We present the results of discontinuous molecular dynamics (DMD) computer simulations aimed at understanding the role of protein-like copolymers (PLCs) as compatibilizing agents for a polymer blend containing two incompatible homopolymers. The effectiveness of PLCs to act as compatibilizers is compared with that of block, alternating, and random copolymers at low copolymer concentration (∼0.66%). PLCs localize at the interface and are preferentially oriented parallel to it, judged by comparing the parallel and perpendicular components of the radius of gyration (AER g 2 ae ) >AER g 2 ae ^). At lower temperatures, PLCs possess higher interfacial width as they penetrate the interface more than random and alternating copolymers; the PLCs are very efficient at making multiple connection points across the interface. The average fraction of crossings for PLCs is as high as 80% of the number of junction points, that is, the number of bonds between A and B monomers in the AB copolymer. High-molecular-weight PLCs are likely to outperform random and alternating copolymers as efficient interfacial stabilizers.
We present the results of kinetic Monte Carlo simulations aimed at exploring the effect of copolymer sequence distribution on the dynamics of phase separation of an immiscible A/B binary homopolymer blend. Diblock, protein-like copolymers (PLCs), simple linear gradient, random, and alternating copolymers having equal number of A and B segments, identical chemical composition, and chain length are considered as compatibilizers. All copolymers, irrespective of their sequence, retard the phase separation process by migrating to the biphasic interface between the A/B interface, thereby minimizing the interfacial energy and promoting adhesion between the homopolymer-rich phases. As expected, diblock copolymers perform the best and each block of the diblock copolymer penetrates the energetically favorable homopolymer-rich phase. Alternating copolymers lie at the interface and PLCs, simple linear gradient, and random copolymers weave back and forth across the interface. The weaving and penetration is more pronounced for PLCs than for simple linear gradient and random copolymers. Judging by the contact analysis, extension and conformation of the copolymers at the interface, and structure factor calculations, it is evident that for the chain lengths considered in our simulations, PLCs are better compatibilizers than alternating and random copolymers, while being on a par with simple linear gradient copolymers, but not as good as diblocks.
We use Monte Carlo simulation based on the bond fluctuation model to investigate how adding ≈4.92% protein-like copolymer (PLC) to an immiscible binary polymer blend affects the dynamics of phase separation. PLCs slow down effectively the process of phase separation in binary blends by migrating to the biphasic interface between the immiscible homopolymers, thereby reducing the interfacial tension. The ability of PLCs to retard effectively the process of phase separation depends sensitively on the interaction energy between the PLCs and homopolymers and the PLC chain length. PLCs compatibilize the binary blend more effectively with increasing attractive interaction between the PLC blocks and homopolymers. Nominal improvement in compatibilization of the binary blend is achieved with increasing PLC chain length. The growth of phase-separated domains follows a dynamical scaling law for both the binary blend and PLC compatibilized ternary blend in the late stages of phase separation. The universal scaling functions are nearly independent of the interaction energy and PLC chain length. Thus, the phase-separated domains grow with dynamical self-similarity irrespective of the type of PLC added to the binary blend, although the type of PLC significantly alters the growth rate of the phase-separated domains.
We use kinetic Monte Carlo simulation based on the bond fluctuation model to investigate the dynamics of phase separation in immiscible 80/20 A/B binary polymer blends, comprising 80% and 20% of A and B components, respectively, in the presence of ≈4.92% 30-mer protein-like copolymer (PLC) made of C and D segments. The molecular interactions are chosen such that there is an attraction between A and C and between B and D segments and no interaction between like segments; all other interaction energies have been chosen to be repulsive. The PLC migration to and presence at the A/B interface effectively slow down the process of phase separation in binary blends, thereby minimizing the unfavorable A/B contacts and reducing the A/B interfacial tension. The ability of PLCs to effectively retard the process of phase separation depends sensitively on the PLC composition. PLCs with 0.3 ≤ x C ≤ 0.5, where x C is the mole fraction of C, are most effective in compatibilizing the 80/20 A/B binary blend. The growth of phase-separated domains follows a dynamical scaling law for both the binary and ternary blends compatibilized by PLCs in the late stage of phase separation with universal scaling functions that are nearly independent of PLC composition.
We describe the utilization of proteinlike copolymers (PLCs) as encapsulating agents for small-molecule solutes. We perform Monte Carlo simulations on systems containing PLCs and model solute molecules in order to understand how PLCs assemble in solution and what system conditions promote solute encapsulation. Specifically, we explore how the chemical composition of the PLCs and the range and strength of molecular interactions between hydrophobic segments on the PLC and solute molecules affect the solute encapsulation efficiency. The composition profiles of the hydrophobic and hydrophilic segments, the solute, and implicit solvent (or voids) within the PLC globule are evaluated to gain a complete understanding of the behavior in the PLC/solute system. We find that a single-chain PLC encapsulates solute successfully by collapsing the macromolecule to a well-defined globular conformation when the hydrophobic/solute interaction is at least as strong as the interaction strength among hydrophobic segments and the interaction among solute molecules is at most as strong as the hydrophobic/solute interaction strength. Our results can be used by experimentalists as a framework for optimizing unimolecular PLC solute encapsulation and can be extended potentially to applications such as "drug" delivery via PLCs.
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