Compressed wormlike chain moving out of confined space: A model of DNA ejection from bacteriophage

The molecular biomechanics of DNA ejection from bacteriophage is of interest to not only fundamental biological understandings but also practical applications such as the design of advanced site-specific and controllable drug delivery systems. In this paper, we analyze the viscous motion of a semiflexible polymer chain coming out of a strongly confined space as a model to investigate the effects of various structure confinements and frictional resistances encountered during the DNA ejection process. The theoretically predicted relations between the ejection speed, ejection time, ejection length, and other physical parameters, such as the phage type, total genome length and ionic state of external buffer solutions, show excellent agreement with in vitro experimental observations in the literature.

Mesoscale Simulation for Polymer Migration in Confined Uniform Shear Flow

The structure and dynamics of confined single polymer chain in a dilute solution, either in equilibrium or at different shear rates in the uniform shear flow fields, were investigated by means of dissipative particle dynamics simulations. The no-slip boundary condition without density fluctuation near the wall was taken into account to mimic the environment of a nanochannel. The dependences of the radius of gyration, especially in three different di- rections, and the density profile of the chain mass center on the strength of the confinement and the Weissenberg number（Wn） was studied. The effect of the interaction between polymer and solvent on the density profile was also investigated in the cases of moderate and strong Wn. In the high shear flow, the polymer migrates to the center of the channel with increasing Wn. There is only one density profile peak in the channel center in the uniform shear flow, which is in agreement with the results of the experiments and theory.

CALCULATION OF THE YOUNG'S MODULUS OF AN ADSORBED POLYMER LAYER

Polymer layers adsorbed to a surface or in a confined environment often change their mechanical properties. There is even the possibility of solidification of the confined layer. To judge the stiffness of such a layer, we used the Hertz model to calculate the Young＇s modulus of the polymer layer in the confinement of AFM experiments with silicon nitride tip with a radius of curvature ofR ≈ 50 nm and a glass sphere attached to the cantilever R =5 μm. Since there is no visible indentation of the layer in the AFM experiments, the layer is either penetrated very easily, or the indentation is too small to be seen in a force curve. The latter would be the case for a polymer layer with a Young＇s modulus above 4 × 10^8 Pa in case of an experiment with a silicon nitride tip and 4×10^5 Pa in case of a glass sphere.

CRYSTAL STRUCTURE AND MORPHOLOGY OF NASCENT SAMPLES OF SYMMETRIC AROMATIC POLYESTERS——Ⅰ.POLY(P-PHENYLENE TEREPHTHALATE)

The morphology and crytal structure of poly(p-phenylene terephthalate) (PPT), prepared by confined thin filmmelt (CTFMP) and solution (CTFSP) and bulk solution polymerization, were characterized by transmission electronmicroscopy, electron dimaction and molecular modeling. The unit cell is monoclinic (P2_1/a space group) with parameters a =7.89, b = 5.49, c = 12.65 A, α=γ= 90°, β=100.33°, density = 1.48 g/cm^3, the a, b and β values differing slightly from thosereported previously in the literature. A degree of variation in relative intensities of hk0 reflections in, apparently, untilted[001] ED patterns was observed from a given sample, suggesting some variation in molecular packing. ED evidence wasfound for a second phase, with [001] appearing the same as for phase Ⅱ of the related poly(p-oxybenzoate) (PpOBA)polymer. CTFMP crystals polymerized above 220℃ (up to 370℃) and CTFSP crystals polymerized at 300℃ consisted oflamellae 100-200 A thick.

CRYSTAL STRUCTURE AND MORPHOLOGY OF NASCENT SAMPLES OF SYMMETRIC AROMATIC POLYESTERS——Ⅱ. POLY(p-PHENYLENE 2,6-NAPHTHALATE)

Confined thin film melt polymerization (CTFMP) of naphthalene chloride/hydroquinone (NCMQ, 1/1, molar)mixtures at polymerization temperatures (T_p) below ca. 300℃ resulted in relatively thick, elongated crystals. Polymerizationof NC/HQ above 300℃ between glass yielded well-formed lamellar crystals ca. 100 A thick. Phase Ⅰ and Ⅱ [001] EDpatterns were obtained for all T_p, the relative amount of phase Ⅰ increasing with T_p. Polymerization of naphthalenedicarboxylic acid/hydroquinione diacetate 1/1 mixtures at high T_p also yielded lamellar crystals that "curled up" off of thesubstrate. When the high temperature CTFMP polymerization was conducted between mica, aggregates of lamellae on-edgedeveloped but epitaxial growth did not occur. Epitaxial growth of lamellae between mica could be obtained, however, byconfined thin film solution polymerization, with both of the latter samples yielding apparently related ED patterns from adifferent unit cell than phase Ⅰ or Ⅱ. Fiber patterns, obtained from sheared samples, indicated considerably greater crystaldisorder than in the nascent crystals. Refinement of the phase Ⅰ unit cell parameters, based on the [001] and [01 1] EDpatterns, with modeling based on Cerius^2, suggests a monoclinic phase Ⅰ unit cell with a = 7.76, b = 5.71, c = 14.99 A, α = γ= 90°, β= 99.7°, ρ = 1.47 g/cm^3, space group P12_1/al.

Bearing capacity of concrete filled bidirectional FRP tube subjected to axial compression

External confinement by fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) is an efficient technique to increase the bearing capacity and ductility of concrete. To better study the mechanical behavior of bidirectional FRP confined concrete, the yield criterion of bidirectional FRP is presented based on the static equilibrium condition in this paper, and a model for calculating the bearing capacity of bidirectional FRP confined concrete is established. The model can capture the character of bidirectional FRP confined concrete. Effects of the confinement effect coefficient, the unconfined concrete strength and the material properties of FRP on bearing capacity are analyzed. Results show that each parameter has different effects on the bearing capacity of bidirectional FRP confined concrete.

Crown ether interlayer-modulated polyamide membrane with nanoscale structures for efficient desalination

Nanoscale thin-film composite(TFC)polyamide membranes are highly desirable for desalination owing to their excellent separation performance.It is a permanent pursuit to further improve the water flux of membrane without deteriorating the salt rejection.Herein,we fabricated a high-performance polyamide membrane with nanoscale structures through introducing multifunctional crown ether interlayer on the porous substrate impregnated with m-phenylenediamine.The crown ether interlayer can reduce the diffusion of amine monomers to reaction interface influenced by its interaction with m-phenylenediamine and the spatial shielding effect,leading to a controlled interfacial polymerization(IP)reaction.Besides,crown ether with intrinsic cavity is also favorable to adjust the IP process and the microstructure of polyamide layer.Since the outer surface of the nanocavity is lipophilic,crown ether has good solvency with the organic phase,thus attracting more trimesoyl chloride molecules to the interlayer and promoting the IP reaction in the confined space.As a result,a nanoscale polyamide membrane with an ultrathin selective layer of around 50 nm is obtained.The optimal TFC polyamide membrane at crown ether concentration of 0.25 wt.%exhibits a water flux of 61.2 L·m^(−2)·h^(−1),which is 364%of the pristine TFC membrane,while maintaining a rejection of above 97%to NaCl.The development of the tailor-made nanoscale polyamide membrane via constructing multifunctional crown ether interlayer provides a straightforward route to fabricate competitive membranes for highly efficient desalination.