{"title":"Chemically reactive and aging macromolecular mixtures I: Phase diagrams, spinodals, and gelation.","authors":"Ruoyao Zhang, Sheng Mao, Mikko P Haataja","doi":"10.1063/5.0196793","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Multicomponent macromolecular mixtures often form higher-order structures, which may display non-ideal mixing and aging behaviors. In this work, we first propose a minimal model of a quaternary system that takes into account the formation of a complex via a chemical reaction involving two macromolecular species; the complex may then phase separate from the buffer and undergo a further transition into a gel-like state. We subsequently investigate how physical parameters such as molecular size, stoichiometric coefficients, equilibrium constants, and interaction parameters affect the phase behavior of the mixture and its propensity to undergo aging via gelation. In addition, we analyze the thermodynamic stability of the system and identify the spinodal regions and their overlap with gelation boundaries. The approach developed in this work can be readily generalized to study systems with an arbitrary number of components. More broadly, it provides a physically based starting point for the investigation of the kinetics of the coupled complex formation, phase separation, and gelation processes in spatially extended systems.</p>","PeriodicalId":15313,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Chemical Physics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.1000,"publicationDate":"2024-06-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Chemical Physics","FirstCategoryId":"92","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0196793","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"CHEMISTRY, PHYSICAL","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Multicomponent macromolecular mixtures often form higher-order structures, which may display non-ideal mixing and aging behaviors. In this work, we first propose a minimal model of a quaternary system that takes into account the formation of a complex via a chemical reaction involving two macromolecular species; the complex may then phase separate from the buffer and undergo a further transition into a gel-like state. We subsequently investigate how physical parameters such as molecular size, stoichiometric coefficients, equilibrium constants, and interaction parameters affect the phase behavior of the mixture and its propensity to undergo aging via gelation. In addition, we analyze the thermodynamic stability of the system and identify the spinodal regions and their overlap with gelation boundaries. The approach developed in this work can be readily generalized to study systems with an arbitrary number of components. More broadly, it provides a physically based starting point for the investigation of the kinetics of the coupled complex formation, phase separation, and gelation processes in spatially extended systems.
期刊介绍:
The Journal of Chemical Physics publishes quantitative and rigorous science of long-lasting value in methods and applications of chemical physics. The Journal also publishes brief Communications of significant new findings, Perspectives on the latest advances in the field, and Special Topic issues. The Journal focuses on innovative research in experimental and theoretical areas of chemical physics, including spectroscopy, dynamics, kinetics, statistical mechanics, and quantum mechanics. In addition, topical areas such as polymers, soft matter, materials, surfaces/interfaces, and systems of biological relevance are of increasing importance.
Topical coverage includes:
Theoretical Methods and Algorithms
Advanced Experimental Techniques
Atoms, Molecules, and Clusters
Liquids, Glasses, and Crystals
Surfaces, Interfaces, and Materials
Polymers and Soft Matter
Biological Molecules and Networks.