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Monte Carlo Simulations of Polymeric Materials

A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Materials Simulation and Design".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (1 December 2020) | Viewed by 7256

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Wroclaw, Poland
Interests: static and kinetic monte carlo simulations; physical properties of various model host-guest systems; monte carlo simulations of chosen non-linear optical effects in polymeric and liquid crystalline materials

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Polymers are macromolecules in which many monomeric repeat units are connected to form long chains. Therefore, properties of polymer systems are related to phenomena on length and time scales ranging over many orders of magnitude. This separation of scales entails difficulties. These properties may be studied using Monte Carlo (MC) approaches. Various MC models disregard detailed information on chemical structure nevertheless collective phenomena, which exhibit universal behavior of chains, can be described. This approach combines methodological simplicity with powerful prediction possibilities. Results obtained using MC simulations reproduce a large variety of static and dynamic effects in polymer systems. These simulations significantly enhance our understanding of the theoretical concepts on the properties of macromolecular systems.

The applications of polymeric materials and their composites are still increasing. MC modeling offers insights into the effects related to materials and devices based on polymers. For this reason a MC method can be successfully applied to a wide spectrum of problems in modern material sciences. This Special Issue aims to highlight recent achievements in the development of MC simulation methods and models and their applications to various polymer systems and devices. It is my pleasure to invite you to submit your results in the form of either full papers, communications, or reviews.

Potential areas and applications include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Lattice and continuum MC models of polymers;
  • MC modeling of polymer-based devices;
  • MC modeling of DNA-based materials and other biopolymers;
  • Stochastic MC modeling of polymer systems;

Dr. Grzegorz Pawlik
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • Computer modeling
  • Monte Carlo simulations
  • Modeling of polymers
  • Modeling of soft matter

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 5575 KiB  
Article
Characterization of Monte Carlo Dynamic/Kinetic Properties of Local Structure in Bond Fluctuation Model of Polymer System
by Wojciech Radosz, Grzegorz Pawlik and Antoni C. Mituś
Materials 2021, 14(17), 4962; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14174962 - 31 Aug 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1921
Abstract
We report the results of the characterization of local Monte Carlo (MC) dynamics of an equilibrium bond fluctuation model polymer matrix (BFM), in time interval typical for MC simulations of non-linear optical phenomena in host-guest systems. The study contributes to the physical picture [...] Read more.
We report the results of the characterization of local Monte Carlo (MC) dynamics of an equilibrium bond fluctuation model polymer matrix (BFM), in time interval typical for MC simulations of non-linear optical phenomena in host-guest systems. The study contributes to the physical picture of the dynamical aspects of quasi-binary mosaic states characterized previously in the static regime. The polymer dynamics was studied at three temperatures (below, above and close to the glass transition), using time-dependent generalization of the static parameters which characterize local free volume and local mobility of the matrix. Those parameters play the central role in the kinetic MC model of host-guest systems. The analysis was done in terms of the probability distributions of instantaneous and time-averaged local parameters. The main result is the characterization of time scales characteristic of various local structural processes. Slowing down effects close to the glass transition are clearly marked. The approach yields an elegant geometric criterion for the glass transition temperature. A simplified quantitative physical picture of the dynamics of guest molecules dispersed in BFM matrix at low temperatures offers a starting point for stochastic modeling of host-guest systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Monte Carlo Simulations of Polymeric Materials)
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18 pages, 1660 KiB  
Article
Photoinduced Mass Transport in Azo-Polymers in 2D: Monte Carlo Study of Polarization Effects
by Grzegorz Pawlik and Antoni C. Mitus
Materials 2020, 13(21), 4724; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma13214724 - 22 Oct 2020
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1683
Abstract
We studied the impact of light polarization on photoinduced dynamics of model azo-polymer chains in two dimensions, using bond-fluctuation Monte Carlo simulations. For two limiting models—sensitive to and independent of light polarization—their dynamics driven by photoisomerization of azo-dyes as well as by thermal [...] Read more.
We studied the impact of light polarization on photoinduced dynamics of model azo-polymer chains in two dimensions, using bond-fluctuation Monte Carlo simulations. For two limiting models—sensitive to and independent of light polarization—their dynamics driven by photoisomerization of azo-dyes as well as by thermal effects was studied, including characterization of mass transport and chain reorientations. The corresponding schemes of light–matter interaction promote qualitatively different dynamics of photoinduced motion of azo-polymer chains. In particular, they can inhibit or trigger off a directed mass transport along a gradient of light illumination. The generic dynamics of single chains is superdiffusive and is promoted by breaking a symmetry present in the polarization independent model. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Monte Carlo Simulations of Polymeric Materials)
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Review

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45 pages, 11256 KiB  
Review
Modeling of Nonlinear Optical Phenomena in Host-Guest Systems Using Bond Fluctuation Monte Carlo Model: A Review
by Antoni C. Mitus, Marina Saphiannikova, Wojciech Radosz, Vladimir Toshchevikov and Grzegorz Pawlik
Materials 2021, 14(6), 1454; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14061454 - 16 Mar 2021
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 2363
Abstract
We review the results of Monte Carlo studies of chosen nonlinear optical effects in host-guest systems, using methods based on the bond-fluctuation model (BFM) for a polymer matrix. In particular, we simulate the inscription of various types of diffraction gratings in degenerate two [...] Read more.
We review the results of Monte Carlo studies of chosen nonlinear optical effects in host-guest systems, using methods based on the bond-fluctuation model (BFM) for a polymer matrix. In particular, we simulate the inscription of various types of diffraction gratings in degenerate two wave mixing (DTWM) experiments (surface relief gratings (SRG), gratings in polymers doped with azo-dye molecules and gratings in biopolymers), poling effects (electric field poling of dipolar molecules and all-optical poling) and photomechanical effect. All these processes are characterized in terms of parameters measured in experiments, such as diffraction efficiency, nonlinear susceptibilities, density profiles or loading parameters. Local free volume in the BFM matrix, characterized by probabilistic distributions and correlation functions, displays a complex mosaic-like structure of scale-free clusters, which are thought to be responsible for heterogeneous dynamics of nonlinear optical processes. The photoinduced dynamics of single azopolymer chains, studied in two and three dimensions, displays complex sub-diffusive, diffusive and super-diffusive dynamical regimes. A directly related mathematical model of SRG inscription, based on the continuous time random walk (CTRW) formalism, is formulated and studied. Theoretical part of the review is devoted to the justification of the a priori assumptions made in the BFM modeling of photoinduced motion of the azo-polymer chains. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Monte Carlo Simulations of Polymeric Materials)
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