COMPUTER SIMULATION OF POLYMER SOLUTION THERMODYNAMICS

The statistical counting method for the computer simulation of the ther-modynamic quantities of polymer solution has been reviewed. The calculating results fora single athermal chain confirm the theory of the renormalization group. The results forthe athermal solution are consistent with the scaling law of the osmotic pressure with theexponent 2.25. The results for a single chain with the segmental interaction are in a goodagreement with the exact results obtained by the direct counting method. The results forthe polymer solution show us that the Flory-Huggins parameter is strongly dependent onboth the polymer concentration and the interaction energy between segments. Monte carlo simulation; Polymer solution; Thermodynamic quantities;Translational entropy; Conformational entropy; Scaling law     

MODELING THE CHAIN CONFORMATION OF POLYMER MELTS IN CONTRACTION FLOW

A constitutive model of quasi-Newtonian fluid based on the type of flow is used in abrupt planar contraction now.The numerical results from finite element analysis are consistent with experimental data for stress patterns and velocityprofiles in the flow field. The chain conformations of polymer melts are then investigated in such a planar contraction byusing the phenomenological model with internal parameters proposed by the author. That is, the shape and orientation ofpolymer chain coils are predicted and discussed in different flow regions of the contraction flow field that possess simpleshear flow, extensional flow, vortical flow, and mixed flow respectively.     

近壁模型高分子链的计算机模拟

采用简立方格点上的普通无规行走 (NRW)和自避行走 (SAW )为模型链 ,研究了不可穿透的刚性壁附近高分子的构象性质 ,得出近壁链的构象熵和尺寸随一端点与壁之间距离z0 的变化 .所用的计算机模拟技术包括精确计数和MonteCarlo模拟 .数值结果表明 ,近壁链的构象熵降低遵循一种简单规律 ,即当链长愈长或一端愈接近于壁时 ,与长度相同的自由链相比 ,链因壁限制所致构象熵的降低愈大 .当链十分接近于壁时 ,其均方末端距〈R2 〉(尤其是与壁垂直的分量〈R2z〉)大于自由链的相应值 ;随z0 增大 ,〈R2 〉及〈R2z〉开始减小 ,通过某一极小值 ,然后上升 ;当z0 →∞时 ,趋于自由链的极限值 .换言之 ,近壁模型链的线团经历一个收缩再逐渐扩张的过程     

DILUTE SOLUTION BEHAVIOR OF CHITOSAN IN DIFFERENT ACID SOLVENTS

Dilute solution behavior of chitosan was studied in formic acid, acetic acid, lactic acid andhydrochloric acid aqueous solution under different pH values. The reduced viscosities, η_(sp)/C,ofchitosan solutions were dependent on the properties of acid and pH value of solvents. For a givenchitosan concentration, η~(sp)/C decreased with the increase of acid concentration, or decreasing pHof solvent, indicating shielding effect of excessive acid similar to adding salt into solution. Thestabilities of dilute chitosan solution in formic acid and lactic acid were better than that in acetic acid and hvdrochloric acid.     

聚合物链构象的Monte Carlo模拟:单链的构象熵

本工作提出了一种新的直接用Monte Carlo模拟方法计算聚合物链构象熵,我们称这种方法为构象计数法。在本文中首先叙述了这个方法的计算原理,然后将它应用到简单立方格子中的无规自避行走问题上。具体计算了短链(链步数n=7～19)和长链(n～2100)时的熵在短链下所得到的熵数据与准确值相比偏差在0.04％以内(2000个样本)。在长链下所得到的熵数据与重整化群理论的结果相比,误差在0.8％左右(样本数为300)。同时本文还计论了限制在边长为2的立方体内,最大链步数n=26的受限链的构象熵。由本方法所求得的数据和用直接计算构象数得到的熵准确值也符合得很好。偏差在0.6％以内(2000个样本)。本文还对权重因子进行了讨论,提出改进数据准确度的方法。     

简立方格点自避行走所模拟的高分子链吸附和塌缩

采用复合Markov链法 ,针对简立方格点上的自避行走模型 ,研究了同时具有对壁的吸附作用ε1 和最近邻相互作用ε2 的高分子链的热力学性质 .相互作用能量参数ε1 和ε2 分别联系于参数α和 β .令链长N=10 0 ,由这种MonteCarlo方法可得出链的自由能FN(α ,β) ,热容2 FN(α ,β) /2 α和2 FN(α ,β) /2 β ,吸附点平均数〈m〉/N ,最近邻相互作用对平均数〈n〉/N和均方末端距对壁的垂直分量RZ2 .除已有方法由热容数据可绘出α β相图外 ,建议由结构参数〈m〉/N ,〈n〉/N和RZ2 绘制相图 ,并发现二者基本一致 .所得相图表明 ,存在 4个相区 ,分别是解吸 膨胀相 (DE) ,吸附 膨胀相 (AE) ,解吸 紧密相 (DC)和吸附 紧密相 (AC) .在伸展区和塌缩区 ,随着吸附作用的增强 ,会出现吸附相转变 .在解吸区和吸附区 ,随着自相互作用的增大 ,也将出现塌缩相转变 .相图出现了两个三相点 ,即AE AC DC三相点和AE DE DC三相点     

简立方格点自避行走所模拟的高分子链吸附和塌缩

采用复合Markov链法,针对简立方格点上的自避行走模型,研究了同时具有对壁的吸附作用ε1和最近邻相互作用ε2的高分子链的热力学性质.相互作用能量参数ε1和ε2分别联系于参数α和β.令链长N=100,由这种Monte Carlo方法可得出链的自由能FN (α ,β),热容2FN(α,β)/2α和2FN(α,β)/2β,吸附点平均数〈m〉/N,最近邻相互作用对平均数〈n〉/N和均方末端距对壁的垂直分量RZ2.除已有方法由热容数据可绘出α-β相图外,建议由结构参数〈m〉/N ,〈n〉/N和RZ2绘制相图,并发现二者基本一致.所得相图表明,存在4个相区,分别是解吸-膨胀相(DE),吸附-膨胀相(AE),解吸-紧密相(DC)和吸附 -紧密相(AC).在伸展区和塌缩区,随着吸附作用的增强,会出现吸附相转变.在解吸区和吸附区,随着自相互作用的增大,也将出现塌缩相转变.相图出现了两个三相点,即AE-AC-DC三相点和AE-DE-D C三相点.     

非天然相互作用对均聚多肽链螺旋形成动力学过程的影响的计算机模拟研究

以螺旋结构的形成过程为研究对象,基于粗粒化的格子模型和动态蒙特卡罗模拟方法,初步探讨了非天然氢键相互作用对均聚多肽链螺旋折叠动力学过程的影响.研究发现,非天然氢键的引入虽然延缓了其热力学转变的发生,但也从整体上降低了折叠动力学过程的能垒,在某一特定温度之下,反而可以提高折叠速率.对其折叠路径分布的分析表明,非天然氢键可以减少慢速折叠路径的发生,而后者是导致折叠时间增加的主要因素.另一方面,比较特定温度下多肽链链构象及螺旋片断随时间的演化进程,发现非天然氢键在一定程度上影响了天然氢键的形成以及天然态构象的稳定存在,同时也加快了其部分解折叠过程.这说明,非天然相互作用的存在有利于蛋白质构象的快速动态调整,从而行使其相应的生物功能.     

MOLECULAR SIMULATION STUDY ON THE CHANGE OF POLYMER STRUCTURE DURING YIELDING*

A better understanding of a recently raised argument on whether there occurs a structure change during yieldinghas been acquired by using molecular simulation. That is, when monitoring the displacements of all atoms before and afterthe yield, a structure transition does occur, which is the "atomic jump" that coordinates the amount of the atoms in thepolymer and makes a large step beyond～0.05 nm for all those atoms. Results indicate that the complex of polymer chainpacking induces the multiple atomic jumps around the yield point. This explains why polymers have a broader yielding peak.     

POLYMER CHAIN DIFFUSION AT A TEMPERATURE BELOW ITS BULK GLASS TRANSITION TEMPERATURE

In this study, it was examined whether the dynamics of polymer chains at a surface is different from that in thebulk, and if so, to what extent they differ in terms of surface glass transition temperature and diffusion coefficient. Obtainedresults clearly indicate that surface chains can travel for a relatively large distance in comparison with the characteristiclength scale of usual segmental motion even at a temperature below its bulk glass transition temperature, T_g~b. This isconsistent with our previous results that the surface glass transition temperature is much lower than the corresponding T_g~b.Also, it was experimentally revealed that there was a gradient of molecular motion in the surface region.     

THE CORRELATION EFFECT ON THE CHAIN MOTION CONTRIBUTION TO IONIC TRANSPORT IN POLYMER ELECTROLYTES

The ionic transport process in polymer electrolytes (such as polyethylene oxide) wassimulated numerically on a two dimensional square lattice where charge carriers areaccommodated by the lattice sites connected randomly with available bonds to represent theamorphous chain configuration. Following the dynamic bond percolation theory(DBPT),the chainmotion contribution to the ionic conduction was incorporated via periodical renewal of the randombond configuration. To check and extend the prediction made by DBPT employing global abruptbond renewal,spatial correlation of the bond reassignment was introduced to the system by: 1)regional bond renewal and 2) organized bond motion. It is found that the difference between thediffusivities simulated involving regional bond renewal and those of DBPT becomes negligiblewhen the bond renewal rate approaches the carrier hopping rate.     

SHAPE OF POLYMER CHAINS ON A TETRAHEDRAL LATTICE*

The shape of unperturbed polymer chains was studied using the Monte Carlo technique on a tetrahedral lattice.The asphericity A, the ratios/and/ were calculated for different values of polymer chain length n,conformational energy ε (ε≥0) and temperature T. The asphericity A decreases with the increase of chain length and tends toreach its limiting value rapidly with the decrease of γ(γ=ε/k_BT). For large n, A is about 0.525±0.005, the ratios/ and/ are about 2.7 and 12.0, respectively, and are almost independent of γ, but for short chains, theydepend on γ.     

NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF MORPHOLOGY OF POLYMER CHAIN COILS IN COMPLEX FLOWS

A new coupled finite element formulation is proposed to calculate a conformation tensor model in two complex flows： a planar contraction flow and a planar flow around a symmetrically placed cylinder. The components of conformation tensor are first computed together with the velocity and pressure to describe the change of morphology of polymer chain coils in flow fields. Macroscopic quantities of viscoelastic flow are then calculated based on the conformation tensor. Comparisons between the numerical simulations and experiments for stress patterns and velocity profiles are carried out to prove the validity of the method.     

A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF CHAIN DYNAMICS OF DI-AND TRI-BLOCK COPOLYMERS IN SEMIDILUTE SOLUTION IN A NON-SELECTIVE SOLVENT

The chain dynamics of a pair of diblock poly(styrene-b-butadiene) (PS210-b-PB960) and triblock poly(styrene-b-butadiene-b-styrene) (PS200-b-PB1815-b-PS200) copolymers in both dilute and semidilute toluene solutions has been comparatively studied by dynamic laser light scattering. As expected, the mutual diffusion of individual chain changes into a fast cooperative diffusion of the chain segments (“blobs“) between two neighboring entanglement points for both the copolymers as the solution changes from dilute to semidilute. Further increases of the concentration lead to a second slow relaxation mode. For the triblock chains, there exists an additional middle relaxation between the fast and the slow modes.with 0.33 ＜α＜ 0.44, much smaller than 0.75 predicted or 0.72 observed for linear homopolymer chains in good solvent. It implies that the solvent quality of toluene for PB might not be as good as that for PS. Due to such a difference in solubility, it is reasonable to speculate that the PB and PS blocks are transiently segregated in semidilute solution. The relaxation of these transient PB and PS richer domains leads to the observed slow relaxation. Such a speculation is supported by the appearance of an additional slow relaxation mode in the study of polyisoprene-b-polystyrene-b-polyisoprene in semidilute solution in cyclohexane, a non-selective solvent, in which we alternated the solubility difference by a variation of the solution temperature.     

SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF TITANOCENE POLYMER DERIVATIVES

Titanocene polymer derivatives with potential antitumor properties were synthesized by interfacial condensation. The preformed polymers used are PAA (polyacrylic acid), CPSMA (1:1 alternating copolymer of styrene and maleic anhydride) and DVEMA (1:2 copolymer of divinyl ether and maleic anhydride). The ratio of practical and theoretical titanium content is 73.6%, 92.2% and 86.2% for PAA, CPSMA and DVEMA polymer derivatives respectively. The IR spectra of the polymer derivatives possess the characteristic absorptions of titanocene. XPS (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy) of O_(1s) and Ti_(2p3/2) supports the existence of Ti-O bonding.     

CURE OF A MICROGEL-EPOXY RESIN TWO-PHASE POLYMER WITH ETHYLENE DIAMINE

The curing of a microgel-epoxy resin two phase polymer prepared by in situ copolymerization of unsaturated polyester with acrylic monomer was studied. The unsaturated unit reacted with N—H during the cure of the resin with ethylene diamine. The Michael type reaction was ten times more rapid than the addition of N—H to epoxide.This was accounted for the lower apparent activation energy of the curing of the two phase resin.     

A NOVEL INTERPRETATION OF CONCENTRATION DEPENDENCE OF VISCOSITY OF DILUTE POLYMER SOLUTION*

The concentration dependence of the reduced viscosity of dilute polymer solution is interpreted in the light of anew concept of the self-association of polymer chains in dilute solution. The apparent self-association constant is defined asthe molar association constant divided by the molar mass of individual polymer chain and is numerically interconvertiblewith the Huggins coefficient. The molar association constant is directly proportional to the effective hydrodynamic volume ofthe polymer chain in solution and is irrespective of the chain architecture. The effective hydrodynamic volume accounts forthe non-spherical conformation of a short polymer chain in solution and is a product of a shape factor and hydrodynamicvolume. The observed enhancement of Huggins coefficient for short chain and branched polymer is satisfactorily interpretedby the concept of self-association. The concept of self-association allows us to predict the existence of a boundaryconcentration C_s (dynamic contact concentration) which divides the dilute polymer solution into two regions.     

POLYMER SUPPORT EFFECTS OF METAL COMPLEXES FOR CATALYSIS*

In the course of investigating the catalytic behavior of metal complexes forring opening metathesis polymerization of cycloolefins, metathesis, hydroformylation andselective hydrogenation of olefins experimental results time and again indicate the pres-ence of effects of macromolecular supports -the utilization of macromolecular supportsincreases obviously the activity, selectivity, and stability of the catalysts and so as to in-crease the conversion of substrates, yields of reactions, properties of formed polymers andso on. Discussed these effects on the basis of the authors' experiments.     

POROUS MEMBRANE TEMPLATED SYNTHESIS OF POLYMER PILLARED LAYER

The anodic porous alumina membranes with a definite pore diameter and aspect ratio were used as templates tosynthesize polymer pillared layer structures. The pillared polymer was produced in the template membrane pores, and thelayer on the template surfaces. Rigid cured epoxy resin, polystyrene and soft hydrogel were chosen to confirm themethodology. The pillars were in the form of either tubes or fibers, which were controlled by the alumina membrane pore surface wettability. The structural features were confirmed by scanning electron microscopy results.     

THE ROTATION BARRIER OF ELECTRON SPIN PROBE IN THE STUDY OF POLYMER SYSTEM

In the study of molecular motion of polymer by means of ESR in combination with spin probe, owing to that the ESR spectrum depicts only the behavior of spin probe, the information obtained is of indirect nature. Hence the relationship between them must first be investigated before any conclusion could be drawn. In this paper, two parameters T_R and C_R are introduced to characterize the changing of tumbling rate of spin probe, and the concept of rotation barrier of spin probe is proposed. It is considered that the magnitude of the rotation barrier is determined by the internal cavity size and distribution in polymer. When the temperature is raised, the size and distribution of the cavities change accordingly, thus the tumbling of spin probe changes gradually from a slower to a higher rate.