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Kong W, Neuman A, Zhang AC, Lee D, Riggleman RA, Composto RJ. Capillary filling dynamics of polymer melts in a bicontinuous nanoporous scaffold. J Chem Phys 2024; 160:044904. [PMID: 38270239 DOI: 10.1063/5.0184427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/01/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Polymer infiltrated nanoporous gold is prepared by infiltrating polymer melts into a bicontinuous, nanoporous gold (NPG) scaffold. Polystyrene (PS) films with molecular weights (Mw) from 424 to 1133 kDa are infiltrated into a NPG scaffold (∼120 nm), with a pore radius (Rp) and pore volume fraction of 37.5 nm and 50%, respectively. The confinement ratios (Γ=RgRp) range from 0.47 to 0.77, suggesting that the polymers inside the pores are moderately confined. The time for PS to achieve 80% infiltration (τ80%) is determined using in situ spectroscopic ellipsometry at 150 °C. The kinetics of infiltration scales weaker with Mw, τ80%∝Mw1.30±0.20, than expected from bulk viscosity Mw3.4. Furthermore, the effective viscosity of the PS melt inside NPG, inferred from the Lucas-Washburn model, is reduced by more than one order of magnitude compared to the bulk. Molecular dynamics simulation results are in good agreement with experiments predicting scaling as Mw1.4. The reduced dependence of Mw and the enhanced kinetics of infiltration are attributed to a reduction in chain entanglement density during infiltration and a reduction in polymer-wall friction with increasing polymer molecular weight. Compared to the traditional approach involving adding discrete particles into the polymer matrix, these studies show that nanocomposites with higher loading can be readily prepared, and that kinetics of infiltration are faster due to polymer confinement inside pores. These films have potential as actuators when filled with stimuli-responsive polymers as well as polymer electrolyte and fuel cell membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiwei Kong
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
| | - Anastasia Neuman
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
| | - Aria C Zhang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
| | - Daeyeon Lee
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
| | - Robert A Riggleman
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
| | - Russell J Composto
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
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Shamsabadi AA, Fang H, Zhang D, Thakur A, Chen CY, Zhang A, Wang H, Anasori B, Soroush M, Gogotsi Y, Fakhraai Z. The Evolution of MXenes Conductivity and Optical Properties Upon Heating in Air. SMALL METHODS 2023; 7:e2300568. [PMID: 37454348 DOI: 10.1002/smtd.202300568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
MXenes, a family of 2D transition-metal carbides and nitrides, have excellent electrical conductivity and unique optical properties. However, MXenes oxidize in ambient conditions, which is accelerated upon heating. Intercalation of water also causes hydrolysis accelerating oxidation. Developing new tools to readily characterize MXenes' thermal stability can enable deeper insights into their structure-property relationships. Here, in situ spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) is employed to characterize the optical properties of three types of MXenes (Ti3 C2 Tx , Mo2 TiC2 Tx , and Ti2 CTx ) with varied composition and atomistic structures to investigate their thermal degradation upon heating under ambient environment. It is demonstrated that changes in MXene extinction and optical conductivity in the visible and near-IR regions correlate well with the amount of intercalated water and hydroxyl termination groups and the degree of oxidation, measured using thermogravimetric analysis. Among the three MXenes, Ti3 C2 Tx and Ti2 CTx , respectively, have the highest and lowest thermal stability, indicating the role of transition-metal type, synthesis route, and the number of atomic layers in MXene flakes. These findings demonstrate the utility of SE as a powerful in situ technique for rapid structure-property relationship studies paving the way for the further design, fabrication, and property optimization of novel MXene materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmad A Shamsabadi
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Hui Fang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Danzhen Zhang
- A.J. Drexel Nanomaterials Institute and Department of Material Science and Engineering, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Anupma Thakur
- Department of Mechanical and Energy Engineering and Integrated Nanosystems Development Institute, Purdue School of Engineering and Technology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Cindy Y Chen
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Aixi Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Haonan Wang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Babak Anasori
- Department of Mechanical and Energy Engineering and Integrated Nanosystems Development Institute, Purdue School of Engineering and Technology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
- School of Materials Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Masoud Soroush
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Yury Gogotsi
- A.J. Drexel Nanomaterials Institute and Department of Material Science and Engineering, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Zahra Fakhraai
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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Maguire SM, McClimon JB, Zhang AC, Keller AW, Bilchak CR, Ohno K, Carpick RW, Composto RJ. Nanoscale Structure-Property Relations in Self-Regulated Polymer-Grafted Nanoparticle Composite Structures. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023; 15:10974-10985. [PMID: 36802474 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c15786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Using a model system of poly(methyl methacrylate)-grafted silica nanoparticles (PMMA-NP) and poly(styrene-ran-acrylonitrile) (SAN), we generate unique polymer nanocomposite (PNC) morphologies by balancing the degree of surface enrichment, phase separation, and wetting within the films. Depending on the annealing temperature and time, thin films undergo different stages of phase evolution, resulting in homogeneously dispersed systems at low temperatures, enriched PMMA-NP layers at the PNC interfaces at intermediate temperatures, and three-dimensional bicontinuous structures of PMMA-NP pillars sandwiched between two PMMA-NP wetting layers at high temperatures. Using a combination of atomic force microscopy (AFM), AFM nanoindentation, contact angle goniometry, and optical microscopy, we show that these self-regulated structures lead to nanocomposites with increased elastic modulus, hardness, and thermal stability compared to analogous PMMA/SAN blends. These studies demonstrate the ability to reliably control the size and spatial correlations of both the surface-enriched and phase-separated nanocomposite microstructures, which have attractive technological applications where properties such as wettability, toughness, and wear resistance are important. In addition, these morphologies lend themselves to substantially broader applications, including: (1) structural color applications, (2) tuning optical adsorption, and (3) barrier coatings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shawn M Maguire
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - J Brandon McClimon
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Aria C Zhang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Austin W Keller
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Connor R Bilchak
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Kohji Ohno
- Department of Materials Science, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka Metropolitan University, Sakai, Osaka 599-8531, Japan
| | - Robert W Carpick
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Russell J Composto
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
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Chen H, Poitzsch ME. Dynamics of Polymers Flowing through Porous Media: Interplay of Solvent Properties, Flow Rates, and Wetting. Macromolecules 2022. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.2c01902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hsieh Chen
- Aramco Americas: Aramco Research Center-Boston, Cambridge, Massachusetts02139, United States
| | - Martin E. Poitzsch
- Aramco Americas: Aramco Research Center-Boston, Cambridge, Massachusetts02139, United States
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Interfacially-confined polyetherimide tubular membranes for H2, CO2 and N2 separations. J Memb Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2022.120596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Qiang Y, Pande SS, Lee D, Turner KT. The Interplay of Polymer Bridging and Entanglement in Toughening Polymer-Infiltrated Nanoparticle Films. ACS NANO 2022; 16:6372-6381. [PMID: 35380037 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.2c00471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Polymer-nanoparticle composite films (PNCFs) with high loadings of nanoparticles (NPs) (>50 vol %) have applications in multiple areas, and an understanding of their mechanical properties is essential for their broader use. The high-volume fraction and small size of the NPs lead to physical confinement of the polymers that can drastically change the properties of polymers relative to the bulk. We investigate the fracture behavior of a class of highly loaded PNCFs prepared by polymer infiltration into NP packings. These polymer-infiltrated nanoparticle films (PINFs) have applications as multifunctional coatings and membranes and provide a platform to understand the behavior of polymers that are highly confined. Here, the extent of confinement in PINFs is tuned from 0.1 to 44 and the fracture toughness of PINFs is increased by up to a factor of 12 by varying the molecular weight of the polymers over 3 orders of magnitude and using NPs with diameters ranging from 9 to 100 nm. The results show that brittle, low molecular weight (MW) polymers can significantly toughen NP packings, and this toughening effect becomes less pronounced with increasing NP size. In contrast, high MW polymers capable of forming interchain entanglements are more effective in toughening large NP packings. We propose that confinement has competing effects of polymer bridging increasing toughness and chain disentanglement decreasing toughness. These findings provide insight into the fracture behavior of confined polymers and will guide the development of mechanically robust PINFs as well as other highly loaded PNCFs.
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