Modeling of pore formation in phase inversion processes: analysis of pore formation mechanism

The phase inversion process is the most important preparation process of porous polymer membranes. Recently, a numerical model based on first principles to predict pore structures has been proposed (Hopp-Hirschler and Nieken in J Membr Sci 564:820–831, 2018). This model enables a detailed investigation of the mechanism of pore formation in porous polymer membranes. This follow-up presents investigations of the mechanism of nucleation of pores during the phase inversion process in 1D. Pores originate due to accumulation of over-saturated mixtures inside a diffuse interface between homogeneous and demixed polymer solutions behind the precipitation front. This is caused by an expansion of the width of the diffuse interface and time-dependent concentration profiles which finally lead to a change of sign of total diffusive mass flux inside of the diffuse interface. As a result, oscillating compositions behind the precipitation front lead to formation of pores. It is concluded that large surface tension leads to initially small pore sizes. In the second part, a detailed discussion of directional diffusion behind the precipitation front is presented in 2D, which is responsible for different pore structures, e.g., finger or sponge pores. Depending on the dominant direction of diffusion finger pores, lamella structures or sponge pores are formed. This picture can straightforwardly be extended to 3D structures.

     

Porous thin films based on photo-cross-linked star-shaped poly(D,L-lactide)s

Self-assembly processes and subsequent photo-cross-linking were used to generate cross-linked, ordered microporous structures on the surfaces of well defined four-arm star-shaped poly(D,L-lactide) (PDLLA) thin films. The four-arm star-shaped PDLLAs were synthesized using an ethoxylated pentaerythritol initiator. Solutions of the PDLLAs were cast in a humid environment, and upon solvent evaporation, ordered honeycomb structures (or breath figures) were obtained. Correlations between molar mass, polymer solution viscosity, and pore dimensions were established. The average pore dimension decreased with increasing polymer solution concentration, and a linear relationship was observed between relative humidity and average pore dimensions. Highly ordered microporous structures were also developed on four-arm star-shaped methacrylate-modified PDLLA (PDLLA-UM) thin films. Subsequent photo-cross-linking resulted in more stable PDLLA porous films. The photo-cross-linked films were insoluble, and the honeycomb structures were retained despite solvent exposure. Free-standing, structured PDLLA-UM thin films were obtained upon drying for 24 h. Ordered microporous films based on biocompatible and biodegradable polymers, such as PDLLA, offer potential applications in biosensing and biomedical applications.     

Periodic porous stripe patterning in a polymer blend film induced by phase separation during spin-casting

A periodic striping pattern with microscale pore size is observed on the surface of thin films prepared by spin-casting from a polystyrene (PS) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) blend solution. The pattern is created by the convection generated by thermal gradients in the solution between the substrate and film solution during solvent evaporation, the radial flow of the spin-coated solution, and the primary and secondary phase separation of the PS and PEG solutions. The formation mechanism of the periodic porous stripe pattern is discussed, wherein the effects of the polymer blend weight ratio, polymer concentration, and drying rate on the formation of the periodic porous striping pattern are investigated using scanning electron and atomic force microscopy.     

几种极性有机晶体的生长习性与形成机理 2: 分子堆积、界面结构与晶体的习性

极性有机晶体在不同的溶剂中具有明显不同的生长习性, 主要有两个方面的原因: 一是极性有机晶体属非中心对称性晶类, 晶体具有极轴, 极轴的存在对分子堆积和晶体生长具有重要影响; 另一是极性有机晶体的界面结构不同, 溶剂与晶体界面的相互作用不同, 使得晶体同一面族的生长速率不同, 从而导致了晶体习性的改变。本文从几种典型极性有机晶体的分子排列和结构特征出发, 着重探讨了极性有机晶体的界面结构的差异对晶体习性的影响; 结合晶体生长界面与溶剂分子的相互作用进一步理解了晶体生长的溶剂效应; 通过理解极性有机晶体的习性机制, 探讨了晶体实际形态的控制。     

Multi-dimensional transition-metal coordination polymers of 4,4'-bipyridine-N,N'-dioxide: 1D chains and 2D sheets

Reaction of 4,4'-bipyridine -N, N' -dioxide (L) with a variety of transition-metal salts in MeOH affords a range of coordination polymer products. For the complexes [FeCl 3(mu-L)] infinity, 1, and ([Cu(L) 2(OHMe) 2(mu-L)].2PF 6. n(solv)) infinity, 2, 1D chain structures are observed, whereas ([Mn(mu-L) 3].2ClO 4) infinity, 3, and ([Cu(mu-L) 3].2BF 4) infinity, 4, both show 2D sheet architectures incorporating an unusual 3 (6)- hxl topology. The more common 4 (4)- sql topology is observed in [Cd(ONO 2) 2(mu-L) 2] infinity, 5, ([Cu(OHMe) 2(mu-L) 2].2ZrF 5) infinity, 6, ([Cu(L) 2(mu-L) 2].2EF 6) infinity ( 7 E = P; 8 E = Sb), and ([Et 4N][Cu(OHMe) 0.5(mu-L) 2(mu-FSiF 4F) 0.5].2SbF 6. n(solv)) infinity, 9. In 6, the [ZrF 5] (-) anion, formed in situ from [ZrF 6] (2-), forms 1D anionic chains ([ZrF 5] (-)) infinity of vertex-linked octahedra, and these chains thread through a pair of inclined polycatenated ([Cu(OHMe) 2(mu-L) 2] (2+)) infinity 4 (4)- sql grids to give a rare example of a triply intertwined coordination polymer. 9 also shows a 3D matrix structure with 4 (4)- sql sheets of stoichiometry ([Cu(L) 2] (2+)) infinity coordinatively linked by bridging [SiF 6] (2-) anions to give a structure of 5-c 4 (4).6 (6)- sqp topology. The mononuclear [Cu(L) 6].2BF 4 ( 10) and [Cd(L) 6].2NO 3 ( 11) and binuclear complexes [(Cu(L)(OH 2)) 2(mu-L) 2)].2SiF 6. n(solv), 12, are also reported. The majority of the coordination polymers are free of solvent and are nonporous. Thermal treatment of materials that do contain solvent results in structural disintegration of the complex structures giving no permanent porosity.     

Temperature dependence of thermal diffusion for aqueous solutions of monosaccharides, oligosaccharides, and polysaccharides

We studied the thermal diffusion behavior for binary aqueous solutions of glucose, maltotriose, maltohexaose, pullulan, and dextran by means of thermal diffusion forced Rayleigh scattering (TDFRS). The investigated saccharides with molar masses between 0.180 and 440 kg mol(-1) were studied in the temperature range between 15 and 55 °C. The thermal diffusion coefficient D(T) and the Soret coefficient S(T) of all solutions increase with increasing temperature. For maltohexaose and the polymers the thermal diffusion coefficient changes sign from negative to positive with increasing temperature, whereas glucose and maltotriose show only positive values in the entire investigated temperature range. While we were able to find a master curve to describe the temperature dependence of D(T), we were not able to find a similar expression for S(T). This comprehensive study allows for the first time the determination of the interaction parameters for the polymer and the solvent within the theoretical framework suggested by Würger [Phys. Rev. Lett., 2009, 102, 078302].     

Formation of hybrid 2D polymer-metal microobjects

This paper describes a fabrication strategy based on polymer brushes (20-150 nm thick) and soft lithographic techniques, for creating hydrophobic, cross-linked, laterally patterned polymer films. The hydrophobicity of the resulting micrometer-scale "quasi-2D" objects is shown to allow the polymer to act as an etch resist. By adjusting the etching time, we demonstrate that underetching of the gold from underneath the edges of the laterally patterned films can be used to create free-standing polymer-gold hybrid structures. These structures retain their structural integrity when lifted wholly or partially from the substrate and can hence be imaged in suspension. Characterization of the quasi-2D objects was carried out using atomic force microscopy (AFM), ellipsometry, optical microscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). A continuous film, containing embedded polymer-gold objects, can be lifted, folded, and re-deposited onto a substrate without damaging the conductivity of the embedded metallic objects.     

Supramolecular surface-confined architectures created by self-assembly of triangular phenylene-ethynylene macrocycles via van der Waals interaction

At the liquid/graphite interface triangular and rhombic phenylene-ethynylene macrocycles substituted by alkyl chains self-assemble to form porous two-dimensional (2D) molecular networks of honeycomb and Kagomé types, respectively, or close-packed non-porous structures via alkyl chain interdigitation as the directional intermolecular linkages. Factors that affect the formation of the 2D molecular networks, such as alkyl chain length, solvent, solute concentration, and co-adsorption of guest molecules, were elucidated through a systematic study. For the porous networks, various molecules and molecular clusters were adsorbed in the pores reflecting the size and shape complementarity, exploring a new field of 2D host-guest chemistry.     

The vibrational Stokes shift of water (HOD in D2O)

The vibrational Stokes shift of the OH stretching transition nu(OH) of water is the shift between the ground-state absorption and the excited-state (v=1) emission. A recent measurement on HOD in D(2)O solvent [S. Woutersen and H. J. Bakker, Phys. Rev. Lett. 83, 2077 (1999)] of a 70 cm(-1) redshift, and a subsequent calculation of a 57 cm(-1) redshift using equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations [C. P. Lawrence and J. L. Skinner, J. Chem. Phys. 117, 8847 (2002)] were in good agreement. We now report extensive measurements of the vibrational Stokes shift in HOD/D(2)O using an ultrafast IR pump, Raman probe method. The vibrational Stokes shift is seen to depend on the pump pulse frequency and on time delay; by varying these parameters it can be made to range from 112 to -32 cm(-1) (negative values indicate a blueshift in the excited state). The equilibrium vibrational Stokes shift is actually a negative rather than a positive quantity. Possible reasons for the disagreement between experiment and theory are briefly discussed.     

Polymer chain dynamics at interfaces: role of boundary conditions at solid interface

Using classical molecular dynamics simulations, we study the dynamical properties of a single polymer chain dissolved in an explicit solvent and strongly adsorbed at solid-liquid interface. To circumvent a serious challenge posed by finite size effects due to long-range hydrodynamic effects, we developed a correction procedure that substantially limits the finite size effects. Concurrently, we provide an analysis of distinctly different size effects in the directions transverse and normal to the interface. We find that on analytically smooth interfaces, corresponding to the slip boundary condition, the motions of the polymer chain and the surrounding solvent are hydrodynamically coupled. This leads to the chain diffusion coefficient D scaling with the chain degree of polymerization N as D approximately N(-3/4), consistent with the Zimm dynamics for strongly adsorbed chains. Introduction of transverse forces at the interface results in loss of correlation between the motion of the polymer chain and the solvent. Consequently, D approximately N(-1), which is a characteristic of the Rouse dynamics.     

Solvent effects on jet evolution during electrospinning of semi-dilute polystyrene solutions

Linear polystyrene with a weight average molecular weight of 393,400 g/mol was used with various solvents including tetrahydrofuran (THF), chloroform, carbon disulfide (CS₂), 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone (NMP), and N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) to produce solutions, corresponding to a Berry number of about 9. The jet breakdown behavior of each of these solutions was studied with a high speed camera (2000 frames/s). The structure of the electrospun polymer was examined with a scanning electron microscope. The results indicate that jet breakdown with THF and chloroform entailed significant extensional flow, followed by the onset of instabilities, leading to the formation of numerous secondary jets under steady-state conditions. By comparison, the solution jets with DMF and NMP exhibit extensive whipping and splaying to produce a cloud of jets. In this case, few secondary jets were observed under steady-state conditions. A highly refined structure was observed in the electrospun polymer for NMP and DMF, in accordance with the extensive instabilities observed during jet breakdown. Limited jet instability observed with CS₂ solution suggests the significant effect of solvent evaporation. Typical primary jet velocities were measured to be on the order of 2-5 m/s.     

New polymer systems exhibiting microphase separation transition with the formation of nano-microstructures

The concept of microphase separation was up to now widely applied mainly to the conformational transitions in block-copolymer solutions and melts. However, recently it became obvious that this concept has a much more general meaning. It was shown that microphase separation transition can be observed in random copolymers, interpenetrating polymer networks, polyelectrolyte mixtures, poor solvent polyelectrolyte solutions, ionomer solutions and melts, polymer blends and solutions with nonlocal entropy of mixing. In all these examples the emerging microdomain structures correspond to the nanometer scale, therefore the study of these effects can lead to the new ways of obtaining polymer materials with controlled nano-microstructure. In this presentation the review of our recent findings on microphase separation in some of the above-mentioned systems will be presented. 1. The problem of microphase separation in the systems containing weakly charged polyelectrolytes (polyelectrolyte mixtures and poor solvent polyelectrolyte solutions) will be considered. From the methodic point of view, it will be shown that this problem can be solved by direct minimization of the free energy, without the use of “weak segregation” or “strong segregation” assumptions which are common in the theory of block-copolymers. The final phase diagrams exhibit wide macroscopic phase separation regions, which is their main difference from the corresponding phase diagrams for block-copolymer systems. The formation of microdomains is thus coupled with macroscopic phase separation: in most of the cases microdomain structure is formed in one of the coexisting phases after macroscopic phase separation takes place [1] - [2]. 2. The formation of the multiplet structure in ionomer melts and solutions can be also considered as the microphase separation in the random copolymer system with the formation of the “micelles” (or clusters) of ionic links. The parallels with micelle formation in block-copolymer systems can be established if one considers a new “superstrong segregation regime” for block-copolymer microstructures. This regime can be indeed observed for diblock copolymers with one ionomeric and one neutral block [3]. 3. The microphase separation transition in ordinary polymer blends and solutions is also possible. The conditions for this effect are: (i) significant entropic contribution to polymer/polymer or polymer/solvent miscibility, (ii) the nonlocal character of this contribution with a high value of the nonlocality radius. It is argued that one can expect that the entropy nonlocality radius increases in the vicinity of the glass transition for the blend or polymer solutions (in the latter case solvent molecules act like “poor solvent plasticisers”). Computer simulation data supporting the theoretical prediction of microphase separation transition in these systems will be presented [4] - [5].     

Dynamic wetting of Boger fluids

The impact of fluid elasticity on the dynamic wetting of polymer solutions is important because many polymer solutions in technological use exhibit non-Newtonian behaviors in the high shear environment of the wedge-like flow near a moving contact line. Our former study [G.K. Seevaratnam, Y. Suo, E. Ramé, L.M. Walker, Phys. Fluids 19 (2007) Art. No. 012103] showed that shear thinning induced by a semi-flexible high molecular weight polymer reduces the viscous bending near a moving contact line as compared to a Newtonian fluid having the same zero-shear viscosity. This results in a dramatic reduction of the dependence of the effective dynamic contact angle on contact line speed. In this paper, we discuss dynamic wetting of Boger fluids which exhibit elasticity-dominated rheology with minimal shear thinning. These fluids are prepared by dissolving a dilute concentration of high molecular weight polymer in a "solvent" of the oligomer of the polymer. We demonstrate that elasticity in these fluids increases curvature near the contact line but that the enhancement arises mostly from the weakly non-Newtonian behavior already present in the oligomeric solvent. We present evidence of instabilities on the liquid/vapor interface near the moving contact line.     

Coordination polymers based on square planar Co(II) node and linear spacer: solvent-dependent pseudo-polymorphism and an unprecedented interpenetrating structure containing both 2D and 3D topological isomers

Reaction of Co(NCS)2 with 1-methyl-1'-(4-pyridyl)-2-(4-pyrimidyl)ethylene (mppe) in different solvents yields two kinds of novel coordination polymer structures of [Co(mppe)2(NCS)2]n: one of them shows an unprecedented interpenetrating structure with both 2D and 3D topological isomers.     

Influence of the solvent on the spreading of poly[(D,L-lactic acid)-co-(glycolic acid)] monolayers

 The properties of mono layers of poly[(D,L-lactic acid)-co-(glycolic acid)] (PLA/GA) are strongly conditioned by the nature of the solvent from which they are spread. In this work, we studied the properties of PLA/GA films deposited on water from acetonitrile (a poor spreading solvent) and chloroform (a good one), observing marked differences with regard to the influence of the pH, temperature and ionic strength of the subphase. These differences were attributed to the structure of PLA/GA at the air/water interface, being pre-determined by its structure in the bulk spreading solvent (closely coiled in acetonitrile, unfolded in chloroform). Viscosity measurements on acetonitrile and chloroform solutions of PLA/GA, and the calculation of the corresponding intermolecular expansion factor, α, confirmed that PLA/GA was better solvated by chloroform than by acetonitrile, in which intramolecular interactions between polymer segments, and thus coiling, will therefore have predominated over polymer–solvent interactions. Received: 14 October 1996 Accepted: 7 January 1997     

Interfacial tension of evaporating emulsion droplets containing amphiphilic block copolymers: effects of solvent and polymer composition

Evaporating droplets of volatile organic solvent containing amphiphilic block copolymers may undergo hydrodynamic instabilities that lead to dispersal of copolymer micelles into the surrounding aqueous phase. As for related phenomena in reactive polymer blends and oil/water/surfactant systems, this process has been ascribed to a nearly vanishing or transiently negative interfacial tension between the water and solvent phases induced by adsorption of copolymer to the interface. In this report, we investigate the influence of the choice of organic solvent and polymer composition for a series of polystyrene-b-poly(ethylene oxide) (PS-PEO) diblock copolymers, by in situ micropipette tensiometry on evaporating emulsion drops. These measurements suggest that the sensitivity to the organic solvent chosen reflects both differences in the bare solvent/water interfacial tension as well as the propensity of the copolymer to aggregate within the organic phase. While instabilities coincident with an approach of the interfacial tension nearly to zero were observed only for copolymers with PEO content greater than 15 wt.%, beyond this point the interfacial behavior and critical concentration needed to trigger surface instability were found to depend only weakly on copolymer composition.     

Polymer‐solvent interactions during phase transition in poly(vinyl methyl eiher)/D2O solutions as studied by NMR methods

The structural‐dynamic changes and polymer‐solvent interactions during temperature‐induced phase transition in poly(vinyl methyl ether) (PVME)/D₂O solutions in a broad range of concentrations (0.1‐30 wt.‐%) were studied by ¹H NMR methods. In the whole concentration range the phase transition is manifested by line broadening (linewidth 350‐500 Hz) of a major part of PVME units, evidently due to the formation of globular‐like structures. Above the LCST transition, the fraction of phase‐separated PVME segments is equal to 0.8±0.1, independent of polymer concentration. While at low concentrations the transition is virtually discontinuous, at high concentrations the transition region is ∼ 3 K broad. Measurements of nonselective and selective ¹H spin‐lattice relaxation times T₁ of solvent (HDO) molecules evidenced that at elevated temperatures, where most PVME forms globular structures, a part of solvent molecules is bound to PVME forming a complex; the lifetime of the bound water (HDO) molecules is ≤2 s.     

Self-folding of three-dimensional hydrogel microstructures

This letter describes the fabrication of three-dimensional particulate-like hydrogel microstructures using a combination of soft lithography and volume expansion induced self-folding. Bilayer structures are produced by solvent casting and photocuring of liquid resins. They curl into three-dimensional (3D) structures upon contacting with water due to differential swelling of the two layers. The curvature can be controlled by adjusting the polymer composition of the primary swelling layer. A simple semiempirical mathematical model is used to predict this self-folding behavior. By designing the two-dimensional (2D) shapes of the bilayers, this technique can lead to complicated 3D microstructures.     

1H NMR relaxation study of polymer-solvent interactions during thermotropic phase transition in aqueous solutions

The dynamic-structural changes and polymer - solvent interactions during the thermotropic phase transition in poly(vinyl methyl ether) (PVME)/D₂O solutions in a broad range of polymer concentrations (c = 0.1-60 wt.-%) were studied combining the measurements of ¹H NMR spectra, spin-spin (T₂) and spin-lattice (T₁) relaxation times. Phase separation in solutions results in a marked line broadening of a major part of polymer segments, evidently due to the formation of compact globular-like structures. The minority (∼15%) mobile component, which does not participate in the phase separation, consists of low-molecular-weight fractions of PVME, as shown by GPC. Measurements of spin-spin relaxation times T₂ of PVME methylene protons have shown that globular structures are more compact in dilute solutions in comparison with semidilute solutions where globules probably contain a certain amount of water. A certain portion of water molecules bound at elevated temperatures to (in) PVME globular structures in semidilute and concentrated solutions was revealed from measurements of spin-spin and spin-lattice relaxation times of residual HDO molecules.