomposites. The dependence of arabinogalactan mobility on the type of solvent (H₂O or D₂O) is established, and a conclusion is drawn as to the effect of the hydrogen bonds of arabinogalactan with solvent on polymer mobility in solutions.     

Salt-induced thickening and gelation of a poly(carboxylate) having three kinds of hydroxyl groups

A salt-induced physical gelation was found for the aqueous solution of poly(carboxylate)s having three kinds of hydroxyl groups, i.e., primary, tertiary and one on a hemiacetal ring. The gelation point (critical salt concentration) was positively correlated with the content of the hemiacetal component, while the previously confirmed hydrogen bond between the hemiacetal OH and –COO⁻ group does not seem to essentially contribute to the physical gelation. Above a critical polymer concentration, the solution viscosity was first decreased and then increased with increasing NaCl concentration, leading to gelation. However, below the critical polymer concentration, the viscosity decreased. These different behaviors of the solution viscosity depending on the polymer concentration were ascribed to a preferential promotion of intermolecular or intramolecular hydrogen bonds among the hemiacetal OH groups above and below the critical polymer concentration, respectively.