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Title: Tension amplification in tethered layers of bottle-brush polymers

Journal Article · · Macromolecules
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4]
  1. The Univ. of Akron, Akron, OH (United States); Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
  2. The Univ. of Akron, Akron, OH (United States)
  3. Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
  4. Univ. of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC (United States)

In this paper, molecular dynamics simulations of a coarse-grained bead–spring model have been used to study the effects of molecular crowding on the accumulation of tension in the backbone of bottle-brush polymers tethered to a flat substrate. The number of bottle-brushes per unit surface area, Σ, as well as the lengths of the bottle-brush backbones Nbb (50 ≤ Nbb ≤ 200) and side chains Nsc (50 ≤ Nsc ≤ 200) were varied to determine how the dimensions and degree of crowding of bottle-brushes give rise to bond tension amplification along the backbone, especially near the substrate. From these simulations, we have identified three separate regimes of tension. For low Σ, the tension is due solely to intramolecular interactions and is dominated by the side chain repulsion that governs the lateral brush dimensions. With increasing Σ, the interactions between bottle-brush polymers induce compression of the side chains, transmitting increasing tension to the backbone. For large Σ, intermolecular side chain repulsion increases, forcing side chain extension and reorientation in the direction normal to the surface and transmitting considerable tension to the backbone.

Research Organization:
Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES); USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC04-94AL85000
OSTI ID:
1241372
Report Number(s):
SAND-2016-1843J; 619627
Journal Information:
Macromolecules, Vol. 49, Issue 5; ISSN 0024-9297
Publisher:
American Chemical SocietyCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 16 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Cited By (4)

Molecular structure of bottlebrush polymers in melts text January 2016
Molecular structure of bottlebrush polymers in melts journal November 2016
Preparation and Morphologies of AB6¯ Block‐Graft Copolymers journal June 2019
Lamellae—Parking Garage Structure—Lamellae Transition in Densely Grafted Layers of Amphiphilic Homopolymers: Impact of Polymerization Degree journal October 2018

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