Increase in the effective viscosity of polyethylene under extreme nanoconfinement

Ren, Tian; Hinton, Zachary R.; Huang, Renjing; Epps, III, Thomas H.; Korley, LaShanda; Gorte, Raymond J.; Lee, Daeyeon

doi:10.1063/5.0185144

Increase in the effective viscosity of polyethylene under extreme nanoconfinement

Journal Article · Fri Jan 12 00:00:00 EST 2024 · Journal of Chemical Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0185144· OSTI ID:2382755

Ren, Tian ^[1]; Hinton, Zachary R. ^[2]; Huang, Renjing ^[3]; ^[2]; ^[2]; Gorte, Raymond J. ^[4]; ^[4]

University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (United States); University of Delaware, Newark, DE (United States); University of Pennsylvania
University of Delaware, Newark, DE (United States)
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (United States)
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (United States); University of Delaware, Newark, DE (United States)

Understanding polymer transport in nanopores is crucial for optimizing heterogeneously catalyzed processes in polymer upcycling and fabricating high-performance nanocomposite films and membranes. Although confined polymer dynamics have been extensively studied, the behavior of polyethylene (PE)—the most widely used commodity polymer—in pores smaller than 20 nm remains largely unexplored. We investigate the effects of extreme nanoconfinement on PE transport using capillary rise infiltration in silica nanoparticle packings with average pore radii ranging from ~1 to ~9 nm. Using in situ ellipsometry and the Lucas–Washburn model, we discover a previously unknown inverse relationship between effective viscosity (η_eff) and average pore radius (R_pore). Additonally, we determine that PE transport under these extreme conditions is primarily governed by physical confinement, rather than pore surface chemistry. We refine an existing theory to provide a generalized formalism to describe the polymer transport dynamics over a wide range of pore radii (from 1 nm and larger). Our results offer valuable insights for optimizing catalyst supports in polymer upcycling and improving infiltration processes for nanocomposite fabrication.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: University of Delaware, Newark, DE (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)

Grant/Contract Number:: SC0021166

OSTI ID:: 2382755

Journal Information:: Journal of Chemical Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Chemical Physics Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 160; ISSN 0021-9606

Publisher:: American Institute of Physics (AIP)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Increase in the effective viscosity of polyethylene under extreme nanoconfinement

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