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Salahshoori I, Namayandeh Jorabchi M, Asghari M, Wohlrab S, Yazdanbakhsh A, Jangara H, Cacciotti I, Shahedi Asl M, Nobre MAL, Khonakdar HA, Mohammadi AH, Golriz M, Mirnezami SMS, Moghari S. Molecular simulations: From fundamental principles to applications in gaseous pollutant control. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2025; 986:179728. [PMID: 40449347 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.179728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2025] [Revised: 05/16/2025] [Accepted: 05/19/2025] [Indexed: 06/03/2025]
Abstract
Removing gaseous pollutants from the environment is crucial for mitigating air pollution and safeguarding public health. Conventional laboratory methods for gaseous pollutant removal face significant challenges, including complex experimental setups, limited scalability, and difficulties in capturing molecular-level interactions under real-world conditions. Molecular simulations have emerged as a powerful tool to address these issues, with ongoing research focusing on improving computational efficiency and force field accuracy to model diverse pollutants and materials. These methods predict the absorption properties of gaseous pollutants, offering detailed insights at the molecular level that are challenging to achieve experimentally. This research begins by discussing the theory underlying molecular simulation methods, highlighting their relevance in understanding gas-solid interactions. Various absorbents' physical and chemical properties are analyzed, focusing on their effectiveness in trapping and neutralizing harmful gases. The study also examines the influence of molecular simulations in determining key transfer properties, such as permeability, solubility, and selectivity, which enhance the design and optimization of absorbent materials. The importance of this research lies in its potential to predict the removal efficiency of gaseous pollutants, providing valuable tools for developing effective pollution control strategies. This approach advances the understanding of gas absorption mechanisms and profoundly impacts the development of innovative solutions for environmental protection. By reviewing past achievements, present applications, and future directions, this article underscores the transformative role of molecular simulations in accelerating the development of novel materials for efficient gaseous pollutant control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iman Salahshoori
- Department of Polymer Processing, Iran Polymer and Petrochemical Institute, Tehran, Iran; Department of Chemical Engineering, Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran, Iran.
| | | | - Morteza Asghari
- Separation Processes Research Group (SPRG), Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Science and Technology of Mazandaran, Behshahr, Mazandaran, Iran; UNESCO Chair on Coastal Geo-Hazard Analysis, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sebastian Wohlrab
- Leibniz Institute for Catalysis, Albert-Einstein-Straße 29a, D-18059 Rostock, Germany
| | - Amirhosein Yazdanbakhsh
- Department of Polymer Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hossein Jangara
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran
| | - Ilaria Cacciotti
- Department of Engineering, INSTM RU, University of Rome "Niccolò Cusano", via Don Carlo Gnocchi 3, 00166 Rome, Italy
| | - Mehdi Shahedi Asl
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Kyrenia, Kyrenia, Mersin 10, Turkey
| | - Marcos A L Nobre
- São Paulo State University (Unesp), School of Technology and Sciences, Presidente Prudente, SP 19060-900, Brazil
| | - Hossein Ali Khonakdar
- Department of Polymer Processing, Iran Polymer and Petrochemical Institute, Tehran, Iran
| | - Amir H Mohammadi
- Discipline of Chemical Engineering, School of Engineering, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Howard College Campus, King George V Avenue, Durban 4041, South Africa
| | - Mehdi Golriz
- Department of Energy Storage, Institute of Mechanics, Shiraz, Iran
| | | | - Shahab Moghari
- Department of Polymer Processing, Iran Polymer and Petrochemical Institute, Tehran, Iran
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Qin WY, Shi CY, Liu GQ, Tian H, Qu DH. Tunable Mechanically Interlocked Semi-Crystalline Networks. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2025; 64:e202423029. [PMID: 39716015 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202423029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2024] [Revised: 12/20/2024] [Accepted: 12/23/2024] [Indexed: 12/25/2024]
Abstract
High-performance polymers based on dynamic chemistry have been widely explored for multi-field advanced applications. However, noncovalent sacrificial bond-mediated energy dissipation mechanism causes a trade-off between mechanical toughness and resilience. Herein, we achieved the synchronous boost of seemingly conflicting material properties including mechanical robustness, toughness and elasticity via the incorporation of mechanical chemistry into traditional semi-crystalline networks. Detailed rheological tests and all-atom molecular dynamics simulation reveal that the excellent mechanical robustness and toughness are attributed to the dissociation of crystalline domains threading through the sieve-shape macrocycles. Reversible nano-crystalline domains and ring-sliding-effect accelerated segment motion efficiently reduce energy dissipation to achieve instantaneous resilience. Moreover, the model polymers demonstrate that the multiple dynamic components endow the resulting polymer with excellent reprocessability under mild conditions. This mechanically interlocked semi-crystalline polymer exhibits potential applications as a thermal/photo actuator. This work reveals the synergic effects of mechanically interlocked sites and tunable crystalline domains, thus providing a reliable guide for the comprehensive improvement of material performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Yu Qin
- Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Joint International Research Laboratory of Precision Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Feringa Nobel Prize Scientist Joint Research Center, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Institute of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Meilong Road, Shanghai, 200237, P. R. China
| | - Chen-Yu Shi
- Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Joint International Research Laboratory of Precision Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Feringa Nobel Prize Scientist Joint Research Center, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Institute of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Meilong Road, Shanghai, 200237, P. R. China
| | - Guo-Quan Liu
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Frontiers, Science Center for Transformative Molecules, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, P. R. China
| | - He Tian
- Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Joint International Research Laboratory of Precision Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Feringa Nobel Prize Scientist Joint Research Center, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Institute of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Meilong Road, Shanghai, 200237, P. R. China
| | - Da-Hui Qu
- Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Joint International Research Laboratory of Precision Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Feringa Nobel Prize Scientist Joint Research Center, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, Institute of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Meilong Road, Shanghai, 200237, P. R. China
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Cui J, Zeng F, Wei D, Wang Y. Unraveling the effects of geometrical parameters on dynamic impact responses of graphene reinforced polymer nanocomposites using coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2024; 26:19266-19281. [PMID: 38962897 DOI: 10.1039/d4cp01242a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/05/2024]
Abstract
Nacre plays an important role in bionic design due to its light weight, high strength, and structure-function integration. The key to elucidate its reinforcing and toughening mechanisms is to truly characterize its multi-layer structure and properties. In this work, the dynamic impact responses of graphene reinforced polymer nanocomposites with a unique brick-and-mortar structure are investigated using coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations, in which the interfacial coarse-grained force field between graphene and the polymer matrix is derived by the energy matching approach. The influences of various geometrical parameters on dynamic impact responses of the nanocomposites are studied, including the interlayer distance, lateral distance, and number of graphene layers. The results demonstrate that the impact resistance of the nacre-like structure can be significantly improved by tuning the geometrical parameters of graphene layers. It is also found that the chain scission and interchain disentanglement of polymer chains are the main failure mechanisms during the perforation failure process as compared to the stretching and breaking of bonds. In addition, the microstructure analysis is performed to deeply interpret the deformation and damage mechanisms of the nanocomposites during impact. This study could be helpful for the rational design and preparation of graphene reinforced nacre-like nanocomposites with high impact resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianzheng Cui
- Department of Astronautic Science and Mechanics, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, People's Republic of China.
| | - Fanlin Zeng
- Department of Astronautic Science and Mechanics, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, People's Republic of China.
| | - Dahai Wei
- Department of Astronautic Science and Mechanics, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, People's Republic of China.
| | - Youshan Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Science and Technology on Advanced Composites in Special Environment, Center for Composite Materials, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, People's Republic of China
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Rafique M, Erbaş A. Mechanical deformation affects the counterion condensation in highly-swollen polyelectrolyte hydrogels. SOFT MATTER 2023; 19:7550-7561. [PMID: 37750366 DOI: 10.1039/d3sm00585b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
Polyelectrolyte gels can generate electric potentials under mechanical deformation. While the underlying mechanism of such a response is often attributed to changes in counterion-condensation levels or alterations in the ionic conditions in the pervaded volume of the hydrogel, the exact molecular origins are largely unknown. By using all-atom molecular dynamics simulations of a polyacrylic acid hydrogel in explicit water as a model system, we simulate the uniaxial compression and uniaxial stretching of weakly to highly swollen (i.e., between 60-90% solvent content) hydrogel networks and calculate the microscopic condensation levels of counterions around the hydrogel chains. The counterion condensation under deformation is highly non-monotonic. Ionic condensation around the constituting chains of the deformed hydrogel tends to increase as the chains are stretched. This increase reaches a maximum and decreases as the chains are strongly stretched. The condensation around the collapsed chains of the hydrogel is weakly affected by the deformation. As a result, both compressing and stretching the model hydrogel lead to an overall increase in the counterion condensation. The effect vanishes for weakly swollen hydrogels, for which most ions are already condensed. The simulations with single, stretched polyelectrolyte chains show a qualitatively similar response, suggesting the effect of chain elongation on the ionic distribution throughout the hydrogel. Notably, this deformation-induced counterion condensation phenomenon does not occur in a polyelectrolyte solution at its critical concentration, indicating the role of hydrogel topology constraining the chain ends. Our results indicate that counterion condensation in a deforming polyelectrolyte hydrogel can be highly heterogeneous and exhibit a rich behaviour of electrostatic responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muzaffar Rafique
- UNAM-Institute of Materials Science and Nanotechnology, Bilkent University, Ankara 06800, Turkey.
| | - Aykut Erbaş
- UNAM-Institute of Materials Science and Nanotechnology, Bilkent University, Ankara 06800, Turkey.
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Fulati A, Uto K, Ebara M. Influences of Crystallinity and Crosslinking Density on the Shape Recovery Force in Poly(ε-Caprolactone)-Based Shape-Memory Polymer Blends. Polymers (Basel) 2022; 14:4740. [PMID: 36365733 PMCID: PMC9658307 DOI: 10.3390/polym14214740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Shape-memory polymers (SMPs) show great potential in various emerging applications, such as artificial muscles, soft actuators, and biomedical devices, owing to their unique shape recovery-induced contraction force. However, the factors influencing this force remain unclear. Herein, we designed a simple polymer blending system using a series of tetra-branched poly(ε-caprolactone)-based SMPs with long and short branch-chain lengths that demonstrate decreased crystallinity and increased crosslinking density gradients. The resultant polymer blends possessed mechanical properties manipulable across a wide range in accordance with the crystallinity gradient, such as stretchability (50.5-1419.5%) and toughness (0.62-130.4 MJ m-3), while maintaining excellent shape-memory properties. The experimental results show that crosslinking density affected the shape recovery force, which correlates to the SMPs' energy storage capacity. Such a polymer blending system could provide new insights on how crystallinity and crosslinking density affect macroscopic thermal and mechanical properties as well as the shape recovery force of SMP networks, improving design capability for future applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ailifeire Fulati
- Research Center for Functional Materials, National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba 3050044, Japan
- Graduate School of Science and Technology, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 3058577, Japan
| | - Koichiro Uto
- Research Center for Functional Materials, National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba 3050044, Japan
| | - Mitsuhiro Ebara
- Research Center for Functional Materials, National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba 3050044, Japan
- Graduate School of Science and Technology, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba 3058577, Japan
- Graduate School of Advanced Engineering, Tokyo University of Science, Tokyo 1258585, Japan
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