Editorial Material
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Kevin G. Yager
Summary: The self-assembly of a triblock bottlebrush polymer at one length scale determines the organization of the self-assembly at a smaller scale, creating a hierarchical unit cell.
NATURE NANOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Ivan D. Rodichkin, Rustam A. Gumerov, Igor I. Potemkin
Summary: Amphiphilic miktoarm star copolymers with one long solvophobic arm and several short solvophilic arms were studied in a selective solvent. Different morphologies were obtained, and the diagram of states was found to be different from the diagram of linear diblock copolymers. The increase of the number of solvophilic arms led to the transition from vesicles to cylinders, and then to spherical micelles. The increase of solvent selectivity shifted the stability region of cylindrical micelles to more symmetric compositions.
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Polymer Science
Michael B. Sims, Bo Zhang, Zachary M. Gdowski, Timothy P. Lodge, Frank S. Bates
Summary: The effect of long-wavelength ultraviolet photo-cross-linking on microphase-separated coumarin-containing blockpolymers was investigated, revealing the ability to control the mechanical properties and preserve the ordered structure of the material. The cross-linking reaction showed high spatiotemporal control and stability in the ordered state.
Article
Polymer Science
Jie Xiao, Qun He, Minjun Yang, Haoquan Li, Xiandeng Qiu, Binghua Wang, Bin Zhang, Weifeng Bu
Summary: The hierarchical self-assembly behaviors of amphiphilic miktoarm star copolymers with pathway complexity were reported, leading to the formation of complex structures in solution.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Zi-Hao Zhou, Jian-Guo Zhang, Qing Chen, Yan-Ling Luo, Feng Xu, Ya-Shao Chen
Summary: A novel temperature responsive lateral chain photosensitive block copolymer was synthesized, showing apparent light and temperature dual responsiveness, making it a potential drug controlled release carrier for cancer therapy.
MACROMOLECULAR BIOSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Polymer Science
Chengmeng Wang, Yibo Wu, Yihui Zhu, Hongbing Ma, Mingzu Zhang, GengXin Liu, Jinlin He, Peihong Ni
Summary: This study focuses on investigating eight-arm tapered star copolymers. The microstructures of tapered copolymers were confirmed using various techniques, and the properties of tapered and diblock copolymers were compared. The ratio of soft and hard segments greatly affects the thermal and mechanical properties of the tapered copolymers. Introduction of the star-shaped structure increases the thermal stability of the copolymers.
Review
Polymer Science
Lin-Lin Xiao, Xu Zhou, Kan Yue, Zi-Hao Guo
Summary: Conjugated block copolymers (cBCPs) are promising materials with high conductivity and morphological versatility, making the study of their self-assembly behaviors crucial for enhancing device performance.
Article
Polymer Science
Rikuto Kanno, Makoto Ouchi, Takaya Terashima
Summary: In this study, amphiphilic random terpolymers consisting of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), quaternary ammonium cations, and dodecyl groups were reported to undergo self-assembly and salt-induced thermoresponsive behavior in water. The micelle size of these terpolymers increased with the content of cationic groups and was larger in the presence of NaCl. Moreover, the polymer micelles exhibited lower critical solution temperature-type solubility in NaCl-containing water compared to pure water.
Article
Polymer Science
Rui Liu, Zhuolin Rong, Guang Han, Xinlin Yang, Wangqing Zhang
Summary: The star multiple block copolymer s-P4VP-b-PS was synthesized and its self-assembly behavior in two selective solvents, methanol and toluene, was investigated. Significant differences were observed between s-P4VP-b-PS and linear block copolymer l-P4VP-b-PS in terms of self-assembly structures in different solvents.
Article
Polymer Science
Yeseong Seo, So Yeong Park, Jaeyong Lee, Jin Kon Kim, Chao Duan, Weihua Li
Summary: The morphology formed in a binary blend of two different copolymers can vary depending on the molecular weights and volume fractions, with cylindrical microdomains forming when there is a significant difference in molecular weights and a lamellar morphology observed when the molecular weights are closer. This study also found interesting inverted cylinders formed in certain conditions, with the stability of these structures attributed to factors such as domain swelling and radial distribution of polymer blocks. Self-consistent field theory (SCFT) was used to verify experimental results.
Article
Polymer Science
Qianyu Lin, Chen Chuan Lim, Cally Owh, Joey Hui Min Wong, Valerie Ow, Belynn Sim, Yi Jian Boo, Michelle P. Y. Yew, Yi Hao Leow, Liangfeng Guo, Jason Y. C. Lim, Xian Jun Loh
Summary: Thermogels are a type of supramolecular hydrogels that undergo reversible sol-gel phase transitions and their unique properties depend on the hydrophilic-hydrophobic balance of the constituent polymers. Most thermogelling polymers use polyethylene glycol (PEG) as the hydrophilic segment, but this study introduces PEG-free amphiphilic polymers comprising only polyethylenimine (PEI) and polypropylene glycol (PPG) as the hydrophilic and hydrophobic segments, respectively. These polymers can self-assemble into micelles and supramolecular gel matrices. By modifying the PEI-PPG copolymers with benzyl groups, the resulting thermogel properties can be conveniently modulated. The hydrophobic-hydrophilic balance of the copolymers can also be adjusted to tune the critical gelation concentrations, gelation temperatures, and gel viscoelastic properties. In addition, the PEI segment exhibits pH-responsiveness, allowing for further alteration of thermogel viscoelasticity through pH adjustment. The convenience of postsynthetic functionalization, new material properties, and dual stimuli-responsiveness of these polycationic PEI-PPG thermogels can potentially offer a vast material design space for many unique applications.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Tongwei Chen, Yunhan Zhang, Shiyan Xiao, Dongbao Yao, Wei Jiang, Haojun Liang
Summary: Obtaining a perfectly structured thin block copolymer film through self-assembly is challenging due to the system's tendency to be trapped in a metastable state. By employing dissipative particle dynamics (DPD), we investigated the self-assembly of AB symmetric diblock copolymers in a thin film. The introduction of a small molecule C as the third component allowed the system to avoid the metastable state, thereby correcting imperfect structures and promoting the formation of ordered structures. Similar to the role of a catalyst in catalytic chemistry, molecule C facilitated the assembly into an ordered structure while having less involvement within the polymer phase. Furthermore, simulation results highlighted the significance of the content of molecule C and its repulsive interactions with blocks A and B in effectively promoting assembly into ordered structures.
PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY CHEMICAL PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Kingsley Ikenna Aniagbaoso, Monika Krol, Janne Ruokolainen, Antoine Bousquet, Maud Save, Laurent Rubatat
Summary: This study investigates star block copolymer electrolytes with a lithium-ion conducting phase to assess their influence on bulk morphology and ionic conductivity compared to linear copolymers. The controlled synthesis of a series of block copolymers was performed and it was found that the star copolymers formed highly ordered lamellar structures and exhibited significantly improved lithium conductivity compared to linear analogues.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Bin Li, Yong-Lei Wang
Summary: In this study, the self-assembly behavior of miktoarm star polyelectrolytes with different numbers of arms in solutions with various ionic strengths was investigated using coarse-grained molecular dynamic simulations. The results showed that spherical micelles were formed for star polyelectrolytes with fewer arms, while wormlike clusters were formed for those with more arms at low ionic strength. This study provides physical insights into the self-assembly mechanism of star polyelectrolytes and has implications for designing star polyelectrolytes with desired structures for specific applications.
Article
Polymer Science
Yeseong Seo, Dokyung Woo, Luyang Li, Weihua Li, Jin Kon Kim
Summary: The phase behavior of polystyrene-(polystyrene-b-poly(2-vinylpyridine))(3) miktoarm star copolymer was investigated, with the volume fraction of the PS block (f(PS)) and the chain asymmetry of the PS chain (t) found to significantly influence the phase behavior. Different f(PS) and t values resulted in the formation of distinct structures, consistent with theoretical predictions.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Margherita Bolognesi, Salvatore Moschetto, Mariachiara Trapani, Federico Prescimone, Claudia Ferroni, Gabriele Manca, Andrea Ienco, Silvia Borsacchi, Maria Caporali, Michele Muccini, Maurizio Peruzzini, Manuel Serrano-Ruiz, Lucia Calucci, Maria Angela Castriciano, Stefano Toffanin
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2019)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Silvia Pizzanelli, Claudia Forte, Simona Bronco, Tommaso Guazzini, Chiara Serraglini, Lucia Calucci
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Francesca Martini, Silvia Borsacchi, Giovanni Barcaro, Maria Caporali, Matteo Vanni, Manuel Serrano-Ruiz, Marco Geppi, Maurizio Peruzzini, Lucia Calucci
JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY LETTERS
(2019)
Article
Thermodynamics
Monica Tonelli, Francesca Martini, Alessio Milanesi, Lucia Calucci, Marco Geppi, Silvia Borsacchi, Francesca Ridi
JOURNAL OF THERMAL ANALYSIS AND CALORIMETRY
(2019)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Silvia Pizzanelli, Angelo Freni, Amir H. Farmahini, Larisa G. Gordeeva, Lev Sarkisov, Marina Solovyeva, Claudia Forte
Summary: The study explored the dynamics of water confined in a microporous metal-organic framework using H-1 fast field-cycling nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) relaxometry, revealing different activation energies associated with different behaviors of bound water molecules. Complementary information was obtained through methods like H-1 magic-angle spinning NMR and molecular simulations to provide a comprehensive understanding of the system.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY C
(2021)
Article
Polymer Science
Lucia Calucci, Silvia Pizzanelli, Alessandro Mandoli, Artur Birczynski, Zdzislaw T. Lalowicz, Cristina De Monte, Lucia Ricci, Simona Bronco
Summary: Polyvinyl butyral (PVB) is an amorphous polymer used in various technological applications. Through solid state Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) methods, the dynamics of the main-chain and propyl side-chains of PVB were investigated, revealing a primary alpha-relaxation associated with the glass transition in the main-chain and a faster secondary relaxation in the side-chains. Additionally, the geometry and rate of motions of different groups in the side-chains were characterized below the glass transition temperature using H-2 NMR spectroscopy.
Article
Polymer Science
Claudia Forte, Jenny Alongi, Alessandro Beduini, Silvia Borsacchi, Lucia Calucci, Federico Carosio, Paolo Ferruti, Elisabetta Ranucci
Summary: The study found that M-GLY treated cotton forms more highly condensed aromatic structures during heating, providing better fire resistance compared to untreated cotton.
Article
Polymer Science
Francesca Nardelli, Lucia Calucci, Elisa Carignani, Silvia Borsacchi, Mattia Cettolin, Marco Arimondi, Luca Giannini, Marco Geppi, Francesca Martini
Summary: The characterization of the structural and dynamic properties of rubber networks cured at different temperatures and sulfur contents was studied using various NMR techniques. Correlations between NMR observables, crosslink density, torque values, and glass transition temperatures provided insights into the effects of vulcanization conditions on the polymer networks and the segmental dynamics of elastomers.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Francesca Nardelli, Emilia Bramanti, Alessandro Lavacchi, Silvia Pizzanelli, Beatrice Campanella, Claudia Forte, Enrico Berretti, Angelo Freni
Summary: This study investigated the thermal stability and corrosion effects of a promising ionic liquid (IL) to be used as an advanced heat transfer fluid in solar thermal energy applications. Degradation tests were conducted on IL samples in contact with different metals, and various analytical techniques were employed to verify the occurrence of degradation processes due to aging.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Lucia Calucci, Claudia Forte
Summary: This study applied C-13 solid-state NMR spectroscopy to investigate the carbon functionalities in olive tree trimming feedstock and hydrochar samples. The analysis revealed the correlation between carbon functionalities and the structure and properties of hydrochars, which is essential for their application as solid biofuels.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Michele Pierige, Francesca Nerli, Francesca Nardelli, Lucia Calucci, Mattia Cettolin, Luca Giannini, Marco Geppi, Francesca Martini
Summary: The study examines the interactions between tackifying resin and rubber in styrene/butadiene rubber compounds, and the effect of the resin on polymer chain dynamics. Solid-state NMR techniques were used to investigate the heterogeneity of the samples and the mixing between the resin and rubber matrix. The results show that the resin is intimately mixed with the polymer, slowing down segmental dynamics without affecting fragility and collective polymer dynamics.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Silvia Pizzanelli, Lucia Calucci, Claudia Forte, Silvia Borsacchi
Summary: Composting, vermicomposting, and anaerobic digestion are commonly used methods to convert organic waste into valuable soil amendment products. C-13 solid-state Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (SSNMR) has been applied to track the transformation of organic matter and evaluate the quality of the produced amendments and the effectiveness of the treatments.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Silvia Pizzanelli, Susanna Monti, Larisa G. Gordeeva, Marina Solovyeva, Angelo Freni, Claudia Forte
PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY CHEMICAL PHYSICS
(2020)
