Modelling of spreading process: effect from hydrogen bonds

Lubricant spreading on solid substrates has drawn considerable attention not only for the microscopic wetting theory but also for the dramatic application in head-disk interface of magnetic storage drive systems. Molecular dynamic simulation based on a coarse-grained bead-spring model has been used to study such a spreading process. The spreading profiles indicate that the hydrogen bonds among lubricant molecules and the hydrogen bonds between lubricant molecules and polar atoms of solid substrates will complicate the spreading process in a tremendous degree. The hydrogen bonds among lubricant molecules will strengthen the lubricant combination intensity, which may hinder most molecules from flowing down to the substrates and diffusing along the substrates. And the hydrogen bonds between lubricant molecules and polar atoms of solid substrates will confine the lubricant molecules around polar atoms, which may hinder the molecules from diffusing along the substrates and cause precursor film to vanish.     

磁盘润滑膜全氟聚醚的分子动力学模拟研究

纳米润滑膜全氟聚醚(perfluoropolyether，简称PFPE)在固体表面的结构和迁移特性对于计 算机磁盘磁头驱动系统的可靠性具有重要的作用. 采用基于粗粒珠簧模型的分子动力学模拟 方法，考察了不同壁面和端基极性对于PFPE膜静态特性（如分子构型、单体密度分布、端基 密度分布）以及动态特性（如自扩散系数）的影响. 静态特性的模拟结果表明，非极性PFPE 膜在壁面附近具有单层厚度为一个单体直径的层状结构，而极性PFPE膜则具有复杂的层状结 构. 动态特性的模拟结果表明，PFPE膜的扩散能力因壁面作用而增强并因端基极性作用而减 弱. 关键词： 全氟聚醚膜 分子动力学模拟 薄膜润滑 固液界面结构     

Model structures of thermoplastic polyesters having regularly alternated aromatic and fluorinated segments

Linear segmented polyesters containing soft perfluoropolyether (PFPE) and hard aromatic segments are obtained by an interfacial polycondensation reaction of an acyl chloride-ended fluorinated prepolymer with various aromatic diphenols in the presence of phase transfer catalysts (PTC) as accelerators. Experimental conditions for reaching high molecular weights are discussed. The calorimetric analysis (DSC) of all the polyesters synthesized shows a typical biphasic morphology, where a very low T_g (< −110°C) corresponding to the segregated PFPE moiety, is always accompanied by another T_g or a higher melting temperature, depending on the nature of the hard phase. Dynamic-mechanical analysis (DMA) has been carried out confirming the DSC results and suggesting diversified mechanical behaviors at the various temperatures in line with the amorphous or semicrystalline nature of the polymer. Chemical resistance was finally tested by dipping in several solvents and chemicals. The new polyesters show high contact angles, a moderate swelling in many organic solvents and excellent stability in aggressive hydrolytic environments. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 36: 939–947, 1998     

Phase behavior and some calorimetric and physical properties of diurethanes from perfluoropolyether macromonomers

Density and calorimetric measurements have been carried out on copolymeric perfluoropolyethers of molecular weight ranging between 500 and 4700, terminated at both chain ends either with  CH₂OH or ethylurethane groups. Samples of the second series are models for perfluoropolyethers based polyurethanes. Density measurements point out that the terminal alcoholic group brings about a negative excess volume, which increases with decreasing the molecular weight; a lower excess volume is found for urethane‐terminated molecules. Calorimetric traces, T_g, and Δc_p at T_g show that alcoholic‐terminated molecules are amorphous and one phase systems, while urethane‐terminated compounds are crystalline; phase separation is observed for this last series when the molecular weight of the fluorinated segment is larger than 1000. The trend of T_g with molecular weight is discussed for one‐ and two‐phase systems in the light of current theories for the glass transition. The decrease of the melting point with increasing the molecular weight for the urethane series can be described by the Flory equation for random copolymers. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 37: 1609–1622, 1999     

Novel perfluoropolyethers containing 2,2,4-trifluoro-5-trifluoromethoxy-1,3-dioxole blocks: synthesis and characterization

Peroxidic perfluoropolyethers (PFPEs) are industrial intermediates used by Solvay Solexis for the preparation of different classes of (per)fluoropolyethers (Fomblin^®, Galden^®, Solvera^®, Fluorolink^®). The chemistry of these peroxidic compounds has been recently exploited for the synthesis of novel PFPE block copolymers. In the present work we report the synthesis, the structural and physical-chemical characterization of block copolymers obtained by the reaction of peroxidic PFPEs with 2,2,4-trifluoro-5-trifluoromethoxy-1,3-dioxole, a cyclic homopolymerizable perfluoroolefin. These block copolymers combine the most attractive properties of the PFPEs, like the excellent lubrication, the high thermal stability and the optical transparency, with new specific properties which are related to the perfluorodioxolenic blocks.     

Molecular dynamic simulation of lubricant spreading： effect from the substrate and endbead

Molecular dynamic simulations based on a coarse-grained, bead-spring model are adopted to investigate the spreading of both nonfunctional and functional perfluoropolyether (PFPE) on solid substrates. For nonfunctional PFPE, the spreading generally exhibits a smooth profile with a precursor film. The spreading profiles on different substrates are compared, which indicate that the bead-substrate interaction has a significant effect on the spreading behaviour, especially on the formation of the precursor film. For functional PFPE, the spreading generally exhibits a complicated terraced profile. The spreading profiles with different endbeads are compared, which indicate that the endbead-substrate interaction and the endbead--endbead interaction, especially the latter, have a significant effect on the spreading behaviour.     

The spreading behaviour of perfluoropolyether droplets on solid surfaces

The spread of perfluoropolyether （PFPE） droplets on solid surfaces has been measured from the top-down view through a microscope system. Effects of substrates, molecular weight and end-group functionality on spreading of the PFPE droplets have been studied experimentally and the results were compared with those by molecular dynamics （MD） simulations. Silicon wafer and diamond-like carbon （DLC） substrates were used to study the effect of substrates on spreading. Two types of PFPE, Z-dol and Z-tetraol, with the same chain structure and various molecular weights （2000 and 4000 g/mol） were employed in experiments. Effect of molecular weight has been investigated through comparing the spreading of Z-dol 2000 and Z-dol 4000, and it is found that the increase of molecular weight will decrease the mobility of PFPE. Comparison between spreading of Z-dol and Z-tetraol of the same molecular weight proved that functional end group plays a significant role on the spreading of PFPE, which confirmed the MD simulation results.     

Perfluoropolyether-Silica Hybrids: Preparation and Surface Characterization

,-Triethoxysilane terminated perfluoropolyether-polycaprolactone block copolymers, TXCL(x)Si, were synthesised, characterised and subsequently reacted with tetraethoxysilane to prepare transparent organic-inorganic hybrid materials by using the sol–gel process. Surface characterization was carried out through contact angle measurements. All the materials investigated (independently on both the reaction time of the sol–gel reaction before coating application and the bulk organic-inorganic ratio) showed a strong hydrophobic character when compared with non-fluorinated and fully inorganic control materials. The highest water contact angles were obtained when TXCL(x)Si oligomer used for the preparation of the hybrid contained short hydrogenated polycaprolactone segments. In all cases, the surface tension values indicated that the very surface at the air-coating interface showed almost completely perfluoropolyether segments.     

Fluoropolyether coatings: Relationships of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements,barrier properties,and polymer structure

Ten model coatings, selected and obtained from a family of fluorinated resins synthesized by the reaction of perfluoroether oligomeric diols of different molecular weights with polyisocyanurates of hexamethylenediisocyanate (HDI) and isophoronediisocyanate (IPDI), were characterized with differential scanning calorimetry, mechanical testing, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements. The electrochemical and chemico‐physical measurements show that the glass‐transition temperature of the starting isocyanate trimers greatly influences the properties of the final urethane coatings; the IPDI trimer gives harder coatings with lower water permeabilities than the corresponding HDI‐based materials. Moreover, for each class of materials (from IPDI or HDI), the fluorine content plays a relevant role: the higher the fluorine percentage, the lower the water absorption into the coatings. Furthermore, the chain length of the polyols used for the synthesis of the prepolymers is a variable that exhibits great influence on the coating properties: coatings containing shorter perfluoropolyether segments show better barrier properties. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 40: 52–64, 2002     

润滑膜全氟聚醚的稳定性

采用基于粗粒珠簧模型的分子动力学模拟方法，考察了非极性和极性全氟聚醚(perfluoropolyether， PFPE)膜在固体表面的稳定性. 随着时间推移，非极性PFPE膜的表面形貌没有明显变化，呈现稳定的状态；而强极性PFPE膜的部分润滑分子发生局域集聚，使润滑膜的表面粗糙度随时间而增大，呈现不稳定的状态. 通过比较具有不同极性端基PFPE润滑膜的表面形貌变化，结果发现：极性端基与极性端基的作用是导致润滑膜不稳定的根本原因，极性端基与固体表面的作用对润滑膜稳定性影响不大. 关键词： 全氟聚醚膜 分子动力学模拟 稳定性