Mechanically Interlocked Polymers in Dilute Solution under Shear and Extensional Flows: A Brownian Dynamics Study

TL;DR

This study uses Brownian dynamics simulations to explore how mechanically interlocked polymers behave under shear and extensional flows, revealing unique rheological properties influenced by their topology.

Contribution

It systematically analyzes the flow response of different MIP architectures, highlighting how mechanical bonds affect rheological behavior compared to linear polymers.

Findings

MIPs exhibit enhanced tumbling in shear flow.

Polyrotaxanes have higher viscosities than other MIPs.

Mechanical bonds suppress shear thinning and alter coil-stretch transition.

Abstract

Mechanically interlocked polymers (MIPs) are a novel class of polymer structures in which the components are connected by mechanical bonds instead of covalent bonds. We measure the single-molecule rheological properties of polyrotaxanes, daisy chains, and polycatenanes under steady shear and steady uniaxial extension using coarse-grained Brownian dynamics simulations with hydrodynamic interactions. We obtain key rheological features, including tumbling dynamics, molecular extension, stress, and viscosity. By systematically varying structural features, we demonstrate how MIP topology governs flow response. Compared to linear polymers, all three MIP architectures exhibit enhanced tumbling in shear flow and lower normal stress differences in extensional flow. While polyrotaxanes show higher shear and extensional viscosities, polycatenanes and daisy chains have lower viscosities. In extensional flow, polyrotaxanes and polycatenanes extend earlier than linear polymers. We find that mechanical bonds suppress shear thinning and alter the coil-stretch transition observed in linear polymers. These effects arise from the mechanically bonded rings in MIPs, which expand the polymer profile in gradient direction and increase backbone stiffness due to ring-backbone repulsions. This study provides key insights into MIP flow properties, providing the foundation for their systematic development in engineering applications.