Magnetic filament brushes

Author(s)
Pedro A. Sánchez, Elena S. Pyanzina, Ekaterina V. Novak, Joan J. Cerdà, Tomás Sintes, Sofia S. Kantorovich
Abstract

We present a theoretical study on the design of a supramolecular magnetoresponsive coating. The coating is formed by a relatively dense array of supracolloidal magnetic filaments grafted to a surface in a polymer brush-like arrangement. In order to determine and optimise the properties of the magnetic filament brush, we perform extensive computer simulations with a coarse-grained model that takes into account the correlations between the magnetic moments of the particles and the backbone crosslinks. We show that the self-assembly of magnetic beads from neighbouring filaments defines the equilibrium structural properties of the complete brush. In order to control this self-assembly, we highlight two external stimuli that can lead to significant effects: temperature of the system and an externally applied magnetic field. Our study reveals self-assembly scenarios inherently driven by the crosslinking and grafting constraints. Finally, we explain the mechanisms of structural changeovers in the magnetic filament brushes and confirm the possibility of controlling them by changing the temperature or the intensity of an external magnetic field.

Organisation(s)
Computational and Soft Matter Physics
External organisation(s)
University of Bergen (UiB), Ural Federal University
Journal
Faraday Discussions
Volume
186
Pages
241-263
No. of pages
23
ISSN
1359-6640
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1039/C5FD00133A
Publication date
2015
Peer reviewed
Yes
Austrian Fields of Science 2012
103015 Condensed matter, 103006 Chemical physics, 103017 Magnetism
Keywords
ASJC Scopus subject areas
General Medicine
Portal url
https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/8baa5059-7e59-4056-aab5-7a58c1b1af19