X-ray diffraction and molecular simulation study of the crystalline and liquid states of succinic anhydride

The crystal structure of succinic anhydride was studied at five temperatures between 100 K and the melting point by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The temperature dependence of molecular libration tensors was determined. Intermolecular interactions, in particular through unusually close molecule-molecule contacts, are discussed, with a detailed calculation of electrostatic energies. A method for the adaptation of existing crystal force fields to molecular dynamics has been developed; the adapted force field was used to study molecular motion and rotational diffusion with increasing temperature. Equilibration of the crystalline system becomes impossible at a temperature very close to the experimental melting temperature, where a sudden transition to the liquid state occurs, and a partial kinetic picture of the melting process is obtained. After validation of the force field against experimental crystal data, the state equation of the liquid was predicted. Enthalpies of sublimation, melting, and vaporization were calculated. The dynamics of a solution of succinic anhydride in a nonpolar solvent was simulated, for a discussion of the aggregation process leading to demixing and to crystal nucleation.     

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。     

The COMPASS force field: parameterization and validation for phosphazenes

A new, condensed-phase optimised ab-initio force field, COMPASS, has been developed recently. In this paper, the validation of COMPASS for phosphazenes is presented. The functional forms of this force field are of the consistent force field (CFF) type. Charges and bonded terms were derived from HF/6–31G1 calculations, while the nonbonded parameters (L-J 9-6 vdW potential) were initially transferred from the polymer consistent force field, pcff, and optimised using MD simulations of condensed-phase properties. As a validation of COMPASS, molecular mechanics calculations and molecular dynamics simulations have been made on a number of isolated molecules, liquids, and crystals. The calculated molecular structure, vibration frequencies, conformational properties for isolated molecules, crystal cell parameters and density, liquid density, and heat of evaporation agreed favourably with most experimental data. The special conformational properties of the tetracyclophosphazenes, (NPCI₂)₄ and (NPF₂)₄, in the solid state are discussed based on molecular mechanics and CASTEP ab-initio calculations. The effect of nonbonded cutoff distance and different algorithms for pressure control in NPT simulation was also investigated. Finally, molecular dynamics using the COMPASS force field was used to predict properties of three isomers of high-molecular-weight amorphous poly(dibutoxyphosphazenes). In this case, excellent agreement was achieved between densities and glass transition temperatures obtained from dynamics and experimental data.     

Molecular dynamics studies of melting and solid-state transitions of ammonium nitrate

Molecular dynamics simulations are used to calculate the melting point and some aspects of high-temperature solid-state phase transitions of ammonium nitrate (AN). The force field used in the simulations is that developed by Sorescu and Thompson [J. Phys. Chem. A 105, 720 (2001)] to describe the solid-state properties of the low-temperature phase-V AN. Simulations at various temperatures were performed with this force field for a 4 x 4 x 5 supercell of phase-II AN. The melting point of AN was determined from calculations on this supercell with voids introduced in the solid structure to eliminate superheating effects. The melting temperature was determined by calculating the density and the nitrogen-nitrogen radial distribution functions as functions of temperature. The melting point was predicted to be in the range 445 +/- 10 K, in excellent agreement with the experimental value of 442 K. The computed temperature dependences of the density, diffusion, and viscosity coefficient for the liquid are in good agreement with experiment. Structural changes in the perfect crystal at various temperatures were also investigated. The ammonium ions in the phase-II structure are rotationally disordered at 400 K. At higher temperatures, beginning at 530 K, the nitrate ions are essentially rotationally unhindered. The density and radial distribution functions in this temperature range show that the AN solid is superheated. The rotational disorder is qualitatively similar to that observed in the experimental phase-II to phase-I solid-state transition.     

Molecular dynamics simulations of melting and the glass transition of nitromethane

Molecular dynamics simulations have been used to investigate the thermodynamic melting point of the crystalline nitromethane, the melting mechanism of superheated crystalline nitromethane, and the physical properties of crystalline and glassy nitromethane. The maximum superheating and glass transition temperatures of nitromethane are calculated to be 316 and 160 K, respectively, for heating and cooling rates of 8.9 x 10(9) Ks. Using the hysteresis method [Luo et al., J. Chem. Phys. 120, 11640 (2004)] and by taking the glass transition temperature as the supercooling temperature, we calculate a value of 251.1 K for the thermodynamic melting point, which is in excellent agreement with the two-phase result [Agrawal et al., J. Chem. Phys. 119, 9617 (2003)] of 255.5 K and measured value of 244.73 K. In the melting process, the nitromethane molecules begin to rotate about their lattice positions in the crystal, followed by translational freedom of the molecules. A nucleation mechanism for the melting is illustrated by the distribution of the local translational order parameter. The critical values of the Lindemann index for the C and N atoms immediately prior to melting (the Lindemann criterion) are found to be around 0.155 at 1 atm. The intramolecular motions and molecular structure of nitromethane undergo no abrupt changes upon melting, indicating that the intramolecular degrees of freedom have little effect on the melting. The thermal expansion coefficient and bulk modulus are predicted to be about two or three times larger in crystalline nitromethane than in glassy nitromethane. The vibrational density of states is almost identical in both phases.     

A molecular-dynamics study of structural and physical properties of nitromethane nanoparticles

The structural and physical properties of nanoparticles of nitromethane are studied by using molecular dynamics methods with a previously developed force field. [Agrawal et al., J. Chem. Phys. 119, 9617 (2003).] This force field accurately predicts solid- and liquid-state properties as well as melting of bulk nitromethane. Molecular dynamics simulations of nanoparticles with 480, 240, 144, 96, 48, and 32 nitromethane molecules have been carried out at various temperatures. The carbon-carbon radial distribution function, dipole-dipole correlation function, core density, internal enthalpy, and atomic diffusion coefficients of the nanoparticles were calculated at each temperature. These properties were used to characterize the physical phases and thus determine the melting transitions of the nanoparticles. The melting temperatures predicted by the various properties are consistent with one another and show that the melting temperature increases with particle size, approaching the bulk limit for the largest particle. A size dependence of melting points has been observed in experimental and theoretical studies of atomic nanoparticles, and this is a further demonstration of the effect for large nanoparticles of complex molecular materials.     

Molecular simulation and experimental characterisation of monotropic and enantiotropic polymers containing azobenzene and diphenyl mesogens

Molecular simulation techniques have been applied to previously synthesised liquid crystalline polymers containing azobenzene and diphenyl mesogenic groups within the chain. Single chains and amorphous unit cells of aromatic polymers with a degree of polymerisation of 4–16 and containing propylene and diethyletheric (oxydiethylene) spacers were used. The energy was minimised and then molecular dynamics were performed for 1000 ps at seven temperatures between 10 and 600 K. The axial ratio or coefficient of asymmetry was calculated from computer-generated structures. The predictive capability of the orientational order parameter was used to estimate the degree of orientation and the liquid crystalline–isotropic transition temperature of the polymers. The simulated results for the monotropic polymers agreed very well with Maier–Saupe mean field theory and experimental data, though the enantiotropic polymer did not show a good agreement. The predicted glass transition and decomposition temperatures of the simulated polymers are also reported.     

Transport behavior of oxygen and nitrogen through organasilicon-containing polystyrenes by molecular simulation

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations have been used to study the transport properties of oxygen and nitrogen in the para-substituted polystyrenes which possess one to four Si atoms in each substituent. The Condensed-phase Optimized Molecular Potentials for Atomistic Simulation Studies (COMPASS) force field was used to construct the polymers. Diffusion coefficients were obtained from molecular dynamics (NVT ensemble) with up to 3 ns simulation times. After molecular dynamic simulation, the trajectories of the small molecules in the polymer matrix were obtained. Then diffusion coefficients have been calculated from the Einstein relationship revealing a considerable agreement between the simulated and the experimental data. And solubility coefficients have been calculated by the Grand Canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) method. The solubility of oxygen increased with increasing Si content in the polymer membrane. The para-substituted polystyrenes with a branched substituent at the alpha-position showed higher permeability than those of the nonbranched ones. The higher the glass transition temperature (T(g)) of the membrane, the larger the diffusion coefficients of oxygen and nitrogen obtained.     

纳米镍团簇表面性质及能量的分子动力学研究

在单分散金属纳米粒子制备过程中,金属烧结现象需要尽量避免。烧结与诸多因素有关,其中金属纳米粒子的表面性质和能量对烧结作用有着重要影响。本工作利用分子动力学,以4种不同粒径的金属Ni纳米团簇为研究对象,在COMPASS力场下对不同温度下其表面积、扩散性质、表面能以及比表面能等进行了计算。结果显示,随着温度从300K升至1000K,纳米团簇的表面积稍微增加了约5%,表面层扩散系数显著增加了约3个数量级,表面能量升高了约15%,同时表面层与体相的能量差明显增加了近3倍。比表面能定义为增加单位表面积所引起的表面能的增量。计算结果表明,700K时团簇的比表面能比镍熔点处的表面张力高出约3个数量级,预示着团簇烧结具有强大的推动力。比表面能随温度升高以及粒径增大而下降,与热力学原理相一致。     

HMX/TATB复合材料弹性性能的MD模拟

用分子动力学(MD)方法COMPASS力场, 分别在正则系综(NVT)和等温等压系综(NPT)下, 模拟计算了著名常用高能炸药HMX(环四甲撑四硝胺)与著名钝感炸药TATB (1,3,5-三氨基-2,4,6三硝基苯)所构成的混合体系在室温时的弹性性能和结合能. 结果表明, 在NVT和NPT两种系综下模拟所得结果呈平行一致的趋势; 与纯HMX相比, HMX/TATB复合材料的拉伸模量、体模量和剪切模量均有所下降; 在NVT系综下, 还完成了HMX/TATB混合体系的不同温度的MD模拟. 发现当温度在245～345 K范围时, 体系的刚性和弹性变化很小; 但当温度达到395 K时, 材料的刚性减弱, 柔性增强.     

Computation of density of perfluoroalkyl methacrylates: a molecular modeling approach

Molecular dynamics simulations have been carried out on different perfluoroalkyl methacrylates to predict their densities. Density calculations on selected perfluoroalkyl methacrylates have been performed using molecular dynamics in the NPT ensemble by employing COMPASS force field. The calculated density values compared quite well with the experimental data reported in the literature.     

Calculation of melting temperature and transition curve for Dickerson DNA dodecamer on the basis of configurational entropy, hydrogen bonding energy, and heat capacity: A molecular dynamics simulation study

A familiarity with denaturation process is highly significant in understanding the DNA replication, manipulation, and interactions involving DNA double helix stability. We have performed molecular dynamics simulation on B-DNA duplex (CGCGAATTGCGC) at different temperatures. At each temperature, configurational entropy was estimated using the covariance matrix of atom-positional fluctuations. By plotting the configuration entropy versus temperature, we calculated the melting temperature which was found to be 329.7 K. We also calculated the hydrogen bonding energy and heat capacity for the atoms participating in the hydrogen bonding between two strands of DNA. Moreover, their temperature dependencies were investigated to obtain the melting temperature which was found to be 330.9 K. Finally, by comparing the melting temperature and the shape of the transition curve obtained from different methods, it is concluded that the stacking interactions affect the shape of transition curve, while the hydrogen bonding and columbic interactions determine the position of the melting point temperature.     

Molecular dynamics simulations of surface-initiated melting of nitromethane

The melting of nitromethane initiated at solid-vacuum interfaces has been investigated using molecular dynamics nvt simulations with a realistic force field [D. C. Sorescu et al., J. Phys. Chem. B 104, 8406 (2000)]. The calculated melting point (251+/-5 K) is in good agreement with experiment (244.73 K) and values obtained previously (approximately 255.5 and 266.5+/-8 K) using other simulation methods [P. M. Agrawal et al., J. Chem. Phys. 119, 9617 (2003)]. Analyses of the molecular orientations and diffusion during the simulations as functions of the distance from the exposed surfaces show that the melting is a direct crystal-to-liquid transition, in which the molecules first gain rotational freedom, then mobility. There is a slight dependence of the melting temperature on the exposed crystallographic face.     

Predicting the melting temperature of ice-Ih with only electronic structure information as input

The melting temperature of ice-Ih was calculated with only electronic structure information as input by creating a problem-specific force field. The force field, Water model by AFM for Ice and Liquid (WAIL), was developed with the adaptive force matching (AFM) method by fitting to post-Hartree-Fock quality forces obtained in quantum mechanics∕molecular mechanics calculations. WAIL predicts the ice-Ih melting temperature to be 270 K. The model also predicts the densities of ice and water, the temperature of maximum density of water, the heat of vaporizations, and the radial distribution functions for both ice and water in good agreement with experimental measurements. The non-dissociative WAIL model is very similar to a flexible version of the popular TIP4P potential and has comparable computational cost. By customizing to problem-specific configurations with the AFM approach, the resulting model is remarkably more accurate than any variants of TIP4P for simulating ice-Ih and water in the temperature range from 253 K and 293 K under ambient pressure.     

Anisotropy of Thermal-expansion for β-Octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine: Quantum Chemistry Calculation and Molecular Dynamics Simulation

Molecular dynamics simulations on octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine (HMX) at 303-383 K and atmospheric pressure are carried out under NPT ensemble and COMPASS force field, the equilibrium structures at elevated temperatures were obtained and showed that the stacking style of molecules don't change. The coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) values were calculated by linear fitting method. The results show that the CTE values are close to the experimental results and show anisotropy. The total energies of HMX cells with separately increasing expansion rates (100%-105%) along each crystallographic axis was calculated by periodic density functional theory method, the results of the energy change rates are anisotropic, and the correlation equations of energy change-CTE values are established. Thus the hypostasis of the anisotropy of HMX crystal's thermal expansion, the determinate molecular packing style, is elucidated.     

β-1,3,5,7-四硝基-1,3,5,7-四氮杂环辛烷热膨胀各向异性的量子化学计算与分子动力学模拟

在303～383 K和NPT系综和COMPASS力场下对β-1,3,5,7-四硝基-1,3,5,7-四氮杂环辛烷（HMX）超晶胞初始结构的分子动力学模拟,得到常压下各温度的晶体平衡构型并发现分子的堆积方式不变;通过线性拟合求算出线膨胀系数与实验值相近,体现出明显的各向异性. 采用密度泛函理论方法对沿各晶轴方向膨胀率变化（100%～105%）的HMX单胞模型进行了总能计算,得到的能量变化率体现各向异性并与热膨胀系数值关联,建立了关联方程. 由此阐释了HMX晶体热膨胀各向异性的本质即特定的分子堆积模式.     

Study of size-dependent glass transition and Kauzmann temperatures of tin dioxide nanoparticles

The size and shape effects on melting, glass transition, and Kauzmann temperatures of SnO₂ nanoparticles using Lindemann??s criterion have been studied. The melting temperature of SnO₂ nanoparticles decreases as the size of the particle decreases. As the particle size increases, melting temperature increases and approaches to the melting temperature 1,903?K of bulk irrespective of the shape. The glass transition and Kauzmann temperatures are analyzed through the size effect on the melting temperature. The glass transition and Kauzmann temperatures decrease with the decrease in size of SnO₂ nanoparticles.     

Melting and glass transition for Ni clusters

The melting of NiN clusters (N = 29, 50-150) has been investigated by using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations with a quantum corrected Sutton-Chen (Q-SC) many-body potential. Surface melting for Ni147, direct melting for Ni79, and the glass transition for Ni29 have been found, and those melting points are equal to 540, 680, and 940 K, respectively. It shows that the melting temperatures are not only size-dependent but also a symmetrical structure effect; in the neighborhood of the clusters, the cluster with higher symmetry has a higher melting point. From the reciprocal slopes of the caloric curves, the specific heats are obtained as 4.1 kB per atom for the liquid and 3.1 kB per atom for the solid; these values are not influenced by the cluster size apart in the transition region. The calculated results also show that latent heat of fusion is the dominant effect on the melting temperatures (Tm), and the relationship between S and L is given.     

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.