Designing Enhanced Entropy Binding in Single-Chain Nanoparticles

Single-chain nanoparticles (SCNPs) are a new class of bio-and soft-matter polymeric objects in which a fraction of the monomers are able to form equivalently intra-or interpolymer bonds. Here we numerically show that a fully entropic gas-liquid phase separation can take place in SCNP systems. Control over the discontinuous (first-order) change???from a phase of independent diluted (fully-bonded) polymers to a phase in which polymers entropically bind to each other to form a (fully-bonded) polymer network???can be achieved by a judicious design of the patterns of reactive monomers along the polymer chain. Such a sensitivity arises from a delicate balance between the distinct entropic contributions controlling the binding.

Automated summary

Single-chain nanoparticles are polymeric objects with special structures, and the phase transition can be controlled by designing the arrangement of reactive monomers. The study of this structure is of great significance for controlling polymer bonding.