Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Asphaltic Material

Author(s):  
Rafiqul A. Tarefder ◽  
Jielin Pan ◽  
Mohammad I. Hossain

An attempt is made to understand the chemical composition, oxidation mechanisms, and property changes of asphalt binders before and after oxidative aging using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Unoxidized and oxidized asphalts are subjected to different compressive and tensile stress rates, and moisture contents at room temperature. Results show that density, energy, and viscosity of the oxidized asphalt are higher than the unoxidized asphalt, indicating hardening and rheological property changes of asphalt after oxidation. Both the unoxidized and oxidized asphalts deform more and fail faster with an increase in stress rates, especially under tensile stress. The oxidized asphalt is stronger than the unoxidized asphalt under mechanical stress. Moisture inclusion affects viscosity more by decreasing the viscosity of the oxidized asphalt faster compared to the unoxidized asphalt. The viscosity of the oxidized asphalt is lower than that of the unoxidized asphalt above 5% moisture inclusion. This indicates that oxidized asphalt pavement might be exposed to more moisture-induced damage.

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (8) ◽  
pp. 2621
Author(s):  
Seunghwa Yang

Here, we systematically interrogate the effects of grafting single-walled (SWNT) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNT) to polymer matrices by using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. We specifically investigate key material properties that include interfacial load transfer, alteration of nanotube properties, and dispersion of nanotubes in the polymer matrix. Simulations are conducted on a periodic unit cell model of the nanocomposite with a straight carbon nanotube and an amorphous polyethylene terephthalate (PET) matrix. For each type of nanotube, either 0%, 1.55%, or 3.1% of the carbon atoms in the outermost nanotubes are covalently grafted onto the carbon atoms of the PET matrix. Stress-strain curves and the elastic moduli of nanotubes and nanocomposites are determined based on the density of covalent grafting. Covalent grafting promotes two rivalling effects with respect to altering nanotube properties, and improvements in interfacial load transfer in the nanocomposites are clearly observed. The enhanced interface enables external loads applied to the nanocomposites to be efficiently transferred to the grafted nanotubes. Covalent functionalization of the nanotube surface with PET molecules can alter the solubility of nanotubes and improve dispersibility. Finally, we discuss the current limitations and challenges in using molecular modelling strategies to accurately predict properties on the nanotube and polymers systems studied here.


2008 ◽  
Vol 32 ◽  
pp. 255-258
Author(s):  
Bohayra Mortazavi ◽  
Akbar Afaghi Khatibi

Molecular Dynamics (MD) are now having orthodox means for simulation of matter in nano-scale. It can be regarded as an accurate alternative for experimental work in nano-science. In this paper, Molecular Dynamics simulation of uniaxial tension of some face centered cubic (FCC) metals (namely Au, Ag, Cu and Ni) at nano-level have been carried out. Sutton-Chen potential functions and velocity Verlet formulation of Noise-Hoover dynamic as well as periodic boundary conditions were applied. MD simulations at different loading rates and temperatures were conducted, and it was concluded that by increasing the temperature, maximum engineering stress decreases while engineering strain at failure is increasing. On the other hand, by increasing the loading rate both maximum engineering stress and strain at failure are increasing.


1994 ◽  
Vol 373 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roger E. Stoller

AbstractA series of high-energy, up to 20 keV, displacement cascades in iron have been investigated for times up to 200 ps at 100 K using the method of molecular dynamics simulation. Thesimulations were carried out using the MOLDY code and a modified version of the many-bodyinteratomic potential developed by Finnis and Sinclair. The paper focuses on those results obtained at the highest energies, 10 and 20 keV. The results indicate that the fraction of the Frenkel pairs surviving in-cascade recombination remains fairly high in iron and that the fraction of the surviving point defects that cluster is lower than in materials such as copper. In particular, vacancy clustering appears to be inhibited in iron. Some of the interstitial clusters were observed to exhibit an unexpectedly complex, three-dimensional morphology. The observations are discussed in terms of their relevance to microstructural evolution and mechanical property changes in irradiated iron-based alloys.


2014 ◽  
Vol 1700 ◽  
pp. 61-66
Author(s):  
Guttormur Arnar Ingvason ◽  
Virginie Rollin

ABSTRACTAdding single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) to a polymer matrix can improve the delamination properties of the composite. Due to the complexity of polymer molecules and the curing process, few 3-D Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations of a polymer-SWCNT composite have been run. Our model runs on the Large-scale Atomic/Molecular Massively Parallel Simulator (LAMMPS), with a COMPASS (Condensed phase Optimized Molecular Potential for Atomistic Simulations Studies) potential. This potential includes non-bonded interactions, as well as bonds, angles and dihedrals to create a MD model for a SWCNT and EPON 862/DETDA (Diethyltoluenediamine) polymer matrix. Two simulations were performed in order to test the implementation of the COMPASS parameters. The first one was a tensile test on a SWCNT, leading to a Young’s modulus of 1.4 TPa at 300K. The second one was a pull-out test of a SWCNT from an originally uncured EPON 862/DETDA matrix.


Molecules ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (9) ◽  
pp. 2349 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei-Hua Wang ◽  
Wen-Ling Feng ◽  
Wen-Liang Wang ◽  
Ping Li

Both sulfuric acid (H2SO4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) play a central role in the atmospheric chemistry in regulating the global environment and climate changes. In this study, the interaction behavior between H2SO4 and N2O before and after electron capture has been explored using the density functional theory (DFT) method as well as molecular dynamics simulation. The intermolecular interactions have been characterized by atoms in molecules (AIM), natural bond orbital (NBO), and reduced density gradient (RDG) analyses, respectively. It was found that H2SO4 and N2O can form two transient molecular complexes via intermolecular H-bonds within a certain timescale. However, two molecular complexes can be transformed into OH radical, N2, and HSO4− species upon electron capture, providing an alternative formation source of OH radical in the atmosphere. Expectedly, the present findings not only can provide new insights into the transformation behavior of H2SO4 and N2O, but also can enable us to better understand the potential role of the free electron in driving the proceeding of the relevant reactions in the atmosphere.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Trina Ekawati Tallei ◽  
Fatimawali ◽  
Afriza Yelnetty ◽  
Rinaldi Idroes ◽  
Diah Kusumawaty ◽  
...  

The rapid spread of a novel coronavirus known as SARS-CoV-2 has compelled the entire world to seek ways to weaken this virus, prevent its spread and also eliminate it. However, no drug has been approved to treat COVID-19. Furthermore, the receptor-binding domain (RBD) on this viral spike protein, as well as several other important parts of this virus, have recently undergone mutations, resulting in new virus variants. While no treatment is currently available, a naturally derived molecule with known antiviral properties could be used as a potential treatment. Bromelain is an enzyme found in the fruit and stem of pineapples. This substance has been shown to have a broad antiviral activity. In this article, we analyse the ability of bromelain to counteract various variants of the SARS-CoV-2 by targeting bromelain binding on the side of this viral interaction with human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) using molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation approaches. We have succeeded in making three-dimensional configurations of various RBD variants using protein modelling. Bromelain exhibited good binding affinity toward various variants of RBDs and binds right at the binding site between RBDs and hACE2. This result is also presented in the modelling between Bromelain, RBD, and hACE2. The molecular dynamics (MD) simulations study revealed significant stability of the bromelain and RBD proteins separately up to 100 ns with an RMSD value of 2 Å. Furthermore, despite increases in RMSD and changes in Rog values of complexes, which are likely due to some destabilized interactions between bromelain and RBD proteins, two proteins in each complex remained bonded, and the site where the two proteins bind remained unchanged. This finding indicated that bromelain could have an inhibitory effect on different SARS-CoV-2 variants, paving the way for a new SARS-CoV-2 inhibitor drug. However, more in vitro and in vivo research on this potential mechanism of action is required.


1998 ◽  
Vol 540 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.M. Perlado ◽  
L. Malerba ◽  
T. Diaz De La Rubia

AbstractMolecular Dynamics (MD) simulations of neutron damage in β-SiC have been performed using a modified version of the Tersoff potential. The Threshold Displacement Energy (TDE) for Si and C atoms at 300 K has been determined along directions [001], [110], [111] and [ 1 1 1 ]. The existence of recombination barriers, which allow the formation of metastable, temperature-sensitive defects even below the threshold, has been observed. Displacement cascades produced by both C- and Si-recoils of energies spanning from 0.5 keV up to, respectively, 5 keV and 8 keV have also been simulated at 300 K and 1300 K. Their analysis, together with the analysis of damage accumulation (∼3.4×10-3 DPA) at 1300 K, reveals that the two sub-lattices exhibit opposite responses to irradiation: whereas only a little damage is produced on the “ductile” Si sub-lattice, many point-defects accumulate on the much more “fragile” C sub-lattice. A preliminary study of the nature and clustering tendency of these defects is performed. The possibility of disorder-induced amorphization is considered and the preliminary result is that no amorphization takes place at the dose and temperature simulated.


2015 ◽  
Vol 817 ◽  
pp. 797-802 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cai Jiang ◽  
Jian Wei Zhang ◽  
Shao Feng Lin ◽  
Su Ju ◽  
Da Zhi Jiang

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations on three single walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) reinforced epoxy resin composites were conducted to study the influence of SWCNT type on the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the composites. The composite matrix is cross-linked epoxy resin based on the epoxy monomers bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (DGEBA) cured by diaminodiphenylmethane (DDM). MD simulations of NPT (constant number of particles, constant pressure and constant temperature) dynamics were carried out to obtain density as a function of temperature for each composite system. The Tg was determined as the temperature corresponding to the discontinuity of plot slopes of the densityvsthe temperature. In order to understand the motion of polymer chain segments above and below the Tg, various energy components and the MSD at various temperatures of the composites were investigated and their roles played in the glass transition process were analyzed. The results show that the Tg of the composites increases with increasing aspect ratio of the embedded SWCNT


2014 ◽  
pp. 466-477
Author(s):  
Nabila Tahreen ◽  
K. M. Masud

In recent years, polymer/carbon nanotube composites have attracted increased attention because the polymer properties have significantly improved. In this paper, a single walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) is used to reinforce polystyrene matrix. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are used to study two periodic systems - a long CNT-reinforced polystyrene composite and amorphous polystyrene matrix itself. The axial and transverse elastic moduli of the amorphous polystyrene matrix and nanocomposites are evaluated using constant-strain energy minimization method. The results from MD simulations are compared with corresponding rule-of-mixture predictions. The simulation results show that CNTs significantly improve the stiffness of polystyrene/CNT composite, especially in the longitudinal direction of the nanotube. Polystyrene posses a strong attractive interaction with the surface of the SWCNT and therefore play an important role in providing effective adhesion. The conventional rule-of-mixture predicts a smaller value than MD simulation where there are strong interfacial interactions. Here the authors report a study on the interfacial characteristics of a CNT-PS composite system through MD simulations and continuum mechanics.


Crystals ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 532
Author(s):  
Jonathan H. Sheehan ◽  
Jarrod A. Smith ◽  
Pradeep S. Pallan ◽  
Terry P. Lybrand ◽  
Martin Egli

The (4′→6′)-linked DNA homolog 2′,3′-dideoxy-β-D-glucopyranosyl nucleic acid (dideoxy-glucose nucleic acid or homo-DNA) exhibits stable self-pairing of the Watson–Crick and reverse-Hoogsteen types, but does not cross-pair with DNA. Molecular modeling and NMR solution studies of homo-DNA duplexes pointed to a conformation that was nearly devoid of a twist and a stacking distance in excess of 4.5 Å. By contrast, the crystal structure of the homo-DNA octamer dd(CGAATTCG) revealed a right-handed duplex with average values for helical twist and rise of ca. 15° and 3.8 Å, respectively. Other key features of the structure were strongly inclined base-pair and backbone axes in the duplex with concomitant base-pair slide and cross-strand stacking, and the formation of a dimer across a crystallographic dyad with inter-duplex base swapping. To investigate the conformational flexibility of the homo-DNA duplex and a potential influence of lattice interactions on its geometry, we used molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of the crystallographically observed dimer of duplexes and an isolated duplex in the solution state. The dimer of duplexes showed limited conformational flexibility, and key parameters such as helical rise, twist, and base-pair slide exhibited only minor fluctuations. The single duplex was clearly more flexible by comparison and underwent partial unwinding, albeit without significant lengthening. Thus, base stacking was preserved in the isolated duplex and two adenosines extruded from the stack in the dimer of duplexes were reinserted into the duplex and pair with Ts in a Hoogsteen mode. Our results confirmed that efficient stacking in homo-DNA seen in the crystal structure of a dimer of duplexes was maintained in the separate duplex. Therefore, lattice interactions did not account for the different geometries of the homo-DNA duplex in the crystal and earlier models that resembled inclined ladders with large base-pair separations that precluded efficient stacking.


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