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Related Concept Videos

Molecular Weight of Step-Growth Polymers01:08

Molecular Weight of Step-Growth Polymers

Step growth polymerization involves bi or multifunctional monomers. Bifunctional monomers react to form linear step growth polymers, whereas multifunctional monomers react to form non-linear or branched polymers.
As the step-growth polymerization involves step-wise condensation of monomers, the molecular weight also builds up eventually. Consequently, high molecular weight polymers are obtained at the late stages of the polymerization, where 99% of monomers have been consumed.
The extent of the...
Polymers02:34

Polymers

The word polymer is derived from the Greek words “poly” which means “many” and “mer” which means “parts”. Polymers are long chains of molecules composed of repeating units of smaller molecules, known as monomers. They either occur naturally, such as DNA and proteins, or can be constructed synthetically, like plastics. They have varied structural characteristics, such as linear chains, branched chains, or complex networks, that contribute to the properties that they exhibit. Additionally,...
Polymers02:34

Polymers

The word polymer is derived from the Greek words “poly” which means “many” and “mer” which means “parts”. Polymers are long chains of molecules composed of repeating units of smaller molecules, known as monomers. They either occur naturally, such as DNA and proteins, or can be constructed synthetically, like plastics. They have varied structural characteristics, such as linear chains, branched chains, or complex networks, that contribute to the properties that they exhibit. Additionally,...
Polymers: Molecular Weight Distribution01:10

Polymers: Molecular Weight Distribution

For any given polymer, the weight average molecular weight (Mw) is higher than, if not equal to, the number average molecular weight (Mn). The only situation in which the weight average molecular weight and the number average molecular weight are equal is when a polymer consists only of chains with equal molecular weight. However, this never happens in a synthetic polymer, since it is difficult to control the polymerization process up to a molecular level with accuracy to a hundred percent.
Classification and Mechanical Properties of Synthetic Polymers01:28

Classification and Mechanical Properties of Synthetic Polymers

Synthetic polymers are classified as elastomers, fibers, or plastics based on their crystallinity. Crystallinity, the degree of long-range order in the solid state, influences the mechanical properties (stretching or contracting) of elastomers. Elastomers are flexible polymers that can expand or contract easily upon the application of an external force. They have numerous crosslinks that pull them back into their original shape when stress is removed. Silicones, for instance, are highly elastic...
Polymers: Defining Molecular Weight01:01

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Unlike small molecules with definite molecular weights, polymers are a mixture of individual polymer chains of varying lengths, each with a unique molecular weight. So, the molecular weight of a polymer is expressed as an average value based on the average size of the polymer chains. The two most common forms of averages used for polymers are the number average molecular weight and weight average molecular weight.
The number average molecular weight (Mn) is the summation of the number...

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Preparation of Hollow Polystyrene Particles and Microcapsules by Radical Polymerization of Janus Droplets Consisting of Hydrocarbon and Fluorocarbon Oils
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Polymers as compressible soft spheres.

Giuseppe D'Adamo1, Andrea Pelissetto, Carlo Pierleoni

  • 1Dipartimento di Fisica, Università dell'Aquila, V. Vetoio 10, Loc. Coppito, I-67100 L'Aquila, Italy. giuseppe.dadamo@aquila.infn.it

The Journal of Chemical Physics
|June 21, 2012
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

This study introduces a fluctuating polymer model, finding it accurately predicts radius of gyration but offers no thermodynamic advantage over fixed-size models.

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Area of Science:

  • Polymer Physics
  • Soft Matter Physics
  • Computational Chemistry

Background:

  • Coarse-grained models simplify polymer behavior for simulations.
  • Previous models often use fixed radii, neglecting dynamic size changes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate a coarse-grained polymer model with fluctuating radii of gyration.
  • To assess the model's accuracy in predicting polymer thermodynamics and structure.

Main Methods:

  • Developed a soft-sphere model where sphere radii fluctuate, representing polymer radii of gyration.
  • Determined pair potentials from simulations of two isolated polymers (zero-density potentials).
  • Compared model predictions with simulations under varying densities.

Main Results:

  • The fluctuating radius model accurately reproduces the density dependence of the radius of gyration in dilute regimes.
  • For thermodynamics and intermolecular structure, the model showed no significant advantage over simpler models with fixed radii.
  • The fluctuating size did not improve thermodynamic predictions.

Conclusions:

  • Fluctuating radii coarse-grained models can capture radius of gyration scaling.
  • For thermodynamic properties and intermolecular structure, fixed-radius models are sufficient and computationally simpler.
  • The complexity of fluctuating radii does not yield enhanced thermodynamic accuracy in this model.