环形两嵌段共聚物在软受限条件下自组装行为的Monte Carlo模拟

本文采用Monte Carlo模拟方法考察了环形两嵌段共聚物在软受限条件下的自组装行为。模拟结果表明通过调节嵌段比例,AB环形两嵌段共聚物能够在软受限条件下形成A、B呈交替排列层状相的蛹状粒子,A嵌段呈条带状环绕B相区的椭球粒子以及A嵌段呈块状六角堆积排布的补丁状粒子等多种有序结构。通过考察嵌段间的不相容性和嵌段的疏水性对体系聚集体形貌结构和自组装过程的影响,模拟结果给出了补丁状粒子这一具有特殊有序结构粒子的形成条件,即嵌段的疏水性较弱或不同种嵌段间的不相容性较强的体系中,少组分嵌段A易于在多组分嵌段B形成的连续相中形成具有块状微相结构的补丁状粒子。上述模拟结果能够为人们对环形两嵌段共聚物在纳米材料领域的潜在应用提供理论依据和新思路,使人们对环形两嵌段共聚物在三维软受限中的自组装行为有更进一步的了解。     

ACB三嵌段粒子分级自组装的布朗动力学研究

利用布朗动力学方法研究了ACB三嵌段粒子的分级自组装过程.由第一级组装得到的结构作为第二级组装的初始构型,通过调控体系中补丁B部分的吸引强度和补丁粒子的浓度,研究了第二级组装过程中形成有序结构的影响因素.通过设计组装模型、组装规则和组装路线,得到了蜂巢状网络结构和金刚石状结构.结果表明,在较高的吸引强度和适当的浓度下,可以得到更多且更规整的蜂巢状结构;较高和较低的吸引强度和浓度都不利于金刚石状结构的形成.     

嵌段共聚物三维软受限自组装

嵌段共聚物在三维软受限条件下能够组装形成结构有序的聚合物胶束,其在催化、电子器件、光学传感等领域有广泛的应用价值,已经引起了广大科研工作者的关注。众所周知,嵌段共聚物自身性质及组装体内部结构和外部形状都会显著影响嵌段共聚物组装体性质及应用。本文简述了近年来嵌段共聚物三维软受限自组装的方法,分析了影响嵌段共聚物组装结构的内在和外在因素,内在因素主要指嵌段共聚物自身性质,包括嵌段共聚物种类、分子量及嵌段比;外在因素主要包括受限空间尺寸、界面性质、热或溶剂退火等。本文讨论了无机纳米粒子与嵌段共聚物三维软受限共组装,探讨了纳米粒子引入对组装结构影响及其在嵌段共聚物组装体中的分布及排列规律,以及组装结构的潜在应用。最后还讨论了目前嵌段共聚物三维软受限自组装存在的问题,同时对未来的发展方向进行了展望。     

配体链包覆纳米粒子的表面相分离及自组装的模拟研究

通过耗散粒子动力学方法,模拟了二元配体链包覆的纳米粒子表面的相分离行为,并与现有的模拟和实验体系进行对比.研究结果印证了相分离驱动力是配体链错位所导致的构象熵的结论.进一步以相分离得到的Janus和三嵌段Janus结构纳米粒子作为构筑单元,研究了其在选择性溶剂中的自组装行为.结果表明,Janus粒子易自组装成为双层囊泡结构,而三嵌段Janus粒子则更易形成单层囊泡结构.对于从配体链包覆的纳米粒子出发,设计具有特殊功能的囊泡提供了理论支持.     

ABC三嵌段共聚物的聚合诱导自组装研究

聚合诱导自组装(PISA)是一种在高浓度溶液中可连续大量制备纳米材料的新技术,结合计算模拟方法,研究其动力学过程可强化对PISA的认识和调控.通过耗散粒子动力学(DPD)模拟,研究了ABC三嵌段共聚物的聚合诱导自组装过程.先利用亲溶剂A链段引发B单体聚合,随着疏溶剂B链段的增长,AB二嵌段共聚物可组装并发生聚集体结构的连续转变,由球形胶束→蠕虫状胶束→层状结构→囊泡.再将C单体逐步聚合到AB共聚物上,调控C链段的亲疏溶剂性,可聚合诱导组装或解组装形成不同的ABC三嵌段共聚物聚集体.     

耗散粒子动力学与可极化ABEEM力场结合模拟嵌段共聚物自组装形态调控

本文采用介观尺度上的耗散粒子动力学与基于ABEEM可极化力场的全原子分子动力学相结合的方式,从理论上探究了嵌段共聚物结构、对称性、分子组成及温度等对嵌段共聚物最终自组装结构形态的影响.模拟结果表明,这些因素均会对嵌段共聚物在选择性溶剂中的最终自组装结构产生一定影响.这一理论研究为实现可控操纵自组装结构,提供了有意义的参考.     

嵌段共聚物自组装的研究进展

嵌段共聚物自组装在光学、电子、信息、化学及生物领域有着广泛的应用前景.本文从实验观测、理论研究和计算机模拟三个方面概述了嵌段共聚物自组装领域的研究进展.在实验观测方面,着重介绍了嵌段共聚物在体相及膜中的自组装及外场调控作用方面的研究进展;理论方面则分别介绍了强分相理论、弱分相理论、自洽场理论、动态密度泛函方法和元胞动力学等在嵌段共聚物自组装领域的应用;计算机模拟方面就 Monte Carlo 模拟、耗散粒子动力学等方法在该领域的应用作了详细的阐述.     

稀溶液中Rod-Coil-Rod三嵌段共聚物组装结构的耗散粒子动力学模拟

采用耗散粒子动力学方法模拟研究了rod-coil-rod 三嵌段共聚物在稀溶液中的聚集行为. 分别考察了rod-coil 嵌段的相互作用、溶剂性质、共聚物浓度以及coil 嵌段长度对聚集体形貌的影响. 模拟结果发现,随着rod-coil 相互排斥作用的增加,共聚物由球形转变成洋葱状、笼形和柱状结构. 随着coil 嵌段疏水性的增加,笼形转变成洋葱状和补丁状结构. 给出了聚集体形貌随共聚物浓度和coil 长度变化的相图. 当浓度较小和coil 嵌段较长时,共聚物形成笼状聚集体,反之,则有利于洋葱状结构的形成.     

稀溶液中Rod-Coil-Rod三嵌段共聚物组装结构的耗散粒子动力学模拟（英文）

采用耗散粒子动力学方法模拟研究了rod-coil-rod三嵌段共聚物在稀溶液中的聚集行为.分别考察了rod-coil嵌段的相互作用、溶剂性质、共聚物浓度以及coil嵌段长度对聚集体形貌的影响.模拟结果发现,随着rod-coil相互排斥作用的增加,共聚物由球形转变成洋葱状、笼形和柱状结构.随着coil嵌段疏水性的增加,笼形转变成洋葱状和补丁状结构.给出了聚集体形貌随共聚物浓度和coil长度变化的相图.当浓度较小和coil嵌段较长时,共聚物形成笼状聚集体,反之,则有利于洋葱状结构的形成.     

范德华作用和静电作用下的二元粒子自组装

采用简单粗粒化粒子模型,通过郎之万动力学模拟研究了具有范德华作用和静电作用的二元粒子自组装．研究发现,通过改变粒子尺寸和粒子间作用强度,二元粒子能够自发形成各种聚集结构,如球形、堆叠层状与管状结构．利用两亲性分子或两嵌段聚合物自组装理论,解释了二元粒子聚集结构的形成规律．当向溶液中加入反电荷离子时,模拟表明粒了聚集结构在相图中的分布出现了明显偏移．     

Facile, solution-based synthesis of soft, nanoscale janus particles with tunable janus balance

We present a novel, versatile, and simple solution-based routine to produce soft, nanosized Janus particles with tunable structural and physical properties at high volume yield. This process is based on the cross-linking of compartments within precisely defined multicompartment micelles (MCMs), which are themselves formed by the self-assembly of ABC triblock terpolymers. Therein, the C blocks form the stabilizing corona emanating from B compartments, which in turn reside on an A core. Cross-linking of the B compartments allows to permanently fixate the phase-separated state and dissolution in a good solvent for all blocks breaks up the MCMs into single Janus particles. They now consist of a core of cross-linked B blocks and two phase-separated hemispheres of A and C. The process gives access to unprecedented structural features such as tunable core diameter and control over the Janus balance ranging from dominant A side to equal hemispheres to dominant C side. We demonstrate that this simple one-pot approach can be extended to a range of triblock terpolymers with different block lengths and block chemistries to furnish a library of tailor-made Janus particles with widely tunable physical properties. Such a diversity and simplicity has remained unreachable with our previously developed approach using the controlled cross-linking of bulk morphologies. We show that this new synthetic route can be upscaled to a high volume yield of 10 wt %, thereby enabling large-scale applications. We further demonstrate the effect of the Janus balance on colloidal self-assembly. Janus particles with a dominant hydrophobic and a small hydrophilic patch aggregate into large clusters in water, but merely di- or trimerize in chloroform.     

A facile approach to prepare hybrid nanoparticles with morphology controlled by the thickness of glyco-shell

Herein, we designed a novel amphiphilic triblock glycopolymer poly(oligo(ethyleneglycol) methacrylate)-block-poly(maltopyranoside methacrylate)-block-polystyrene(POMA-b-PMal-b-PS) via the combination of reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer(RAFT) polymerization and postpolymerization modification. The micelles with core–shell–corona structures were prepared by direct self-assembly of this glycopolymer in water. We found that these micelles can be used in in situ formation and stabilization of Au NPs. By controlling the thickness of glyco-shell, we successfully obtained Janus particles and raspberry-like particles with Au NPs in the sugar shell.     

Brownian dynamics simulation study on the self-assembly of incompatible star-like block copolymers in dilute solution

We study the self-assembly of symmetric star-like block copolymers (A(x))(y)(B(x))(y)C in dilute solution by using Brownian dynamics simulations. In the star-like block copolymer, incompatible A and B components are both solvophobic, and connected to the center bead C of the polymer. Therefore, this star-like block copolymer can be taken as a representative of soft and deformable Janus particles. In our Brownian dynamics simulations, these "soft Janus particles" are found to self-assemble into worm-like lamellar structures, loose aggregates and so on. By systematically varying solvent conditions and temperature, we build up the phase diagram to illustrate the effects of polymer structure and temperature on the aggregate structures. At lower temperatures, we can observe large worm-like lamellar aggregates. Upon increasing the temperature, some block copolymers detach from the aggregate; this phenomenon is especially sensitive for the polymers with less arms. The aggregate structure will be quite disordered when the temperature is high. The incompatibility between the two parts in the star-like block copolymer also affects the self-assembled structures. We find that the worm-like structure is longer and narrower as the incompatibility between the two parts is stronger.     

两亲性Janus粒子在蜂窝状多孔聚合物膜上的自组装性能

采用具有两亲性的两面体(Janus)粒子实现稳定的粒子界面组装与水滴模板法自组装过程相结合的方法获得了粒子在蜂窝状多孔聚合物薄膜内壁的高效定向修饰.通过与均质粒子组装形貌的对比,证明了Janus粒子因其特殊的界面自组装活性,可以获得高粒子加量条件下的规则多孔结构,解决了使用均质粒子时存在的结构有序性和粒子修饰密度之间的矛盾.而在较低粒子加量的条件下,Janus粒子也展示出与均质粒子极为不同的组装形貌.这一方法的建立,为新型表面功能化材料的制备提供了一个新的思路.     

Morphologies of Core-Shell-Cylinder-Forming ABC Star Triblock Copolymers in Nanopores

The self-assembly behavior of ABC star triblock copolymers can lead to a large number of nanostructures. Indeed, many new and interesting structures have already been discovered and proven to be hotspot in soft matter physics research. In this work, we introduce different phase diagrams of core-shell-cylinder-forming ABC star triblock copolymers under different conditions, including in-bulk and pore geometries with different sizes. The relation between the pore size geometries and their corresponding structures are also revealed. The different properties of the surface potential field that significantly affect the self-assembly process of ABC star triblock copolymers are investigated as well.     

Dynamic investigation of gold nanocrystal assembly using in situ grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering

Here we investigate the dynamic self-assembly pathway of ordered gold nanocrystal arrays during the self-assembly of gold nanocrystal micelles, with and without the presence of colloidal silica precursors, using grazing-incidence X-ray scattering performed at a synchrotron source. With silica precursors present, a lattice with rhombohedral symmetry is formed from the partial collapse of a face-centered cubic structure. In the absence of silica, a transient body-centered orthorhombic phase appears, which rapidly collapses into a glassy nanocrystal film. The appearance of face-centered and body-centered structures is consistent with a phase diagram for charged colloidal particles with assembly modulated via Coulomb screening.     

Tuning multiphase amphiphilic rods to direct self-assembly

New methods to direct the self-assembly of particles are highly sought after for multiple applications, including photonics, electronics, and drug delivery. Most techniques, however, are limited to chemical patterning on spherical particles, limiting the range of possible structures. We developed a lithographic technique for fabrication of chemically anisotropic rod-like particles in which we can specify both the size and shape of particles and implement multiple diverse materials to control interfacial interactions. Multiphase rod-like particles, including amphiphilic diblock, triblock, and multiblock were fabricated in the same template mold having a tunable hydrophilic/hydrophobic ratio. Self-assembly of diblock or triblock rods at a water/oil interface led to the formation of bilayer or ribbon-like structures.     

Dissipative particle dynamics simulations of toroidal structure formations of amphiphilic triblock copolymers

In this paper, the dynamic assembly of toroidal micelle structures of amphiphilic triblock copolymers in dilute solution has been investigated using dissipative particle dynamics simulations. The amphiphilic molecule is represented by a coarse-grained model, which contains hydrophilic and hydrophobic particles. Some microstructures of complex morphology having toroidal micelles have been observed in the simulations; the toroidal micelle formation is in accordance with the theoretical prediction of the toroidal structure in cylindrical micelle suspensions by Pochan et al. (Science 2004, 306, 94). These findings are very interesting, and these complex morphologies enrich our knowledge of the potential products obtained from the self-assembly of block copolymers.     

Self-assembled ordered polymer nanocomposites directed by attractive particles

We theoretically investigate general conditions under which an inorganic phase can direct the self-assembly of an ordered polymer nanocomposite. For this purpose, we consider a solution of triblock copolymers forming a hexagonal phase of micelles and investigate the effect of adding attractive particles. We show that if the triblock is functionalized at its ends by attaching groups with specific affinity for the particles, thus effectively becoming a pentablock, the particles direct the self-assembly of the system into phases where both the polymers and the particles exhibit mesoscopic order. Different lamellar and gyroid phases (both with Ia3d and I4(1)32 space symmetries) are presented in detail. Our results show that functionalization is a very powerful route for directing self-assembly of polymer nanocomposites. We briefly discuss the connections with recent theoretical and experimental results in diblock melts with nanoparticles as well as for problems where polymers are used to template the growth of an inorganic phase in solution.