Engineering topics

Carrillo, Jan-Michael Y.

Publications and source records attributed to Carrillo, Jan-Michael Y..

17 records

DOE OSTI2024

Identifying Topological Defects in Lamellar Phases through Contour Analysis of Complex Wave Fields

Lamellar phases frequently contain structural imperfections that significantly affect their behaviors and properties. Our previous research successfully reconstructed real-space configurations of defective lamellar phases from diffuse scattering patterns, indicating the presence of phase vortices as a potential method for identifying topological defects disrupting the smectic ordering. Here, this report presents a mathematical framework using regularized wave fields to represent defective lamellar structures in real space. Phase singularities, resulting from the interference of random waves and indicating lamellar order disruption, are identified through a contour integral. These wave fields, derived from coherent scattering in reciprocal space, were validated via computational benchmarks analyzing small-angle neutron scattering data from AOT surfactant solutions, facilitating further statistical analysis of the defects. Our study highlights the potential to extract meaningful information about topological defects in lyotropic phases by inversely analyzing experimentally measured two-point static correlations. Our method allows for detailed structural analysis of various lyotropic phases, both particulate and nonparticulate, in their quiescent states and facilitates quantitative investigation of defects’ role in phase transitions. By integrating small-angle scattering, deep learning, and vortex tangle analysis, our comprehensive approach shows promise in addressing complex challenges in the structural analysis of soft matter systems.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2024

Underlying Roles of Polyol Additives in Promoting CO2 Capture in PEI/Silica Adsorbents

Solid-supported amines having low molecular weight branched poly(ethylenimine) (PEI) physically impregnated into porous solid supports are promising adsorbents for CO2 capture. Co-impregnating short-chain poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) together with PEI alters the performance of the adsorbent, delivering improved amine efficiency (AE, mol CO2 sorbed / mol N) and faster CO2 uptake rates. To uncover the physical basis for this improved gas capture performance, we probed the distribution and mobility of the polymers in the pores via small angle neutron scattering (SANS), solid-state NMR, and molecular dynamic (MD) simulation studies. SANS and MD simulations reveal that PEG displaces wall-bound PEI, making amines more accessible for CO2 sorption. Solid-state NMR and MD simulation suggest intercalation of PEG into PEI domains, separating PEI domains and reducing amine-amine interactions, providing potential PEG-rich and amine-poor interfacial domains that bind CO2 weakly via physisorption while providing facile pathways for CO2 diffusion. Contrary to a prior literature hypothesis, no evidence is obtained for PEG facilitating PEI mobility in solid supports. Instead, the data suggest that PEG chains coordinate to PEI, form larger bodies with reduced mobility compared to PEI alone. We also demonstrate promising CO2 uptake and desorption kinetics at varied temperatures, given by favorable amine distribution.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2024

Neutron spin echo shows pHLIP is capable of retarding membrane thickness fluctuations

In this study, cell membranes are responsible for a range of biological processes that require interactions between lipids and proteins. While the effects of lipids on proteins are becoming better understood, our knowledge of how protein conformational changes influence membrane dynamics remains rudimentary. Here, we performed experiments and computer simulations to study the dynamic response of a lipid membrane to changes in the conformational state of pH-low insertion peptide (pHLIP), which transitions from a surface-associated (SA) state at neutral or basic pH to a transmembrane (TM) α-helix under acidic conditions. Our results show that TM-pHLIP significantly slows down membrane thickness fluctuations due to an increase in effective membrane viscosity. Our findings suggest a possible membrane regulatory mechanism, where the TM helix affects lipid chain conformations, and subsequently alters membrane fluctuations and viscosity.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2024

Accelerated Sequence Design of Star Block Copolymers: An Unbiased Exploration Strategy via Fusion of Molecular Dynamics Simulations and Machine Learning

Star block copolymers (s-BCPs) have potential applications as novel surfactants or amphiphiles for emulsification, compatibilization, chemical transformations, and separations. s-BCPs have chain architectures where three or more linear diblock copolymer arms comprised of two chemically distinct linear polymers, e.g., solvophobic and solvophilic chains, are covalently joined at one point. The chemical composition of each of the subunit polymer chains comprising the arms, their molecular weights, and the number of arms can be varied to tailor the surface and interfacial activity of these architecturally unique molecules. Further, this makes identification of the optimal s-BCP design nontrivial as the total number of plausible s-BCP architectures is experimentally or computationally intractable. In this work, we use molecular dynamics (MD) simulations coupled with a reinforcement learning-based Monte Carlo tree search (MCTS) to identify s-BCP designs that minimize the interfacial tension between polar and nonpolar solvents. We first validate the MCTS approach for the design of small- and medium-sized s-BCPs and then use it to efficiently identify sequences of copolymer blocks for large-sized s-BCPs. The structural origins of interfacial tension in these systems are also identified by using the configurations obtained from MD simulations. Chemical insights into the arrangement of copolymer blocks that promote lower interfacial tension were mined using machine learning (ML) techniques. Overall, this work provides an efficient approach to solve design problems via fusion of simulations and ML and provides important groundwork for future experimental investigation of s-BCPs for various applications.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2024

Pivotal Roles of Triple Screening-Topological, Electrostatic, and Hydrodynamic-On Dynamics in Semidilute Polyelectrolyte Solutions

For semidilute polyelectrolyte solutions, it is generally assumed that topological, electrostatic, and hydrodynamic interactions are screened (called triple screening). Despite a large body of research focused on polyelectrolyte solutions, the concept of triple screening has never been rigorously verified. In this work, we test the concept by probing concentration fluctuations in aqueous solutions containing a well-studied polyelectrolyte, sodium poly(styrenesulfonate) (NaPSS) with neutron scattering, theory, and molecular dynamics simulations. Neutron spin–echo (NSE) and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) data from semidilute solutions of NaPSS are presented at different polymer and salt (NaCl) concentrations. A combined theory for structure (J. Chem. Phys. 105, 5183 (1996)) and dynamics (J. Chem. Phys. 107, 2619 (1997)), which captures effects of hydrodynamic, topological, and electrostatic screening, is used to interpret the experimental results. Here, the theory quantitatively predicts the decay rate obtained from the NSE measurements while capturing the shape and concentration dependencies of the polyelectrolyte peak observed in the SANS spectra. Detailed comparisons of the theory and the experiments reveal that the wavevector-dependent decay rate of concentration fluctuations in semidilute solutions of polyelectrolytes is dictated by the screening of hydrodynamic, topological, and electrostatic interactions. This conclusion is corroborated by coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations, executed without any hydrodynamic interactions, which fail to capture the correct wavevector dependence of the decay rate. These results highlight that the theories based on the concept of triple screening provide a quantitative framework for predicting a relation between the structure and dynamics of polyelectrolyte solutions.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2024

Viscoelastic relaxation and topological fluctuations in glass-forming liquids

In this study, a method for characterizing the topological fluctuations in liquids is proposed. This approach exploits the concept of the weighted gyration tensor of a collection of particles and permits the definition of a local configurational unit (LCU). The first principal axis of the gyration tensor serves as the director of the LCU, which can be tracked and analyzed by molecular dynamics simulations. Analysis of moderately supercooled Kob–Andersen mixtures suggests that orientational relaxation of the LCU closely follows viscoelastic relaxation and exhibits a two-stage behavior. The slow relaxing component of the LCU corresponds to the structural, Maxwellian mechanical relaxation. Additionally, it is found that the mean curvature of the LCUs is approximately zero at the Maxwell relaxation time with the Gaussian curvature being negative. This observation implies that structural relaxation occurs when the configurationally stable and destabilized regions interpenetrate each other in a bicontinuous manner. Finally, the mean and Gaussian curvatures of the LCUs can serve as reduced variables for the shear stress correlation, providing a compelling proof of the close connection between viscoelastic relaxation and topological fluctuations in glass-forming liquids.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2024

Synergistic Assembly of Charged Oligomers and Amino Acids at the Air–Water Interface: An Avenue toward Surface-Directed CO 2 Capture

Interfaces are considered a major bottleneck in the capture of CO 2 from air. Efforts to design surfaces to enhance CO 2 capture probabilities are challenging due to the remarkably poor understanding of chemistry and self-assembly taking place at these interfaces. In this report we leverage surface-specific vibrational spectroscopy, Langmuir trough techniques, and simulations to mechanistically elucidate how cationic oligomers can drive surface localization of amino acids (AAs) that serve as CO 2 capture agents speeding up the apparent rate of absorption. We demonstrate how tuning these interfaces provides a means to facilitate CO 2 capture chemistry to occur at the interface, while lowering surface tension and improving transport/reaction probabilities. We show that in the presence of interfacial AA-rich aggregates, one can improve capture probabilities vs that of a bare interface, which holds promise in addressing climate change through the removal of CO 2 via tailored interfaces and associated chemistries.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2023

Mesoscopic two-point collective dynamics of glass-forming liquids

The collective density–density and hydrostatic pressure–pressure correlations of glass-forming liquids are spatiotemporally mapped out using molecular dynamics simulations. It is shown that the sharp rise of structural relaxation time below the Arrhenius temperature coincides with the emergence of slow, nonhydrodynamic collective dynamics on mesoscopic scales. The observed long-range, nonhydrodynamic mode is independent of wave numbers and closely coupled to the local structural dynamics. Below the Arrhenius temperature, it dominates the slow collective dynamics on length scales immediately beyond the first structural peak in contrast to the well-known behavior at high temperatures. Furthermore, these results highlight a key connection between the qualitative change in mesoscopic two-point collective dynamics and the dynamic crossover phenomenon.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2023

Cations Control Lipid Bilayer Memcapacitance Associated with Long-Term Potentiation

Phospholipid bilayers can be described as capacitors whose capacitance per unit area (specific capacitance, C m ) is determined by their thickness and dielectric constant–independent of applied voltage. It is also widely assumed that the C m of membranes can be treated as a “biological constant”. Recently, using droplet interface bilayers (DIBs), it was shown that zwitterionic phosphatidylcholine (PC) lipid bilayers can act as voltage-dependent, nonlinear memory capacitors, or memcapacitors. When exposed to an electrical “training” stimulation protocol, capacitive energy storage in lipid membranes was enhanced in the form of long-term potentiation (LTP), which enables biological learning and long-term memory. LTP was the result of membrane restructuring and the progressive asymmetric distribution of ions across the lipid bilayer during training, which is analogous, for example, to exponential capacitive energy harvesting from self-powered nanogenerators. Here, we describe how LTP could be produced from a membrane that is continuously pumped into a nonequilibrium steady state, altering its dielectric properties. During this time, the membrane undergoes static and dynamic changes that are fed back to the system’s potential energy, ultimately resulting in a membrane whose modified molecular structure supports long-term memory storage and LTP. Here, we also show that LTP is very sensitive to different salts (KCl, NaCl, LiCl, and TmCl 3 ), with LiCl and TmCl 3 having the most profound effect in depressing LTP, relative to KCl. This effect is related to how the different cations interact with the bilayer zwitterionic PC lipid headgroups primarily through electric-field-induced changes to the statistically averaged orientations of water dipoles at the bilayer headgroup interface.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2023

Lipid vesicles induced ordered nanoassemblies of Janus nanoparticles

Since many advanced applications require specific assemblies of nanoparticles (NPs), considerable efforts have been made to fabricate nanoassemblies with specific geometries. Although nanoassemblies can be fabricated through top-down approaches, recent advances show that intricate nanoassemblies can also be obtained through self-assembly, mediated for example by DNA strands. Here, we show, through extensive molecular dynamics simulations, that highly ordered self-assemblies of NPs can be mediated by their adhesion to lipid vesicles (LVs). Specifically, Janus NPs are considered so that the amount by which they are wrapped by the LV is controlled. The specific geometry of the nanoassembly is the result of effective curvature-mediated repulsion between the NPs and the number of NPs adhering to the LV. Further, the NPs are arranged on the LV into polyhedra which satisfy the upper limit of Euler's polyhedral formula, including several deltahedra and three Platonic solids, corresponding to the tetrahedron, octahedron, and icosahedron.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

DOE OSTI2023

Membrane-mediated dimerization of spherocylindrical nanoparticles

Here we present a numerical investigation of the modes of adhesion and endocytosis of two spherocylindrical nanoparticles (SCNPs) on planar and tensionless lipid membranes, using systematic molecular dynamics simulations of an implicit-solvent model, with varying values of the SCNPs' adhesion strength and dimensions. We found that at weak values of the adhesion energy per unit of area, ξ, the SCNPs are monomeric and adhere to the membrane in the parallel mode. As ξ is slightly increased, the SCNPs dimerize into wedged dimers, with an obtuse angle between their major axes that decreases with increasing ξ. However, as ξ is further increased, we found that the final adhesion state of the two SCNPs is strongly affected by the initial distance, d 0 , between their centers of mass, upon their adhesion. Namely, the SCNPs dimerize into wedged dimers, with an acute angle between their major axes, if d 0 is relatively small. However, for relatively high d 0 , they adhere individually to the membrane in the monomeric normal mode. For even higher values of ξ and small values of d 0 , the SCNPs cluster into tubular dimers. However, they remain monomeric if d 0 is high. Finally, the SCNPs endocytose either as a tubular dimer, if d 0 is low or as monomers for large d 0 , with the onset value of ξ of dimeric endocytosis being lower than that of monomeric endocytosis. Dimeric endocytosis requires that the SCNPs adhere simultaneously at nearby locations.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2023

Structure-Based Design of Dual Bactericidal and Bacteria-Releasing Nanosurfaces

Here, we report synergistic nanostructured surfaces combining bactericidal and bacteria-releasing properties. A polystyrene-block-poly(methyl methacrylate) (PS-block-PMMA) diblock copolymer is used to fabricate vertically oriented cylindrical PS structures (“PS nanopillars”) on silicon substrates. The results demonstrate that the PS nanopillars (with a height of about 10 nm, size of about 50 nm, and spacing of about 70 nm) exhibit highly effective bactericidal and bacteria-releasing properties (“dual properties”) against Escherichia coli for at least 36 h of immersion in an E. coli solution. Interestingly, the PS nanopillars coated with a thin layer (≈3 nm thick) of titanium oxide (TiO 2 ) (“TiO 2 nanopillars”) show much improved dual properties against E. coli (a Gram-negative bacterium) compared to the PS nanopillars. Moreover, the dual properties emerge against Listeria monocytogenes (a Gram-positive bacterium). To understand the mechanisms underlying the multifaceted property of the nanopillars, coarse-grained molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of a lipid bilayer (as a simplified model for E. coli) in contact with a substrate containing hexagonally packed hydrophilic nanopillars were performed. The MD results demonstrate that when the bacterium–substrate interaction is strong, the lipid heads adsorb onto the nanopillar surfaces, conforming the shape of a lipid bilayer to the structure/curvature of nanopillars and generating high stress concentrations within the membrane (i.e., the driving force for rupture) at the edge of the nanopillars. Membrane rupture begins with the formation of pores between nanopillars (i.e., bactericidal activity) and ultimately leads to the membrane withdrawal from the nanopillar surface (i.e., bacteria-releasing activity). In the case of Gram-positive bacteria, the adhesion area to the pillar surface is limited due to the inherent stiffness of the bacteria, creating higher stress concentrations within a bacterial cell wall. In conclusion, the present study provides insight into the mechanism underlying the “adhesion-mediated” multifaceted property of nanosurfaces, which is crucial for the development of next-generation antibacterial surface coatings for relevant medical applications.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2022

Local conformations and heterogeneities in structures and dynamics of isotactic polypropylene adsorbed onto carbon fiber

Carbon fiber (CF) reinforced polymers (CFRPs) have experienced widespread use in various industries. One of the most important parameters that controls the macroscopic property of CFRPs is the interface between a polymer matrix and CF. There is growing evidence to suggest the formation of a bound polymer layer (BPL), i.e., polymer chains that physically adsorb on a filler surface. However, this interface is always in contact with the thicker part of a polymer matrix, rendering its understanding a difficult task. Therein, we use CF-reinforced isotactic polypropylene (iPP) as a rational CFRP. To characterize the BPL on the CF surface, we extracted it from the CFRP using solvent-rinsing with p-xylene. The physical and thermal properties of the BPL were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis, while its microscopic structures and dynamics were probed by small-angle neutron scattering and quasi-elastic neutron scattering (QENS) techniques. Subsequently, we employed atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to complement the QENS results above the bulk melting temperature and reveal details that were experimentally inaccessible. In this work, we observed that the degree of crystallinity of the BPL was quite lower than the bulk, while the melting temperature of the BPL remained the same as the bulks. Within the given length and time scales probed by QENS and MD, we also observed that most of the bound chains were mobile, with the formation of a high-density region (less than 1 nm in thickness) near the CF surface. The segmental dynamics of the bound chains probed by both QENS and MD were also much faster than those of the free chains, possibly due to the presence of a free surface region at the topmost surface of the BPL. Furthermore, the MD results demonstrated that the backbone chains and side groups lie nearly flat on the CF surface, which is the driving force for the flattening process of the iPP BPL to overcome the conformational entropy loss in the total free energy.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2022

Assembly of polyelectrolyte star block copolymers at the oil–water interface

To understand and resolve adsorption, reconfiguration, and equilibrium conformations of charged star copolymers, we carried out an integrated experimental and coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulation study of the assembly process at the oil–water interface. This is important to guide development of novel surfactants or amphiphiles for chemical transformations and separations. The star block copolymer consisted of arms that are comprised of hydrophilic–hydrophobic block copolymers that are covalently tethered via the hydrophobic blocks to one point. The hydrophobic core represents polystyrene (PS) chains, while the hydrophilic corona represents quaternized poly(2-vinylpyridine) (P2VP) chains. The P2VP is modeled to become protonated when in contact with an acidic aqueous phase, thereby massively increasing the hydrophilicity of this block, and changing the nature of the star at the oil–water interface. This results in a configurational change whereby the chains comprising the hydrophilic corona are significantly stretched into the aqueous phase, while the hydrophobic core remains solubilized in the oil phase. In the simulations, we followed the kinetics of the anchoring and assembly of the star block copolymer at the interface, monitoring the lateral assembly, and the subsequent reconfiguration of the star via changes in the interfacial tension that varies as the degree-of-protonation increases. At low fractions of protonation, the arm cannot fully partition into the aqueous side of the interface and instead interacts with other arms in the oil phase forming a network near the interface. These insights were used to interpret the non-monotonic dependence of pH with the asymptotic interfacial tension from pendant drop tensiometry experiments and spectral signatures of aromatic stretches seen in vibrational sum frequency generation (SFG) spectroscopy. We describe the relationship of interfacial tension to the star assembly via the Frumkin isotherm, which phenomenologically describes anti-cooperativity in adsorbing stars to the interface due to crowding. Although our model explicitly considers long-range electrostatics, the contribution of electrostatics to interfacial tension is small and brought about by strong counterion condensation at the interface. Finally, these results provide key insights into resolving the adsorption, reconfiguration, and equilibrium conformations of charged star block copolymers as surfactants.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2022

The Unexpected Role of Cations in the Self-Assembly of Positively Charged Amphiphiles at Liquid/Liquid Interfaces

Conventional wisdom suggests that cations play a minimal role in the assembly of cationic amphiphiles. Here, we show that at liquid/liquid (L/L) interfaces, specific cation effects can modulate the assemblies of hydrophobic tails in an oil phase despite being attached to cationic headgroups in the aqueous phase. In this work, we used oligo-dimethylsiloxane (ODMS) methyl imidazolium amphiphiles to identify these specific interactions at hexadecane/aqueous interfaces. Small cations, such as Li + , bind to the O atoms in the ODMS tail and pin it to the interface, thereby imposing a kinked conformation-as evidenced by vibrational sum frequency generation spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations. While larger Cs + ions more readily partition to the interface, they do not form analogous complexes. Our data not only point to ways for controlling amphiphile structure at L/L interfaces but also suggest a means for the separation of Li + , or related applications, in soft-matter electronics.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2022

Fingerprinting Brownian Motions of Polymers under Flow

Here, we present a quantitative approach to the self-dynamics of polymers under steady flow by employing a set of complementary reference frames and extending the spherical harmonic expansion technique to dynamic density correlations. Application of this method to nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations of polymer melts reveals a number of universal features. For both unentangled and entangled melts, the center-of-mass motions in the flow frame are described by superdiffusive, anisotropic Gaussian distributions, whereas the isotropic component of monomer self-dynamics in the center-of-mass frame is strongly suppressed. Spatial correlation analysis shows that the heterogeneity of monomer self-dynamics increases significantly under flow.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2022

Decoding polymer self-dynamics using a two-step approach

The self-correlation function and corresponding self-intermediate scattering function in Fourier space are important quantities for describing the molecular motions of liquids. This work draws attention to a largely overlooked issue concerning the analysis of these space-time density-density correlation functions of polymers. Here, we show that the interpretation of non-Gaussian behavior of polymers is generally complicated by intrachain averaging of distinct self-dynamics of different segments. By the very nature of the mathematics involved, the averaging process not only conceals critical dynamical information, but also contributes to the observed non-Gaussian dynamics. To fully expose this issue and provide a thorough benchmark of polymer self-dynamics, we perform analyses of coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations of linear and ring polymer melts as well as several theoretical models using a “two-step” approach, where interchain and intrachain averagings of segmental self-dynamics are separated. While past investigations primarily focused on the average behavior, our results indicate that a more nuanced approach to polymer self-dynamics is clearly required.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗