Soft Matter最新文献_第10页

Tracking solvent-induced conformational collapse of periodically grafted amphiphilic polymers using PFG NMR diffusometry†

IF 2.9 3区化学

Soft Matter Pub Date : 2025-02-24 DOI: 10.1039/D5SM00031A

Harshita Sardana, B. V. N. Phani Kumar and S. Ramakrishnan

{"title":"Tracking solvent-induced conformational collapse of periodically grafted amphiphilic polymers using PFG NMR diffusometry†","authors":"Harshita Sardana, B. V. N. Phani Kumar and S. Ramakrishnan","doi":"10.1039/D5SM00031A","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5SM00031A","url":null,"abstract":"Periodically grafted amphiphilic polymers (PGAPs) belong to an interesting class of amphiphilic polymers that carry long hydrophobic alkylene segments along the backbone and periodically located hydrophilic pendant segments, such as polyethylene glycol monomethyl ether (MPEG). In earlier studies, we showed that such PGAPs undergo zigzag folding to segregate the backbone alkylene segments and the pendant MPEG segments; consequently, they organize in the solid state to yield a lamellar morphology with precisely tunable domain sizes. In the present study, two new periodically clickable polyesters were prepared; one bearing dodecyl (C12) segments between adjacent clickable propargyl units and the other carrying longer eicosyl (C20) segments. These were clicked with MPEG-azides of different molecular weights, namely 550, 750 and 2000, to generate a series of PGAPs with varying hydrophilic–lyophilic balance (hlb) and, consequently, different folding propensities. The collapse of these PGAP chains in solution was examined by pulse field gradient nuclear magnetic resonance (PFG NMR) diffusometry studies, in chloroform–methanol mixtures of varying composition; the diffusion constants, estimated from these measurements, underwent a sudden increase at a specific methanol content, which signified the chain–collapse transition. As expected, the collapse occurred at a lower methanol content in the polymers bearing smaller MPEG pendant segments. Additionally, the variation of the relative intensities of the proton peaks belonging to the central hydrophobic segment, that upon collapse becomes more solid-like, also exhibited a sudden drop at roughly the same solvent composition, reconfirming that the collapse occurs to generate a structure with a dense core and solvated shell.","PeriodicalId":103,"journal":{"name":"Soft Matter","volume":" 13","pages":" 2471-2479"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143555323","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Micropores can enhance the intrinsic fracture energy of hydrogels†

IF 2.9 3区化学

Soft Matter Pub Date : 2025-02-24 DOI: 10.1039/D4SM00973H

Puyu Cao, Bin Chen, Yi Cao and Huajian Gao

引用次数: 0

Synthesis and isolation of metalloprotein on a super water-repellent umbrella-shaped pillar array with double re-entrant structure

IF 2.9 3区化学

Soft Matter Pub Date : 2025-02-24 DOI: 10.1039/D4SM01334D

Daiki Tanaka, Masashi Kobayashi, Risa Fujita, Dong Hyun Yoon, Tetsushi Sekiguchi, Takashiro Akitsu, Shuichi Shoji, Takashi Tanii and Masahiro Furuya

{"title":"Synthesis and isolation of metalloprotein on a super water-repellent umbrella-shaped pillar array with double re-entrant structure","authors":"Daiki Tanaka, Masashi Kobayashi, Risa Fujita, Dong Hyun Yoon, Tetsushi Sekiguchi, Takashiro Akitsu, Shuichi Shoji, Takashi Tanii and Masahiro Furuya","doi":"10.1039/D4SM01334D","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D4SM01334D","url":null,"abstract":"This paper reports the generation of microdroplets on a water-repellent device equipped with an array of tiny umbrella-shaped pillar structures. The microdroplets were used for chemical synthesis, docking, and crystallization of a functional protein. The umbrella-shaped water-repellent devices were easily fabricated from SU-8 by soft micro-electromechanical systems technology, which would suit mass production. We used simulations to visually clarify how water and methanol were repelled and quantitatively determined the umbrella-shaped structure's water-repellency by measuring a microdroplet's contact angle. Pillar array devices reduce the amount of reagents used in chemical synthesis experiments and facilitate chemical analysis. Furthermore, the reaction speed in microdroplets is often faster. The synthesis of a Zn(II) complex, which usually takes 4 h in a beaker, was completed in less than 120 s. The reaction inside the microdroplets was observed with a high-speed camera, and the products were identified by optical analysis. A metal complex and protein were docked and crystallized in microdroplets on the water-repellent device. The crystallization was observed under an optical microscope, producing beautiful single protein crystals. The metal complex and protein docking was confirmed by elemental analysis of the crystals.","PeriodicalId":103,"journal":{"name":"Soft Matter","volume":" 12","pages":" 2251-2257"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2025/sm/d4sm01334d?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143481883","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Correction: Engineering poly(dehydroalanine)-based gels via droplet-based microfluidics: from bulk to microspheres

IF 2.9 3区化学

Soft Matter Pub Date : 2025-02-21 DOI: 10.1039/D5SM90026C

Hannah F. Mathews, Tolga Çeper, Tobias Speen, Céline Bastard, Selin Bulut, Maria I. Pieper, Felix H. Schacher, Laura De Laporte and Andrij Pich

引用次数: 0

Transport of partially active polymers in chemical gradients†

IF 2.9 3区化学

Soft Matter Pub Date : 2025-02-20 DOI: 10.1039/D4SM01357C

Shashank Ravichandir, Bhavesh Valecha, Pietro Luigi Muzzeddu, Jens-Uwe Sommer and Abhinav Sharma

{"title":"Transport of partially active polymers in chemical gradients†","authors":"Shashank Ravichandir, Bhavesh Valecha, Pietro Luigi Muzzeddu, Jens-Uwe Sommer and Abhinav Sharma","doi":"10.1039/D4SM01357C","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D4SM01357C","url":null,"abstract":"The transport of molecules for chemical reactions is critically important in various cellular biological processes. Despite thermal diffusion being prevalent in many biochemical processes, it is unreliable for any sort of directed transport or preferential accumulation of molecules. In this paper, we propose a strategy for directed motion in which the molecules are transported by partially active polymeric structures. These polymers are assumed to be Rouse chains, in which the monomers are connected via harmonic springs and these chains are studied in environments that have activity varying spatially. The transport of such polymers is facilitated by these chemical/activity gradients which generate an effective drift. By marginalizing out the active degrees of freedom of the system, we obtain an effective Fokker–Planck equation for the Rouse modes of the polymer. In particular, we solve for the steady state distribution of the center of mass and its mean first passage time to reach an intended destination. We focus on how the arrangement of active units within the polymer affects its steady-state and dynamic behavior and how they can be optimized to achieve high accumulation or rapid motility.","PeriodicalId":103,"journal":{"name":"Soft Matter","volume":" 10","pages":" 1835-1840"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2025/sm/d4sm01357c?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143456498","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Molecular adsorption induces normal stresses at frictional interfaces of hydrogels

IF 2.9 3区化学

Soft Matter Pub Date : 2025-02-20 DOI: 10.1039/D4SM01439A

Lola Ciapa, Yvette Tran, Christian Frétigny, Antoine Chateauminois and Emilie Verneuil

{"title":"Molecular adsorption induces normal stresses at frictional interfaces of hydrogels","authors":"Lola Ciapa, Yvette Tran, Christian Frétigny, Antoine Chateauminois and Emilie Verneuil","doi":"10.1039/D4SM01439A","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D4SM01439A","url":null,"abstract":"Friction experiments were conducted on hydrogel thin films sliding against a rigid sphere in a low velocity regime where molecular adsorption at the sliding interface sets the friction force, through a dissipative adsorption–stretching–desorption mechanism initially postulated by Schallamach [A. Schallamach, Wear, 1963, 6, 375]. By carefully imaging the contact from the initial indentation step of the sphere into the hydrogel to steady state sliding, we evidence for the first time that this very same adsorption mechanism also results in a normal force embedding the sphere further into the hydrogel. Observations of this tangential-normal coupling are made on a variety of chemically modified silica spheres, over 3 decades in velocity and at varied normal loads, thereby demonstrating its robustness. Quantitative measurements of the extra normal force and of the friction–velocity relationship versus normal load are well rationalized within a theoretical model based on the thermal actuation of molecular bonds. To do so, we account for the finite non-zero thickness of the sliding interface at which molecular adsorption and stretching events produce an out-of-plane force responsible for both friction and normal adhesive-like pull-in.","PeriodicalId":103,"journal":{"name":"Soft Matter","volume":" 13","pages":" 2529-2540"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143584044","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Defect dynamics in cholesterics: beyond the Peach–Koehler force† 胆固醇的缺陷动力学：超越 Peach-Koehler 力。

IF 2.9 3区化学

Soft Matter Pub Date : 2025-02-20 DOI: 10.1039/D4SM01478B

Joseph Pollard and Richard G. Morris

{"title":"Defect dynamics in cholesterics: beyond the Peach–Koehler force†","authors":"Joseph Pollard and Richard G. Morris","doi":"10.1039/D4SM01478B","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D4SM01478B","url":null,"abstract":"The Peach–Koehler force between disclination lines was originally formulated in the study of crystalline solids, and has since been adopted to provide a notion of interactions between disclination lines in nematic liquid crystals. Here, we argue that the standard formulation of this interaction force seemingly fails for materials where there is a symmetry-broken ground state, and suggest that this is due to the interaction between disclination lines and merons: non-singular yet non-trivial topological solitons. We examine this in the context of chiral nematic (cholesteric) liquid crystals, which provide a natural setting for studying these interactions due to their energetic preference for meron tubes in the form of double-twist cylinders. Through a combination of theory and simulation we demonstrate that, for sufficiently strong chirality, defects of +1/2 winding will change their winding through the emission of a meron line, and that interactions between the merons and defects dominate over defect–defect interactions. Instead of the Peach–Koehler framework, we employ a method based on contact topology—the Gray stability theorem—to directly calculate the velocity field of the material. We apply our framework to point defects as well as disclination lines. Our results have implications not just for chiral materials, but also for other phases with modulated ground states, such as the twist-bend and splay-bend nematics.","PeriodicalId":103,"journal":{"name":"Soft Matter","volume":" 12","pages":" 2300-2316"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2025/sm/d4sm01478b?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143497727","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Shear-induced dynamics of an active Belousov–Zhabotinsky droplet†

IF 2.9 3区化学

Soft Matter Pub Date : 2025-02-19 DOI: 10.1039/D4SM01464B

Shreyas A. Shenoy, KVS Chaithanya and Pratyush Dayal

{"title":"Shear-induced dynamics of an active Belousov–Zhabotinsky droplet†","authors":"Shreyas A. Shenoy, KVS Chaithanya and Pratyush Dayal","doi":"10.1039/D4SM01464B","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D4SM01464B","url":null,"abstract":"Controlled navigation of self-propelled active matter in complex biological environments has remained a significant challenge in engineering owing to a multitude of interactions that persist in the process. Active droplets, being some of the several synthetic active matters, have garnered significant attention owing to their ability to exhibit dynamic shape changes, self-sustained motion, interact with external stimuli such as flows, and mimic biological active matter. Here, we explore the dynamics of a self-propelled active droplet powered by the oscillatory Belousov–Zhabotinsky (BZ) reaction in the presence of a shear flow. We adapt a multicomponent lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) in conjunction with the phase-field model to simulate the droplet's interaction with the surrounding fluid. We unravel the collective effect of droplet deformation, reaction kinetics, and strength of the surrounding shear flow on droplet dynamics. Our findings depict that the shear flow disrupts the initial isotropic surface tension, and produces concentration nucleation spots in the droplet. The asymmetry thus generated produces Marangoni flow that ultimately propels the droplet. Our findings provide valuable insights into the mechanisms governing active droplet behavior and open new avenues for designing controllable synthetic active matter systems with potential applications in microfluidics, targeted delivery, and biomimetic technologies. In addition, our framework can potentially be integrated with the physics-informed machine learning framework to develop more efficient mesh-free methods.","PeriodicalId":103,"journal":{"name":"Soft Matter","volume":" 10","pages":" 1957-1969"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143447369","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Nonaffine motion and network reorganization in entangled polymer networks

IF 2.9 3区化学

Soft Matter Pub Date : 2025-02-19 DOI: 10.1039/D4SM01278J

Saleh Assadi, Samuel C. Lamont, Nitin Hansoge, Zhuonan Liu, Victor Crespo-Cuevas, Fay Salmon and Franck J. Vernerey

{"title":"Nonaffine motion and network reorganization in entangled polymer networks","authors":"Saleh Assadi, Samuel C. Lamont, Nitin Hansoge, Zhuonan Liu, Victor Crespo-Cuevas, Fay Salmon and Franck J. Vernerey","doi":"10.1039/D4SM01278J","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D4SM01278J","url":null,"abstract":"This paper presents a computational model designed to capture the mechanical behavior of entangled polymer networks, described by dynamic and slideable cross-linking junctions. The model adopts a network-level approach, where the polymer chains between junctions are represented by segments exhibiting entropic elasticity, and the sliding of chains through entanglements is governed by a frictional law. Additionally, the model incorporates stochastic processes for the creation and depletion of entanglement junctions, dynamically coupled with sliding mechanics. This framework enables the exploration of the time-dependent mechanical response of entangled polymers with and without covalent cross-links. We apply this model to study the nonlinear rheology of such networks, linking macroscopic stress–strain behavior to the underlying microscopic events within the network. The approach is computationally efficient, making it a useful tool for understanding how network design influences polymer performance in elasticity, rheology, and general mechanical features. This work provides valuable insights into the relationship between molecular-level interactions and the macroscopic properties of entangled polymer systems, with potential applications in the design and optimization of advanced polymer materials.","PeriodicalId":103,"journal":{"name":"Soft Matter","volume":" 11","pages":" 2096-2113"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-02-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2025/sm/d4sm01278j?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143447365","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Synthesis of d-glucono-1,4-lactones modified with linear saturated fatty acids as novel low molecular-weight organogelators and evaluation of their physical properties†

IF 2.9 3区化学

Soft Matter Pub Date : 2025-02-19 DOI: 10.1039/D4SM01264J

Shiro Komba

引用次数: 0