Computer Simulation of Dendrimers and Hyperbranched Polymers
Abstract
Dendrimers possess regularly branched treelike structures and intrinsic viscosities that increase with molecular weight up to a critical point after which they begin to decrease. This is in distinct contrast to the behavior of linear polymers earmarking dendrimers as possible solution viscosity modifiers. However, the synthesis of dendrimers has not proven to be cost effective on commercial scales due to chemical protection /deprotection steps. The synthesis of hyperbranched materials eliminates these steps making them a possible cost effective alternative to dendrimers. This presentation focuses on a computational effort employing stochastic simulation techniques to model the intrinsic viscosity of dendrimers and hyperbranched polymers. Excluded volume and hydrodynamic interactions are included within the simulation model. Findings reveal dendrimers and hyperbranched molecules shear thin at very high shear rates and possess intrinsic viscosities which peak as the number of generations increases.
- Publication:
-
APS March Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- March 2001
- Bibcode:
- 2001APS..MARN19008A