Search results for "Biomolecules"

Modification of Polymers in Supercritical Carbon Dioxide

2003

The interaction of scFluids and polymers are governed by the intermolecular forces between solvent-solvent, solvent-polymer segment, and polymer segment-segment pairs. Because of its symmetry, within reasonable pressure values, CO2 does not have a dipole moment, but it does have a quadrupole moment significant over a much shorter distance than dipolar interactions. The quadrupole moment and the Lewis acidity of CO2 imparts to the carbon dioxide the peculiarity to be a solvent for selected classes of polymers like perfluorinated polyacrylates, polysiloxanes and polyether-polycarbonate diblock copolymers [1–3].

1988

The unperturbed dimensions parameter KΘ is one of the most important characteristics of a polymer chain. For binary systems (polymer/solvent) and mostly for ternary systems (polymer/solvent(1)/solvent(2)) the KΘ values show large discrepancies with respect to those under thetaconditions in a single solvent. These discrepancies can be explained by considering that the interaction parameter χ (and consequently the coil dimensions or the number of intramolecular contacts between polymer segments) changes with molecular weight M. Assuming this dependency, a modified Stockmayer-Fixman equation is proposed from which a unique value of KΘ for a given polymer, independent of M, is obtained. The use…

Anomalous diffusion in polymer melts

2002

Abstract We present a study of the anomalous diffusion regimes in polymer melt dynamics performing a Monte Carlo (MC) simulation of the bond-fluctuation lattice model. Special emphasis is laid on the crossover from a Rouse-like motion to the behavior predicted by reptation theory. For the longest chains of N=400 the high statistical accuracy of the data allows for clear identification of the subdiffusive regimes in the center of mass motion and the monomer displacement. They are well compatible with those predicted by reptation theory. Furthermore a detailed analysis of the different short time anomalous diffusion regimes in the melt dynamics of polymer chains is presented and it is shown t…

Dipolar Relaxation in Functionalized Poly-p-phenylenes Bearing Ultrastrong Dipoles Perpendicular to the Backbone

2018

Local polymer dynamics are studied in polymers bearing dipoles rigidly attached to the backbone. The compounds are based on cyano-substituted dihydrobenzimidazoles bearing ultrastrong dipole moments (∼12 D per repeat unit) incorporated in a poly-p-phenylene backbone, giving rise to polymers with rigid dipoles perpendicular to the chain. They belong to type B polymers according to the Stockmayer classification. They are ideal model systems for studying rotational isomers in the gas phase and the self-assembly and local dynamics in the solid state. Gas phase calculations (DFT) provided the dipole moments, the energetic barriers, and the backbone conformation as a function of the dipole streng…

Interfaces in immiscible polymer blends: A Monte Carlo simulation approach on the CRAY T3E

1999

Polymeric materials pose a challenge for Monte Carlo simulations because of the widely spread length and time scales involved. Using large scale computer simulations we investigate the interfacial structure in a partially compatible polymer mixture. The problem is studied in the framework of a coarse grained lattice model - the bond fluctuation model on the simple cubic lattice, choosing N = 32 and lattice linear dimensions L × L × D up to 512 × 512 × 64. We employ a two dimensional geometric decomposition scheme to implement this algorithm on the CRAY T3E. The algorithm scales very well with the number of processors. The structure of polymer coils near interfaces between coexisting phases …

On the first-order collapse transition of a three-dimensional, flexible homopolymer chain model

2005

We present simulation results for the phase behavior of flexible lattice polymer chains using the Wang-Landau sampling idea. These chains display a two-stage collapse through a coil-globule transition followed by a crystallization at lower temperatures. Performing a finite-size scaling analysis on the two transitions, we show that they coincide in the thermodynamic limit corresponding to a direct collapse of the random coil into the crystal without intermediate coil-globule transition.

Unified Thermodynamic Modeling of Polymer Solutions: Polyelectrolytes, Proteins, and Chain Molecules

2013

The thermodynamic description of the systems specified in the title requires in general dissimilar theories. This contribution presents an approach that is capable of modeling all of them with a maximum of three adjustable parameters. The Ansatz starts from the Flory–Huggins theory and extends it in a 2-fold manner: The number of segments assigned to the solvent is no longer one but treated as an adjustable parameter to account for the differences in the molecular geometries and in the free volumes of the components. Furthermore, the modeling allows for effects resulting from ternary contacts of the solvent/polymer/polymer type. Examination of the acquired thermodynamic expressions by means…

Structure and dynamics of grafted polymer layers: A Monte Carlo simulation

1991

The bond fluctuation model of polymer chains on lattices is used to study layers of polymers anchored with one end at a hard wall, assuming good solvent conditions and repulsive interactions between the monomers and the wall. Chain lengths from N=10 to N=80 and grafting densities σ from 0.025 to 0.20 are considered, both for the ‘‘quenched’’ case, where the anchor points are kept fixed at randomly chosen surface sites, and the ‘‘annealed’’ case, where lateral diffusion of the anchored ends at the wall is considered. Profiles of monomer density and free end density, chain linear dimensions parallel and perpendicular to the wall, as well as corresponding mean square displacements of inner and…

Monte Carlo simulations of chain dynamics in polymer brushes

1994

The bond-fluctuation model of polymer chains has been used to study layers of end-grafted polymers anchoring at repulsive walls for a broad range of chain length, grafting densities and solvent quality. The dynamics of monomers and associated relaxation times are investigated and interpreted by phenomenological theories and scaling arguments. The case is also considered where a chain is cut off from its anchor point and the chain is subsequently expelled from the brush. Both the velocity with which the chain leaves the brush and the associated conformational changes (chain contraction etc.) are analysed and interpreted in terms of recent theoretical concepts.

A comparison of neutron scattering studies and computer simulations of polymer melts

2000

Abstract Neutron scattering and computer simulations are powerful tools for studying structural and dynamical properties of condensed matter systems in general and of polymer melts in particular. When neutron scattering studies and quantitative atomistic molecular dynamics simulations of the same material are combined, synergy between the methods can result in exciting new insights into polymer melts not obtainable from either method separately. We present here an overview of our recent efforts to combine neutron scattering and atomistic simulations in the study of melt dynamics of polyethylene and polybutadiene. Looking at polymer segmental motion on a picosecond time scale, we show how at…