Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Bin Zhao, Qingshu Dong, Wei Yang, Yuci Xu
Summary: The phase behaviors of a symmetric linear pentablock copolymer were studied using self-consistent field theory. It was found that by tuning the length of the middle bridging B-2 block, the stable BCC phase can be completely replaced by the FCC phase, and unusual phase transitions between BCC and FCC phases were observed as the length of the bridging B-2 block increased.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Sharafudheen Pottanam Chali, Suna Azhdari, Anzhela Galstyan, Andre H. Groschel, Bart Jan Ravoo
Summary: Biodegradable supramolecular micelles were prepared by utilizing the host-guest interaction of cyclodextrin and adamantane, with cyclodextrin-initiated polypeptides acting as the hydrophilic corona and adamantane-terminated polycaprolactones serving as the hydrophobic core.
CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Ondrej Maxian, Raul P. Pelaez, Leslie Greengard, Aleksandar Donev
Summary: Our method efficiently computes electrostatic energy and forces for charges in doubly periodic slabs with dielectric jumps, maintaining spectral accuracy. Combining Ewald splitting with the classical method of images results in smoothed charge distributions over dielectric boundaries. Strong charge depletion near interfaces due to repulsive interactions with image charges is observed, emphasizing the importance of considering polarization effects in confined electrolytes.
JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL PHYSICS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Suwon Bae, Kevin G. Yager
Summary: Experimental and simulation studies have shown that the nanoscale morphology of BCP thin films is determined by chain architecture, and blending can stabilize new motifs and lead to the appearance of coexistence phases.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Ofer Burg, Rajashekharayya A. Sanguramath, Elisheva Michman, Noga Eren, Inna Popov, Roy Shenhar
Summary: Alternating metallic nanostructures have hybrid properties, useful for photonics and catalysis. Block copolymer films serve as versatile templates for creating periodic nanowire arrays. By controlling the penetration depth of metal precursors, different layers of copolymer cylinders can be impregnated with different metals. This leads to the formation of nanowires with alternating compositions and periodic arrangement on substrates after plasma etching.
Article
Physics, Fluids & Plasmas
Ramu Kumar Yadav, Rajeev Kapri
Summary: Using Monte Carlo simulations, hysteresis behavior in unzipping of a double-stranded block copolymer DNA with repetitive units is studied. The equilibrium force-temperature phase diagram for static force is found to be independent of DNA sequence, while results for periodic force case depend on the DNA sequence and the type of base pairs. Various shapes and sizes of hysteresis loops are observed, and the scaling of loop area is obtained in low- and high-frequency regimes.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Bin Zhao, Chao Wang, Yingcai Chen, Meijiao Liu
Summary: In this study, the formation mechanism of complex FK phases from self-assembly of simple A(1)B(1)A(2)B(2) tetrablock copolymers was investigated using SCFT, revealing precise control over the distribution of A(1) and A(2) blocks by tuning the A(1)/A(2) block ratio in stable FK phases. Additionally, the presence of the B-2 block was shown to play a crucial role in stabilizing the FK phases.
Review
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Stefano Kuschlan, Riccardo Chiarcos, Michele Laus, Francesc Perez-Murano, Jordi Llobet, Marta Fernandez-Regulez, Caroline Bonafos, Michele Perego, Gabriele Seguini, Marco De Michielis, Graziella Tallarida
Summary: In this work, block copolymer lithography and ultralow energy ion implantation are combined to create nanovolumes with high concentrations of periodically arranged phosphorus atoms in a p-type silicon substrate. The implanted dopants cause local amorphization of the silicon substrate. Phosphorus is then activated through a solid phase epitaxial regrowth process, preserving their spatial localization. The proposed approach allows for further investigations on modulating the dopant distribution within a silicon substrate at the nanoscale by changing the characteristic dimension of the self-assembled BCP film.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Wangping He, Feng Wang, Yicheng Qiang, Yuchao Pan, Weihua Li, Meijiao Liu
Summary: The self-assembly behavior of binary blends composed of AB diblock and ABC triblock copolymers is investigated using self-consistent field theory. It is found that the sphere-forming AB diblock and binary sphere-forming ABC triblock copolymers can coassemble into new spherical phases, even when the concentration phi 2 of AB diblock is close to 50%. The length ratio gamma between AB diblock and ABC triblock also plays an important role in determining the symmetry and size of the resulting phases.
Article
Polymer Science
I-Ming Lin, Chih-Chiang Hsu, Tsung-Chun Yu, Shiao-Wei Kuo, Wei-Tsung Chuang, Yeo-Wan Chiang
Summary: Nanohybrid materials with a hierarchical or homogeneous phase have been designed by controlling host-guest and guest-guest interactions, allowing for controlled formation and distribution of nanosheets.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Ze Ye, Ze-Kun Zhang, Shi-Peng Ding, Ding-Li Xia, Jun-Ting Xu
Summary: In this study, a block copolymer was used to fabricate electrolytes containing double conductive nanophases. The distribution of lithium salt in the two phases was quantitatively characterized, and it was found that the salt content in the PEO phase is relatively higher. The hybrids with lower doping ratios showed larger grain sizes and smaller interphase thickness, and were more sensitive to temperature changes.
ACS APPLIED POLYMER MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Polymer Science
Chunbo Zhang, Ricardo Arpad Perez-Camargo, Liuchun Zheng, Ying Zhao, Guoming Liu, Lei Wang, Dujin Wang
Summary: The crystallization behavior of aliphatic poly(hexamethylene carbonate)-co-poly(hexamethylene urethane) (PHCU) segmental block copolymers was studied using various methods including non-isothermal differential scanning calorimetry, successive self-nucleation and annealing, in-situ wide-angle X-ray diffraction, and in-situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The results showed linear dependence of crystallization and melting temperatures on hexamethylene urethane content in PHCU copolymers, with sequential crystallization and melting observed at different rates and a bimodal self-nucleation and annealing profile at low urethane content levels. In-situ WAXD and FTIR results confirmed the crystallization behavior of PHCU copolymers, showing a rate-dependent single crystallization of polyurethane-rich phase at high urethane content and double phases including both polyurethane- and polycarbonate-rich crystallization at low urethane content.
Article
Physics, Mathematical
David Damanik, Xianzhe Li, Jiangong You, Qi Zhou
Summary: In this study, we investigate the perturbations of quasi-periodic Schrodinger operators on the integer lattice, with analytic sampling functions, by decaying potentials. We aim to find the decay conditions that preserve various spectral properties. In the (almost) reducibility regime, we prove that for perturbations with finite first moment, the essential spectrum remains purely absolutely continuous, and any new discrete spectrum must be finite within each gap of the unperturbed spectrum. Furthermore, we demonstrate that for fixed phase, the Anderson localization, which occurs for almost all frequencies in the regime of positive Lyapunov exponents, is preserved under exponentially decaying perturbations.
COMMUNICATIONS IN MATHEMATICAL PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Su Hong Park, Na Yeon Kwon, Sung Hoon Jung, Amit Kumar Harit, Han Young Woo, Min Ju Cho, Dong Hoon Choi
Summary: The recent breakthrough in PCEs of PSCs using a ternary system has sparked interest for further research, although optimizing composition and controlling the interaction between active materials remain challenging. This study investigated the use of a conjugated block copolymer, PM6-b-TT, to replace the physical blend of two donors in the ternary system. The resulting PSC demonstrated higher PCE and thermal stability, indicating the promising potential of the novel D1-D2 CBP strategy in enhancing future PSC performance.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Su Hong Park, Na Yeon Kwon, Sung Hoon Jung, Amit Kumar Harit, Han Young Woo, Min Ju Cho, Dong Hoon Choi
Summary: In this study, a novel approach using a D1-D2 conjugated block copolymer, PM6-b-TT, was investigated to replace the physical blend of two donors in polymer solar cells. The blend films demonstrated excellent crystallinity and a film morphology favorable for PSCs. This strategy shows promising potential to enhance the performance of future PSCs.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
