Self‐Consistent Integral Equation Theory for Semiflexible Polyelectrolytes in Poor Solvent

Self‐consistent hybrid MC/PRISM method is presented for calculating properties of polyelectrolytes in semidilute and more concentrated regimes in a poor solvent. The static structure and conformational behavior of salt‐free polyelectrolyte solutions composed of semiflexible polyions and monovalent counterions are studied using the approach which combines the traditional Monte‐Carlo (MC) simulation with the numerical solution of the polymer integral PRISM equation. The MC technique is applied to generate the configurations of a single chain molecule and obtain the averaged intrapolymer correlation function. The PRISM equation is then numerically solved for a given monomer density to obtain the various correlation functions and the medium‐induced intrapolymer potential. This is used in a single chain MC simulation, where the polymer sites interact via the bare Coulomb potential together with the short range attractive potential and a self‐consistently determined medium‐induced potential. The monomer‐monomer pair correlation functions and static structure factors are calculated for a large variety of parameters. Conformational properties such as the radius of gyration and visual images are obtained as a function of attractive short‐range interaction, monomer density, Bjerrum length, and chain stiffness. The MC/PRISM study predicts that there is a range of hydrophobicity and monomer density for which polyion chains can form the toroidal structure in a poor solvent. Nonmonotonic dependence of the chain size on monomer density is predicted over the entire range of parameters. Polyion structure factor peak position as a function of density is described. Two concentration regimes in which the polyion structure factors exhibit physically different peaks were found. Over the entire concentration regime considered polyelectrolyte chains undergo strong compression with R_g ∝ lequation/tex2gif-stack-1.gif.

Conformation of a polyion chain for l_B = 2, ε = 0.18 at ρ* = 0.2 and α = 10°.     

Associated inter‐ and intrachain conformational transitions in polystyrene solutions

Understanding the conformational changes of polymeric chains in solutions is an essential and integral part of polymer physics. By increasing the concentration of polymer solutions from dilute to semidilute regime, the critical chain overlapping has been reported at the concentration termed as C*. In this study, the associated inter‐ and intrachain conformational transitions in polystyrene (PS) solutions are reported. By comparing the spectroscopic intensity ratio versus concentration for an intrachain PS system, a break point was observed in good solvent which coincided with the theoretically predicted C*. Moreover, the intrachain conformation showed no obvious change below C*, while significant collapse started to occur above C*. This result reveals a new insight in polymer physics, since traditionally the size of polymer chains is considered to decrease weakly regarding the concentration change in the semidilute regime. It is important to find such an abrupt intrachain conformational transition between the dilute and semidilute solutions and provide the first experimental observation that inter‐ and intrachain conformational transitions are correlated to one the other. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2017 , 55, 1373–1379     

Conformational Polymorphism in N‐(4′‐methoxyphenyl)‐ 3‐bromothiobenzamide

Three conformational polymorphs of N‐(4′‐methoxyphenyl)‐3‐bromothiobenzamide, yellow α, orange β, and yellow γ, have been identified by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction. The properties and structure of the polymorphs were examined with FT Raman, FTIR (ATR), and UV/Vis spectroscopy, as well as differential scanning calorimetry. Computational data on rotational barriers in the isolated gas‐phase molecule indicate that the molecular conformation found in the α form is energetically preferred, but only by around 2 kJ mol^?1 over the γ conformation. The planar molecular structure found in the β form is destabilized by 10–14 kJ mol^?1, depending on the calculation method. However, experimental evidence suggests that the β polymorph is the most stable crystalline phase at room temperature. This is attributed to the relative planarity of this structure, which allows more and stronger intermolecular interactions, that is, more energetically effective packing. Calculated electronic‐absorption maxima were in agreement with experimental spectra.     

Self‐Consistent Field Modeling of Three‐Dimensional Morphologies of Branched Lipid Surfactant at Air‐Water Interface

Three‐dimensional mesoscopic morphologies and the thermodynamics of structural phase transitions of amphiphilic lipids at air‐water interfaces are studied using self‐consistent field theory. Changing the relative amount of lipids in the system led to a series of 3D morphologic phases with varying average interfacial area per molecule, mimicking a compression of the model membranes. Membranes of both saturated and unsaturated lipids undergo a transition from cylindrical micelle to lamella when the lipid content in the system increases from 2% to about 19–20%. With further increase in the lipid content, saturated lipids first develop non‐uniform quasi‐2D distributions in the lamella and then gradually transform into a hybrid morphology containing quasi‐planar lamellae. In contrast, unsaturated lipids develop reverse‐micellar morphologies.

     

Dissipative and Autonomous Square‐Wave Self‐Oscillation of a Macroscopic Hybrid Self‐Assembly under Continuous Light Irradiation

Building a bottom‐up supramolecular system to perform continuously autonomous motions will pave the way for the next generation of biomimetic mechanical systems. In biological systems, hierarchical molecular synchronization underlies the generation of spatio‐temporal patterns with dissipative structures. However, it remains difficult to build such self‐organized working objects via artificial techniques. Herein, we show the first example of a square‐wave limit‐cycle self‐oscillatory motion of a noncovalent assembly of oleic acid and an azobenzene derivative. The assembly steadily flips under continuous blue‐light irradiation. Mechanical self‐oscillation is established by successively alternating photoisomerization processes and multi‐stable phase transitions. These results offer a fundamental strategy for creating a supramolecular motor that works progressively under the operation of molecule‐based machines.     

Numerical Self‐Consistent Field Theory of Cylindrical Polyelectrolyte Brushes

A single cylindrical polyelectrolyte brush is studied by self‐consistent field (SCF) theory and the results compared with predictions from scaling theory. It is shown that the SCF theory results give the general trends as well as insight into the crossover regions between different regimes. The density profiles of the polyions and small ions indicate that the systems are locally electroneutral. The salted brush bears characteristics similar to those of a neutral brush. Counter‐intuitively, the chains are not uniformly stretched in the osmotic regime. The free‐end monomers shift to the outer region and an exclusion zone appears and grows with decreasing of salt concentration.

     

Natural and Synthetic Polyampholytes, 2

The ability of natural and synthetic polyampholytes to exist in globular, coil, helix, stretched, and ordered conformations is reviewed and transformations and transitions between the respective states upon variation of conditions are highlighted. The properties of polyampholytes in solution, condensed, and gel state as well as at various interfaces are discussed in order to clarify the principles of the structural organization of proteins, model the function of biomembranes, and study the biocompatibility of modified materials. Application aspects of polyampholytes in protein separation, desalination, catalysis, the oil industry, biotechnology, nanotechnology, and medicine are given.

     

Self‐Consistent Brownian Dynamics Simulation of an Anisotropic Brush Under Shear Flow

Summary: The behavior of an anisotropic polymer brush under a lateral shear flow is considered in the framework of a hybrid method combining a self‐consistent field approach and Brownian dynamics simulation. It is shown that such a flow can induce the compression of an anisotropic brush at shear rates much smaller than those which induce the compression of a conventional isotropic brush. Moreover, a lateral flow can initiate a thermotropic collapse which occurs as an LC phase transition. This collapse takes place at higher temperatures than in the absence of the flow. This can help to find brush compression experimentally. The variation of the internal structure of a brush (density, order parameter, and director orientation profiles, distribution of terminal groups) is also investigated. An anomalous effect of brush densification and ordering near the outer surface is observed. At large shear rates the distribution of chains over their deformation has a bimodal character: one fraction of chains is strongly stretched and another fraction remains unperturbed by the flow. Average characteristics of a brush were compared with predictions of the lattice theory for the box model where the lateral force is applied to chain ends. Satisfactory agreement was observed.

Polymer brush under an influence of lateral flow.     

Time‐Resolved Phase Transitions of the Nanocrystalline Cubic to Submicron Monoclinic Phase in Zirconia

The nanocrystalline cubic, tetragonal, and submicron monoclinic phases of pure zirconia were prepared by thermal decomposition of carbonate and hydroxide precursors. The crystallization and isothermal phase transformations of the oxide were studied using high temperature X‐ray diffraction, X‐ray diffraction and Raman spectra of quenched samples. Cubic zirconia formed first, and then progressively transformed to tetragonal and monoclinic phases at temperatures as low as 320°C. The cubic, tetragonal, and monoclinic phases for ZrO₂ were found to be distinct functions of crystallite size, indicating the nanocrystalline nature of these phases. They were found to exist within critical size ranges of 50 to 140 Å, 100 to 220 Å and 190 to 420 Å (±5 Å), respectively. Thus, as the crystallites grow during annealing, they first transform from cubic to tetragonal and then from tetragonal to monoclinic at critical sizes. The classical Avrami equation for nucleation and growth was applied to the tetragonal to monoclinic phase transition.     

Self‐assembled complexes of poly(acrylic acid) and poly(styrene)‐block‐poly(4‐vinyl pyridine)

Polymer complexes were prepared from high molecular weight poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and poly(styrene)‐block‐poly(4‐vinyl pyridine) (PS‐b‐P4VP) in dimethyl formamide (DMF). The hydrogen bonding interactions, phase behavior, and morphology of the complexes were investigated using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dynamic light scattering (DLS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). In this A‐b‐B/C type block copolymer/homopolymer system, P4VP block of the block copolymer has strong intermolecular interaction with PAA which led to the formation of nanostructured micelles at various PAA concentrations. The pure PS‐b‐P4VP block copolymer showed a cylindrical rodlike morphology. Spherical micelles were observed in the complexes and the size of the micelles increased with increasing PAA concentration. The micelles are composed of hydrogen‐bonded PAA/P4VP core and non‐bonded PS corona. Finally, a model was proposed to explain the microphase morphology of complex based on the experimental results obtained. The selective swelling of the PS‐b‐P4VP block copolymer by PAA resulted in the formation of different micelles. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 47: 1192–1202, 2009     

Morphology of ABCD Tetrablock Copolymers Predicted by Self‐Consistent Field Theory

Summary: We studied the two‐dimensional (2D) microphase‐separated morphology of linear ABCD tetrablock copolymers by self‐consistent field theory. By varying the interaction parameters and the compositions, we found at least twelve structures, two of which – “four‐color” lamellae and “three‐color” core‐shell hexagonal phase – prove the existing experimental observations. These morphologies were discussed in correlation with the volume fraction of the components and the interaction parameters. A specific behavior of symmetrical tetrablock copolymers, i.e., f_A = f_D and f_B = f_C, is that the stable phases are lamellae, which is different from symmetrical ABC triblock copolymer having order‐to‐order transition. These results are helpful for the design of new block copolymer‐based nanomaterials.

     

Self‐Healing Behavior in a Thermo‐Mechanically Responsive Cocrystal during a Reversible Phase Transition

The molecular‐level motions of a coronene‐based supramolecular rotator are amplified into macroscopic changes of crystals by co‐assembly of coronene and TCNB (1,2,4,5‐tetracyanobenzene) into a charge‐transfer complex. The as‐prepared cocrystals show remarkable self‐healing behavior and thermo‐mechanical responses during thermally‐induced reversible single‐crystal‐to‐single‐crystal (SCSC) phase transitions. Comprehensive analysis of the microscopic observations as well as differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurements and crystal habits reveal that a thermally‐reduced‐rate‐dependent dynamic character exists in the phase transition. The crystallographic studies show that the global similarity of the packing patterns of both phases with local differences, such as molecular stacking sequence and orientations, should be the origin of the self‐healing behavior of these crystals.     

Control of Intramolecular Hydrogen Bonding in a Conformation‐Switchable Helical‐Spring Polymer by Solvent and Temperature

A substituted poly(phenylacetylene) derivative (PPA_HB) with two hydroxymethyl groups at the meta position of the side phenyl ring was examined as a conformation‐switchable helical spring polymer that responds to solvent and heat stimuli in a precisely controlled manner. Intramolecular hydrogen bonds, which cause the helical structure of the polymer, were broken and re‐formed by adjusting the hydrogen‐bonding strength values (pK_HB) of various combinations of solvents or by varying the temperature. In this process, a reversible conformational change from cis–cisoid to cis–transoid, accompanied by a phase transition in the form of a helix‐coil transformation occurred, with the polymer exhibiting critical changes of color fading and recovery in specific environments. These results demonstrate that PPA_HB can be used as either a pK_HB indicator or a thermometer. The color changes of the polymer solution are described in detail based on spectroscopic analyses and thermodynamic considerations.