Polymers confined at a vapor/liquid interface are particularly interesting and important as the immiscibility degree of polymers in the vapor phase is typically much less than in the liquid phase. With the help of molecular dynamics simulations, the self‐assembled monolayers of end‐functionalized polymers at the vapor/liquid interface are analyzed as a function of surface coverage, end‐attraction strength, and simulation temperature. Typical self‐assembled structures of end‐functionalized polymers such as rod‐like, branch‐like aggregates and scaffold‐like network gels have been successfully observed. Moreover, large end‐attraction interactions result into more ordered and stable networked gel configuration by providing enough scaffold crossing points in the networked framework. However, high temperature increases the diffusion coefficient of the polymers, meanwhile destroys networked structure. The potential of mean force demonstrates that the van der Waals interactions between polymer chains generate the aggregation of polymer backbones with side‐to‐side pattern, while the end‐group interactions lead to the aggregation of end‐groups of the polymers with end‐to‐end pattern. However, the end‐group interactions majorly mediate the formation of networked gels at the vapor/liquid interface. Our studies provide a deeper understanding of the formation of networked gels at vapor/liquid interface, and they can also guide the robust target‐specified design of nanostructured network materials.
Directed self-assembly of polymers on chemically homogeneous and heterogeneous patterns is of considerable interest for nanolithography and nanofluidic devices.
Correction for ‘Concentration-induced structural transition of block polymer self-assemblies on a nanoparticle surface: computer simulation’ by Wenjun Xiang et al., RSC Adv., 2016, 6, 102057–102067
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.