Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yijun Xie, Jun Iwata, Takuya Matsumoto, Norifumi L. Yamada, Fumiya Nemoto, Hideki Seto, Takashi Nishino
Summary: This study investigates the hydrophobic properties of the pentafluorosulfanyl (-SF5) group. Through various measurements, it is demonstrated that the polymer films with -SF5 groups exhibit superior hydrophobicity compared to other functional groups.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Evangelia Vasilaki, Gabriela Gaj, Sylwia Wrobel, George Karchilakis, Joanna Pietrasik, Maria Vamvakaki
Summary: This work presents a method for synthesizing non-cross-linked, spherical, hollow polymer nanocapsules of low dispersity in aqueous media. The nanocapsules were obtained by growing well-defined diblock copolymer brushes from the surface of silica spheres via surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP). The hollow polymer nanocapsules demonstrated high yields, tunable sizes, and low dispersity without the need for chemical cross-links.
COLLOIDS AND SURFACES A-PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND ENGINEERING ASPECTS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Kyunghyeon Lee, Joon Young Kim, Kyungtae Kim, Jonghyuk Jeon, Heejung Kang, Byeong-Hyeok Sohn
Summary: Patchy micelles of diblock copolymers can be polymerized into a linear supracolloidal chain, which is semi-flexible and can be suitably explained by the worm-like chain model. Utilizing the semi-flexible nature of the chains, a self-supporting film of supracolloidal chains with nanoscale pores can be produced by a spin-coating technique.
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Gabriela Grzes, Karol Wolski, Tomasz Uchacz, Justyna Bala, Boris Louis, Ivan G. Scheblykin, Szczepan Zapotoczny
Summary: This report presents a synthetic route to prepare ladder-like polymer brushes with PProDOT-conjugated chains using a novel surface-initiated technique. Characterization and stability tests of these brushes demonstrate the remarkable stability of the obtained materials.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Polymer Science
Ivan V. Lukiev, Yana A. Mogelnitskaya, Ivan V. Mikhailov, Anatoly A. Darinskii
Summary: The microstructure of binary polymer brushes in selective solvent was investigated using a numerical lattice self-consistent field method. The study focused on the variation of solvent selectivity for one type of chains while others remained hydrophilic. The results showed a transition between two two-layer microstructures as the hydrophobicity of the responsive chains increased. The stiffness parameter for one or both types of chains was also varied, leading to different transition mechanisms and characteristics.
Article
Polymer Science
Ze-Kun Zhang, Shi-Peng Ding, Ding-Li Xia, Jun-Ting Xu
Summary: In this work, a accurately microphase-separated system of comb-like poly(ionic liquid)-based homopolymers containing imidazolium cation junctions has been successfully achieved. The ordered hexagonally packed cylinder and lamellar structures with small domain sizes were obtained. The microphase separation was independent of the molecular weight and molecular weight distribution, and the domain size could be controlled by changing the length of the alkyl side chains. The presence of charged junction groups promoted the microphase separation and improved the thermal stability of the phase structure.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Avi Mathur, Alexander Li, Vivek Maheshwari
Summary: The polymer additive strategy is a convenient and cost-effective way to improve the performance and stability of perovskite-based devices. However, the integration of different polymer additives in perovskite films has not been extensively studied. In this work, the effect of polystyrene (PS) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) on the physicochemical and electro-optical properties of perovskite devices was investigated, and it was found that hydrophobic PS integrated devices exhibited better performance and stability compared to hydrophilic PEG integrated devices.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Aleksandra Wypych-Puszkarz, Onur Cetinkaya, Jiajun Yan, Ruslana Udovytska, Jaroslaw Jung, Jacek Jenczyk, Grzegorz Nowaczyk, Stefan Jurga, Jacek Ulanski, Krzysztof Matyjaszewski, Joanna Pietrasik, Marcin Kozanecki
Summary: Core-shell nanocomposites consisting of barium titanate nanocrystals grafted onto poly(methyl methacrylate) chains were prepared. The nanocomposites exhibited enhanced dielectric permittivity and improved thermal stability. The presence of ceramic nanoparticles affected the molecular dynamics and structure of the polymer chains.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yijun Qiao, Qiming He, Hsin-Hsiang Huang, Dean Mastropietro, Zhang Jiang, Hua Zhou, Yuhong Liu, Matthew V. Tirrell, Wei Chen
Summary: In this study, the response of polymer brushes to shear flow is explored using in situ X-ray reflectivity. The research investigates how poly(styrene sulfonate) (PSS) brushes stretch and change in different environments, providing valuable insights into the behaviours and mechanisms that govern these responses.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ramis Arbi, Muhammad Munir, David Hoyle, Stas Dogel, Ayse Turak
Summary: This paper presents a study on the effectiveness of gas plasmas in the removal of polymer templates for the production of iron oxide nanoparticles. The Raman spectroscopy method is used to evaluate the polymer removal effectiveness and quantify other removal methods. The study finds that a combination of reactive ion etching and ionic bombardment is highly effective for oxide materials.
MATERIALS TODAY CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Vitaly S. Kravchenko, Ivan V. Portnov, Igor I. Potemkin
Summary: We used dissipative particle dynamics to study the conformations of a single tethered chain, chains in a planar brush, and corona-forming blocks in diblock copolymer micelles. The interactions between all components of the systems were explicitly considered. In addition to the normal elongation observed in the brush and micellar corona, we found regimes of partial or full adsorption of the tethered chains. These adsorption regions occur when the chains (blocks) are compatible with the substrate (interface) or solvophobic surfaces that strongly select the copolymer solvent. The adsorption is attributed to the shielding effect of polymers on solvent-substrate (or micellar core-solvent) contacts. In the case of block copolymer micelles, the adsorption-desorption of the corona-forming blocks can induce morphology transformations that cannot be predicted or described by traditional theories.
Article
Polymer Science
Leonid I. Klushin, Anna S. Ivanova, Alexey A. Polotsky, Alexander M. Skvortsov
Summary: We investigated the compression and interpenetration properties of two opposing monodisperse polymer brushes under external load using analytical theory and numerical self-consistent field (SCF) approach. We proposed analytical expressions for the brush density profiles and verified them using numerical SCF calculations. Interpenetration of the brushes was quantified using the penetration length, overlap integral Gamma, and the number of brush monomer units in the foreign half-space sigma. The interpenetration parameters were studied as functions of brush separation and external pressure. A theoretical description for the solvent-mediated friction force was also proposed in the low shearing rate regime. The total friction force, including direct brush-brush friction, was found to be expressed in terms of Gamma and sigma. Our SCF data showed that the interpenetration parameters and the total sliding friction force collapsed onto universal master curves when rescaled by (N/sigma)(1/3), where N is the chain length and sigma is the surface grafting density. The kinetic friction coefficient was defined as a function of external pressure, and its universal rescaled behavior was analyzed for the limits of non-draining and free-draining brushes.
Article
Polymer Science
Devendra Kumar, Bhanendra Sahu, Subrata Dolui, Swati Singh Rajput, Md. Mehboob Alam, Sanjib Banerjee
Summary: A facile method based on recyclable nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI)-mediated photoRDRP in ionic liquid led to the synthesis of narrow disperse poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) and poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate)-block-poly(4-vinylphenylboronic acid) (PDMAEMA-b-PVPBA) diblock copolymers. The stimuli response of the PDMAEMA-b-PVPBA copolymer to changes in pH, temperature, and sugar concentration was evaluated. The recyclability of the nZVI catalyst and ionic liquid solvent was confirmed. The polymerization process can be controlled by simply turning the UV-A irradiation on or off, providing temporal control for spatiotemporal ON/OFF applications. DFT calculations were conducted to determine the geometry of the involved species.
EUROPEAN POLYMER JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Artyom D. Glova, Sofya D. Melnikova, Anna A. Mercurieva, Sergey V. Larin, Victor M. Nazarychev, Alexey A. Polotsky, Sergey V. Lyulin
Summary: The study found that the free branches of the branched oligolactide (OLA) chains tend to fold back towards the cellulose nanoparticles (CNPs) due to dipole-dipole interactions, but there was no significant difference in the effectiveness of covering the filler surface with grafted branched or linear OLA chains. In terms of the expelling ability of the grafted chains and the interaction between polylactide (PLA) and CNP or OLA, linear chains performed better than branched chains in intermediate or dense grafting scenarios.
PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY CHEMICAL PHYSICS
(2021)
Article
Polymer Science
Riccardo Chiarcos, Diego Antonioli, Valentina Gianotti, Michele Laus, Gianmarco Munao, Giuseppe Milano, Antonio De Nicola, Michele Perego
Summary: In this study, two copolymers were thermally grafted from melt to a silicon wafer, and it was observed that the lower molecular weight component of the blend preferentially grafted to the polymeric brush layer. The enrichment of short chains in the brush layer was found to be independent of time. Molecular dynamics simulations supported this observation, providing insights for further investigation and control of brush layer characteristics.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Joachim Jelken, Se-Hyeong Jung, Nino Lomadze, Yulia D. Gordievskaya, Elena Yu Kramarenko, Andrij Pich, Svetlana Santer
Summary: This study suggests a new approach of using light-triggered reversible switching to change the volume of microgels, demonstrating the ability to reversibly change the microgel radius by a factor of 3 using UV or green light irradiation at a fixed temperature. The possibility of quickly adjusting the swelling behavior of microgels through external means may impact and redefine the application of microgels in various fields.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Martin Reifarth, Marek Bekir, Alain M. Bapolisi, Evgenii Titov, Fabian Nusshardt, Julius Nowaczyk, Dmitry Grigoriev, Anjali Sharma, Peter Saalfrank, Svetlana Santer, Matthias Hartlieb, Alexander Boeker
Summary: A cationic surfactant with a spiropyrane unit was prepared, demonstrating adjustable surface-active characteristics with dual responsiveness. The reversible conversion of the spiropyrane unit to a zwitterionic merocyanine was controlled by adjusting pH value and light, resulting in pH-dependent photoactivity. The underlying switching processes were investigated and a thermodynamic explanation was provided. The complex stimuli-responsive behavior enables remote-control of colloidal systems and can be applied in pH-dependent manipulation of oil-in-water emulsions.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Eduardo Barbieri, Camden C. Cutright, Srivatsan Ramesh, Saad A. Khan, Kirill Efimenko, Jan Genzer, Stefano Menegatti
Summary: This study presents strategies for producing potent antibacterial fabrics by functionalizing nonwoven fabrics with antimicrobial peptides and polymers. The results demonstrate the superior antibacterial activity of these fabrics and their good biocompatibility.
ADVANCED MATERIALS INTERFACES
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Daniel Rittschof, Beatriz Orihuela, Jan Genzer, Kirill Efimenko
Summary: The study investigates the impact of chemical compositions of polydimethylsiloxane networks on foul-release biofouling management coatings. The results show that the components alter enzymatic activity and have acute toxicity to barnacle larvae, and the adhesion strength of barnacles is related to network formulation.
Article
Polymer Science
Nina Tverdokhleb, Sarah Loebner, Bharti Yadav, Svetlana Santer, Marina Saphiannikova
Summary: This article explores two intriguing issues regarding the inscription of surface relief gratings within azopolymer thin films under different interference patterns. By utilizing the orientation approach and viscoplastic modeling in combination with experimental results, the study reveals that the initial orientation state of polymer backbones is responsible for the contradictory experimental reports on the efficiency of the SS interference pattern. Additionally, the study shows that the faster growth of gratings inscribed by the RL interference pattern is promoted by a weak photosoftening effect. Overall, the modeled results agree well with the order of relative growth efficiency: RL-PP-SS.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Bradley A. Davis, Jeffrey A. Bennett, Jan Genzer, Kirill Efimenko, Milad Abolhasani
Summary: The intersection of heterogeneous catalysis and flow chemistry plays a crucial role in the distributed manufacturing of specialty chemicals. This study presents a novel heterogeneous flow chemistry route for accelerated chemoselective hydrogenation using a poly(beta-cyclodextrin) network-supported palladium catalyst. The developed packed-bed flow reactor enables selective hydrogenation of nitroarenes with high yield at room temperature and short residence times. The study demonstrates the robustness and versatility of the reactor packed with the network-supported catalyst, with consistently high reaction yield over a 3 day run.
ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Marek Bekir, Marcel Sperling, Daniela Vasquez Munoz, Cevin Braksch, Alexander Boeker, Nino Lomadze, Mihail N. Popescu, Svetlana Santer
Summary: Separation of particles by size, morphology, or material identity is important in filtration or bioanalytics. However, the separation of particles solely based on surface properties or bulk/surface morphology remains challenging. This study proposes a combination of pressure-driven microfluidic flow and local self-phoresis/osmosis induced by a photoactive azobenzene-surfactant solution. The separated colloidal components experience different regions of the ambient microfluidic shear flow, allowing for a simple, versatile method of particle chromatography.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Dina V. Shmeliova, Sergey V. Pasechnik, Semen S. Kharlamov, Alexander V. Dubtsov, Alexandre V. Zakharov, Sarah Loebner, Svetlana Santer
Summary: This paper presents the first experimental results on capillary shear flows of a nematic liquid crystal 5CB (4-cyano-4'-pentylbiphenyl) induced by the interaction with photo-profiled polymer surfaces. The surface relief was optically created by irradiating an azobenzene-containing polymer film, resulting in a regular submicron profile with well-defined characteristics. The direction of surface orientation and anchoring strength of the liquid crystal were determined using polarizing microscopy and dynamic light scattering techniques. Different types of shear flows were investigated, showing strong anisotropy in the dynamics of film and contact line motion.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Marek Bekir, Sarah Loebner, Alexej Kopyshev, Nino Lomadze, Svetlana Santer
Summary: We present a light-triggered process for remotely controlling repulsive interactions between microparticles with a polyelectrolyte (PE) brush coating. The process involves reversible photo-isomerization of a photosensitive azobenzene containing surfactant, which alters the hydrophilicity of the surfactant and generates a concentration gradient of cis isomers near a solid surface. This concentration gradient induces a local lateral diffusioosmotic flow, resulting in long-range repulsive interactions between the particles.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ethan J. Frey, Sooik Im, Adam L. Bachmann, Jan Genzer, Michael D. Dickey
Summary: Liquid metal-carbon composite films were fabricated by adding poly(amic acid) (PAA) to eutectic gallium-indium (EGaIn) particle films prior to laser processing. The addition of PAA decreased the required laser power for sintering, resulted in a liquid metal-carbon composite, helped remove unsintered regions, and increased surface area. The conductive films showed high stretchability and strain-invariant resistance up to a certain strain level. However, the films exhibited high reactivity with water molecules in the air, leading to an increase in resistance over time in humid conditions.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Zvikomborero Machikiti, Behnam Pourdeyhimi, Jan Genzer, Kirill Efimenko
Summary: Polymer-polymer adhesion plays a crucial role in polymer processing and applications involving lamination, welding, composites, blending, and coextrusion. PET/PA pairs are commonly used to produce bicomponent fibers, but the strong adhesion limits post-production processing. A method using a POMA alternating copolymer was developed to control adhesion by modifying the interface or adding it into the PET phase. The introduction of POMA reduced the interfacial adhesion strength between PET and polyamides.
INDUSTRIAL & ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Sipan Liu, Chenxi Sui, Myers Harbinson, Michael Pudlo, Himendra Perera, Zhenzhen Zhang, Ruguan Liu, Zahyun Ku, Md Didarul Islam, Yuxuan Liu, Ronghui Wu, Yong Zhu, Jan Genzer, Saad A. Khan, Po-Chun Hsu, Jong Eun Ryu
Summary: We have successfully fabricated spike microstructured photonic nanocomposite coatings using a rapid, low-cost, template-free roll-to-roll method. These coatings possess high solar reflectivity (>94%) and thermal emissivity (97.0%), and can achieve subambient radiative cooling during daytime under strong direct sunlight. When facing direct sunlight in the spring of Chicago, the coatings show a radiative cooling power of 39.1 W/m(2), and have a potential energy-saving capability of 14.4%.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Sooik Im, Ethan Frey, Daniel J. Lacks, Jan Genzer, Michael D. Dickey
Summary: This paper demonstrates that air-stable radicals enhance the stability of triboelectric charge on surfaces. The charge retention is shown to increase with hydrophobicity, but the most prolonged charge retention is observed in surfaces treated with TEMPO, which are more hydrophilic. The charge retention decreases with reducing radical density by etching the TEMPO-silane or scavenging the radicals.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Bradley A. Davis, Jan Genzer, Kirill Efimenko, Milad Abolhasani
Summary: This study presents a versatile network-supported palladium catalyst for continuous synthesis of complex organic compounds. By using a hybrid polymer, the catalytic system achieves optimized performance in the Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling and nitroarene hydrogenation reactions. The system shows high activity, mechanical stability, and reusability, with improved reaction yields and environmentally-friendly solvent usage, making it suitable for industrial applications.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Richard A. Campbell, Talmira Kairaliyeva, Svetlana Santer, Emanuel Schneck, Reinhard Miller
Summary: In this study, the interfacial composition during and after the interactions of a saturated atmosphere of oil vapor with soluble surfactant solutions at a planar water/air interface was directly resolved. The experiments revealed the balance between cooperativity and competition of the components at the interface.
COLLOIDS AND INTERFACES
(2022)
