Prediction of microscopic structure and physical properties of complex fluid mixtures based on molecular simulation

Molecular simulation calculations are presented for two types of complex fluid mixtures, namely elastomer polymer mixtures and water–1-octanol binary and ternary mixtures. Elastomer polymers are used widely as membrane materials for gas separation. In this respect, the solubility and diffusion coefficient of gases need to be known accurately. Predictions for both properties are presented here. Water–1-octanol mixture is a widely used prototype system used to assess the partitioning of various chemical compounds with applications to chemical industry, biotechnology, etc. The microscopic structure of the water–1-octanol mixture is examined and the Gibbs free energy of solvation of four organic solutes is calculated. In all cases, detailed atomistic force fields are used to account for inter- and intra-molecular interactions. Simulation results are shown to be in excellent agreement with literature experimental data.     

Solubility of carboxylic acids in a matrix of uncross-linked polystyrene

Solubility diagrams of a series of carboxylic acids in a matrix of linear polystyrene have been measured using a gravimetric method on samples immersed in solvent, as reported earlier [Bernardo G, Vesely D. Eur Polym J 2007;43:938-48]. The results show that the amount of solvent, swelling the polymer, reaches an equilibrium saturation which has a unique and reproducible value for each system and temperature. An analysis based on Flory-Huggins theory shows that all data presented here can be well interpreted with an interaction parameter in a simple form: χ = a + (b/T). An excellent fit can also be obtained using the van’t Hoff equation. An analysis based on total and partial (Hansen) solubility parameters has also been investigated.     

气体在无定型聚异戊二烯中扩散的分子动力学模拟

采用分子动力学模拟方法研究了多个温度下氧气、氮气及甲烷在无定型顺式1,4-聚异戊二烯中的扩散系数。在模拟过程中,使用COMPASS力场作为分子力场。应用COMPASS力场的势能函数,聚合物的密度及玻璃化转变温度的计算结果与实验值有较好吻合。在278-378 K的温度范围内,通过3或1.5 ns时长的正则系综动力学模拟,计算了不同温度下氧气、氮气及甲烷的扩散系数。结果表明,根据爱因斯坦关系式计算得到的扩散系数与实验结果比较接近。对气体扩散系数与温度的关系进一步研究,发现在278-378 K温度范围内,甲烷的扩散系数随温度变化的半对数曲线图是非线性的,而氧气和氮气的扩散系数随温度变化的半对数曲线图是线性的。本文研究结果有助于理解温度对气体扩散的影响机制,并为高温下气体在天然橡胶中扩散系数的测定及天然橡胶热氧老化建模分析提供依据。     

Structural and Transport Characteristics of UCl3 in Molten LiCl-KCl Mixture: a Molecular Dynamics Simulation Study

To obtain suitable data for the pyrometallurgical post-processing in the fusion-fission hybrid reactor, the structure and transport characteristics of molten LiCl-KCl mixture containing UCl₃ were studied by molecular dynamics simulation. The radial distribution functions, densities, and self-diffusion coefficients were investigated at various molar fractions of UCl₃. In the molten LiCl-KCl-UCl₃ salt mixture, the first peak for g_U-Cl(r) was located at 0.266 nm, which was slightly left-shifted than the X-ray diffraction data, i.e., 0.285 nm for pure molten UCl₃. The preexponential factors for U³⁺ decreased from 46.2×10^-5 cm²/s to 32.2×10^-5 cm²/s as the molar fraction of U³⁺ increased from 0.005 to 0.05.     

腐蚀介质在缓蚀剂膜中扩散行为的分子动力学模拟

采用分子动力学模拟方法,从缓蚀剂膜阻碍腐蚀介质粒子(H2O、H3O+和HCO3-)向金属表面扩散的角度,研究了4种1-R1-2-十一烷基-咪唑啉缓蚀剂(R1:羧甲基(A),羟乙基(B),氨乙基(C),氢(D))抑制碳钢CO2腐蚀的缓蚀机理,并对其缓蚀性能进行了理论评价.腐蚀介质粒子在不同缓蚀剂膜中的扩散系数、粒子与膜的相互作用能以及膜的自扩散性能的计算结果表明:4种缓蚀剂均可形成稳定的缓蚀剂膜,能有效阻碍腐蚀介质粒子向金属表面的扩散,达到抑制或延缓腐蚀的目的;随亲水支链(R1)极性的增加,缓蚀剂膜对腐蚀介质粒子扩散行为的抑制能力逐渐增强;同种缓蚀剂膜对正负离子H3O+和HCO3-比对中性的H2O分子具有更强的扩散抑制能力.综合计算及分析结果,4种缓蚀剂缓蚀性能的理论评价结果为ABCD,与文献实验结果吻合.     

氧气在碱溶液中结构与扩散系数的分子动力学模拟

采用分子动力学方法对不同温度(25-120 ℃)及碱浓度(1:100-1:5, 摩尔比)下NaOH和KOH溶液中的氧气进行了模拟. 本文考察了NaOH及KOH溶液中溶剂-溶剂、氧气-溶剂及氧气-溶质的径向分布函数, 并采用爱因斯坦方程从均方位移曲线中计算得到了氧气及溶质离子的扩散系数. 结果显示随着碱浓度的升高, 氧气扩散系数逐渐减少; 在相同条件下, 氧气在NaOH溶液中扩散系数小于在KOH溶液中的扩散系数; 溶质离子扩散系数的变化规律与氧气一致. 通过与现有实验结果对比, 发现了分子动力学方法的可靠性及用于研究实验受限领域的优越性.     

LiCl-KCl-CeCl3熔盐结构与热力学的分子动力学模拟

采用分子动力学模拟的方法,研究了LiCl-KCl-CeCl₃熔盐中CeCl₃的结构性质和热力学,获得了LiCl-KCl-CeCl₃熔盐中密度与组成、密度与温度的关系数据;径向分布函数g_Ce-Cl(r)的第一个峰位置为0.259nm, Ce³⁺对应的第一个配位数约为6.9;混合熔盐中计算数据与纯熔盐中数据的差异可以解释为混合熔盐中Ce³⁺和Cl^-的相互作用比纯的CeCl₃更强; LiCl-KCl熔盐中Ce³⁺的自扩散活化能为22.5 kJ·mol^-1,从活化能的本质来说, Ce³⁺自扩散所需要克服的能垒要略低于U³⁺(25.8 kJ·mol^-1)。当Ce³⁺的摩尔分数从0.005增加到0.05时,其指前因子从31.9×10^-5 cm²·s^-1减少到21.8×10^-5 cm²·s^-1;随着Ce³⁺摩尔分数从0.005增长到0.05,单位体积内(忽略总体积的变化)Ce³⁺的增加意味着其扩散阻力增加,而自扩散的能力降低,导致了指前因子的减小。     

氧气在聚丙烯内吸附和扩散的分子模拟

采用巨正则Monte Carlo和分子动力学模拟相结合的方法研究了氧气在不同聚合度的聚丙烯内的吸附和扩散. 模拟结果表明, 随聚丙烯聚合度的增加, 聚丙烯对氧气的吸附量逐渐增加, 而氧气在聚丙烯内的扩散系数减小; 当聚合度增大到一定程度时, 吸附量和扩散系数都趋于一稳定值. 随温度的升高, 氧气在聚丙烯内的吸附量减少, 而扩散系数增大. 本文还应用自由体积理论探讨了氧气在聚合物内扩散的机理, 发现氧气在聚丙烯内以空穴形式存在的自由体积之间扩散, 即氧气先在一个空穴内不停振动, 然后通过聚丙烯链段运动形成的通道跳跃到下一个空穴来完成扩散. 结果表明, 较高聚合度的聚合物材料在常温及低温下使用对于其在食品包装材料中的应用是有利的, 这为食品包装材料行业相关产品的应用开发提供了一定的指导和依据.     

Synthesis of polystyrene-based cationic copolymers and their colloidal properties in water

A series of polystyrene-based cationic copolymers was synthesized by two different methods: (1) solution copolymerization of styrene and vinylbenzyl trimethylammonium chloride (VBTMAC) in ethanol, and (2) surfactant-free emulsion copolymerization of styrene and vinylbenzyl chloride in water followed by reaction with trimethylamine. The results indicated that the different synthesis methods would result in different polymer structures and, therefore, affect the solubility and colloidal properties of the copolymers in water. For the copolymers prepared by method 2, partial crosslinking was observed. The copolymers made by this method are almost water-insoluble. In contrast, the copolymers made from direct copolymerization of styrene and VBTMAC in ethanol are water-soluble or dispersible, but the solubility and the particle size of microaggregates formed by these copolymers in water strongly depend on charge density and temperature. One of the important results from this study is that uniform colloidal particles with a very small particle size (30–50 nm) can be obtained by dispersing polystyrene-based cationic copolymers in water without adding any surfactants. Received: 29 July 1998 Accepted in revised form: 28 September 1998     

Prediction of thermodynamic derivative properties of natural condensate gases at high pressure by Monte Carlo simulation

We have employed Monte Carlo simulation in the isobaric–isothermal ensemble to determine thermodynamic derivative properties of naturally occurring hydrocarbon gas mixtures. Thermal expansivity, isothermal compressibility, heat capacity and Joule–Thomson coefficient have been obtained from a fluctuation method detailed in our previous work [Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 3 (2001) 4333]. We have investigated two natural gases using an original method to model hydrocarbon distribution in a representative way with a limited number of linear, branched and cyclic hydrocarbon molecules. The composition used in Monte Carlo simulations was represented by 500 molecules of 20 different types with up to 35 carbon atoms. The two condensate gases are composed of rigid and flexible molecules for which intermolecular potentials have been used without fitting any parameters. Predictions are in good agreement with respect to available molar volumes at high pressure. Joule–Thomson coefficients and the other thermodynamic derivative properties have been then predicted at pressures up to 110 MPa at reservoir temperature, showing a consistent behaviour compared with light hydrocarbon gases. Inversion pressure of the Joule–Thomson effect is obtained within 1.2% compared to experimental value from volumetric measurements.     

分子在ITQ-3分子筛窄孔道内扩散的过渡态理论模型

建立了一个基于过渡态理论的分子在ITQ-3窄孔道方向扩散的模型. 该模型中, 由于分子从空腔中的一个吸附位越过势垒到相邻的另一个空腔中的吸附位需要克服很大的势垒能, 因而分子在势垒处可以简化处理为只存在排斥势, 可得到扩散系数依赖温度和Lennard-Jones作用参数的解析关系. 用分子动力学方法对CF₄在ITQ-3上扩散进行了模拟并验证了解析关系的合理性. 分子动力学模拟计算得到的扩散活化能、势垒能和吸附位势能与实际值相吻合. 模拟结果也显示了扩散系数依赖于附载量, 表现为先增大后减小的变化模式. 扩散活化能的计算证实了这一变化机理, 即当附载量增加时, 由于处于空腔中的分子彼此抬高了势能, 降低了扩散活化能, 使得扩散系数随附载量的增加而增大, 之后由于堵塞效应, 扩散系数随附载量的增加而逐步减小.     

Ring-opening copolymerization of epoxy-terminated polystyrene macromer with epichlorohydrin and study on properties of the copolymers

The synthesis and ring-opening copolymerization of epoxy-terminated polystyrene (PS-ep) macromer with epichlorohydrin (ECH) as well as some properties of the graft copolymers, were studied. The results showed that content of the epoxy-terminated macromer in the crude macromer can be increased by anionic polymerization of styrene in cyclohexane, and capping with propylene sulfide, followed by termination with ECH at 0 °C. The ring-opening copolymerization of ECH with the macromer can be performed by using a quaternary catalyst system which was composed of triisobutyl aluminium-phosphoric acid-water-amine in the molar ratio of 1:0.25:0.25:0.1-0.15. When the charging weight percentage of PS-ep/ECH=25-65% and M_n of PS-ep was 2.6-10×10³, the conversion of ECH was greater than 95% and the conversion of the macromer or grafting efficiency was 35-65%. The purified copolymer was characterized by IR, ¹H NMR and dynamic viscoelastometer to be a copolymer of ECH with polystyrene (PS) grafts. Transmission electron microscope showed the existence of PS domains in the continuous phase of polyepichlorohydrin (PECH). In a certain range of compositions the graft copolymer behaves like a thermoplastic elastomer. The graft copolymer can be melted and processed repeatedly. Its oil and solvent resistance were better than PS and similar to PECH rubber. The graft copolymer can be used as a compatibilizer for blending PECH with PS to form thermoplastic elastomer blends. Only 2% of it based on the blend is needed to raise the tensile strength of the blends obviously.     

Viscosity of heavy n-alkanes and diffusion of gases therein based on molecular dynamics simulations and empirical correlations

The viscosity of pure n-alkanes and n-alkane mixtures was studied by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations using the Green–Kubo method. n-Alkane molecules were modeled based on the Transferable Potential for Phase Equilibria (TraPPE) united atom force field. MD simulations at constant number of molecules or particles, volume and temperature (NVT) were performed for n-C₈ up to n-C₉₆ at different temperatures as well as for binary and six-component n-alkane mixtures which are considered as prototypes for the hydrocarbon wax produced during the Gas-To-Liquid (GTL) Fischer–Tropsch process. For the pure n-alkanes, good agreement between our simulated viscosities and existing experimental data was observed. In the case of the n-alkane mixtures, the composition dependence of viscosity was examined. The simulated viscosity results were compared with literature empirical correlations. Moreover, a new macroscopic empirical correlation for the calculation of self-diffusion coefficients of hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and water in n-alkanes and mixtures of n-alkanes was developed by combining viscosity and self-diffusion coefficient values in n-alkanes. The correlation was compared with the simulation data and an average absolute deviation (AAD) of 11.3% for pure n-alkanes and 14.3% for n-alkane mixtures was obtained.     

Molecular dynamics simulation of surface morphology and thermodynamic properties of polyaniline nanostructured film

To develop predictive models in nanostructured films, there is an ongoing research to validate molecular dynamics (MD) simulation results with experimental data. The morphology and surface topography of polyaniline (PANI) nanostructured film coated on a TiO₂ nanocrystalline surface were investigated by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy, respectively. The atomistic model of the simulated PANI was generated using energy minimization with a condensed‐phase optimized molecular potential for atomistic studies force field function to reach a thermodynamic equilibrium state. Various parameters of PANI such as density, energy, cavity size, and free volume distributions are calculated. MD simulation has also been used to obtain specific volume (V) as a function of temperature (T). It is demonstrated that this V–T curve can be used to determinate glass transition temperature T_g, reliably. Although experimental data available for the PANI film are very limited, simulation results such as density and T_g are in good agreement with the experimental values reported in the literature. Comparison of the surface topography of PANI demonstrates a reasonable trend between atomic force microscopy image analysis and the MD simulation results at various temperatures. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Computation of some thermodynamic properties of nitrogen using a new intermolecular potential from molecular dynamics simulation

A new pair-potential energy function of nitrogen has been determined via the inversion of reduced viscosity collision integrals and fitted to obtain an analytical potential form. The pair-potential reproduces the second virial coefficient, viscosity, thermal conductivity, self-diffusion coefficient, and thermal diffusion factor of nitrogen in a good accordance with experimental data over wide ranges of temperatures and densities. We have also performed the molecular dynamics simulation to obtain pressure, internal energy, heat capacity at constant volume, and self-diffusion coefficient of nitrogen at different temperatures and densities using our calculated pair-potential and some other potentials. The molecular dynamics of the nitrogen molecules has been also used to determine nitrogen equation of state in two (low and high) pressure ranges. Our results are in a good agreement with experiment and literature values.     

MCM-22型分子筛中苯分子吸附行为的分子动力学模拟

用分子动力学方法研究了纯硅ＭＣＭ－２２型分子筛中苯分子的吸附行为。计算结果表明,模拟采用刚性骨架或柔性骨架对苯分子的扩散系数并没有大的差别,这表明在较低吸附值的情况下,分子筛骨架的柔性对苯分子吸附和扩散并没有产生大的影响。     

Optimized synthesis and characterization of polystyrene graft copolymers and preliminary assessment of their biodegradability and application in water pollution alleviation technologies

With more and more plastics being employed in human lives and increasing pressure being placed on capacities available for plastic waste disposal, the need for biodegradable plastics and biodegradation of plastic wastes has assumed increasing importance in the last few years. Keeping in view the environmental pollution caused by the waste polystyrene and to make the waste polystyrene technologically important, we have modified/functionalized the polystyrene with natural polymers and hydrophilic monomer through graft copolymerization. The present paper discusses the optimum conditions for the synthesis of graft copolymers and characterization of these polymers with SEMs and FTIR and thereafter biodegradation studies of these polymers by soil burial method. The present paper also discusses the effect of crosslinker concentration on the swelling and metal ion sorption (As⁺⁵ uptake) through the functionalized polystyrene, with the intention to make use of these polymeric networks in water pollution alleviation technology. It has been observed that percent As⁵⁺ uptake decreases from 80% to 60% as the crosslinker concentration increases from 0.032 mM to 0.162 mM in the polymeric networks. It has also been observed from the degradation studies that the grafting of starch onto polystyrene has induced 37% degradation after 160 days soil burial treatment and no degradation has been observed in case of grafting of acrylic acid onto polystyrene.     

油纸复合介质中水分子扩散行为的分子动力学模拟

对不同温度下水分子在油纸复合介质中的扩散行为进行了分子动力学模拟研究. 通过分析水分子与纤维素形成的氢键发现, 油中的水分子在模拟过程中会逐渐扩散到纤维素内并与之形成氢键, 而纤维素内的水分子则与纤维素形成氢键后被束缚于纤维素中. 通过分析水分子的扩散系数发现, 由于油和纤维素的极性不同, 使得水分子在油和纤维素两种单介质中的扩散行为有较大差别, 而在复合介质中的扩散系数受水分子在油和纤维素中的比例影响较大, 两者表现出很强的相关性. 水分子和两介质的相互作用与两介质的极性也存在很大的关系, 且不同温度下水分子与两介质的相互作用能和水分子在油和纤维素中的比例也表现出了较强的相关性. 不同温度下水分子的不同分布弱化了温度对扩散系数的影响.     

Molecular simulation of electrolytes in nanopores

Behaviour of electrolytes confined in cylindrical and slit pores are studied by computer simulations at the molecular level. Previous equilibrium and structural properties obtained by Monte Carlo techniques using the restrictive primitive model are discussed. Transport properties are calculated by the canonical molecular dynamics technique for ions with Lennard–Jones cores. Assuming an external electric potential, the chemical potential of individual ions can be balanced without the need for a grand canonical procedure. The mobility of the counterion is affected by the surface charge density. At a high surface charge, the mean square axial displacement of the counterion calculated is lower than the bulk value due to its high concentration near the charged wall.