Mechanically Interlocked Polymers in Dilute Solution under Shear and Extensional Flows: A Brownian Dynamics Study

Fuente: arXiv
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Autori principali: Seyedi, Ali, Albaugh, Alex
Natura: Preprint
Pubblicazione: 2025
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author Seyedi, Ali
Albaugh, Alex
author_facet Seyedi, Ali
Albaugh, Alex
contents Mechanically interlocked polymers (MIPs) are a novel class of polymer structures in which the components are connected by mechanical bonds instead of covalent bonds. We measure the single-molecule rheological properties of polyrotaxanes, daisy chains, and polycatenanes under steady shear and steady uniaxial extension using coarse-grained Brownian dynamics simulations with hydrodynamic interactions. We obtain key rheological features, including tumbling dynamics, molecular extension, stress, and viscosity. By systematically varying structural features, we demonstrate how MIP topology governs flow response. Compared to linear polymers, all three MIP architectures exhibit enhanced tumbling in shear flow and lower normal stress differences in extensional flow. While polyrotaxanes show higher shear and extensional viscosities, polycatenanes and daisy chains have lower viscosities. In extensional flow, polyrotaxanes and polycatenanes extend earlier than linear polymers. We find that mechanical bonds suppress shear thinning and alter the coil-stretch transition observed in linear polymers. These effects arise from the mechanically bonded rings in MIPs, which expand the polymer profile in gradient direction and increase backbone stiffness due to ring-backbone repulsions. This study provides key insights into MIP flow properties, providing the foundation for their systematic development in engineering applications.
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id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2506_13968
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Mechanically Interlocked Polymers in Dilute Solution under Shear and Extensional Flows: A Brownian Dynamics Study
Seyedi, Ali
Albaugh, Alex
Soft Condensed Matter
Mechanically interlocked polymers (MIPs) are a novel class of polymer structures in which the components are connected by mechanical bonds instead of covalent bonds. We measure the single-molecule rheological properties of polyrotaxanes, daisy chains, and polycatenanes under steady shear and steady uniaxial extension using coarse-grained Brownian dynamics simulations with hydrodynamic interactions. We obtain key rheological features, including tumbling dynamics, molecular extension, stress, and viscosity. By systematically varying structural features, we demonstrate how MIP topology governs flow response. Compared to linear polymers, all three MIP architectures exhibit enhanced tumbling in shear flow and lower normal stress differences in extensional flow. While polyrotaxanes show higher shear and extensional viscosities, polycatenanes and daisy chains have lower viscosities. In extensional flow, polyrotaxanes and polycatenanes extend earlier than linear polymers. We find that mechanical bonds suppress shear thinning and alter the coil-stretch transition observed in linear polymers. These effects arise from the mechanically bonded rings in MIPs, which expand the polymer profile in gradient direction and increase backbone stiffness due to ring-backbone repulsions. This study provides key insights into MIP flow properties, providing the foundation for their systematic development in engineering applications.
title Mechanically Interlocked Polymers in Dilute Solution under Shear and Extensional Flows: A Brownian Dynamics Study
topic Soft Condensed Matter
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2506.13968