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. 2009 May 21;33(5):954-963.
doi: 10.1016/j.compchemeng.2008.09.019.

A computational molecular design framework for crosslinked polymer networks

J C Eslick  1 , Q Ye, J Park, E M Topp, P Spencer, K V Camarda
Affiliations

A computational molecular design framework for crosslinked polymer networks

J C Eslick et al. Comput Chem Eng. .

Abstract

Crosslinked polymers are important in a very wide range of applications including dental restorative materials. However, currently used polymeric materials experience limited durability in the clinical oral environment. Researchers in the dental polymer field have generally used a time-consuming experimental trial-and-error approach to the design of new materials. The application of computational molecular design (CMD) to crosslinked polymer networks has the potential to facilitate development of improved polymethacrylate dental materials. CMD uses quantitative structure property relations (QSPRs) and optimization techniques to design molecules possessing desired properties. This paper describes a mathematical framework which provides tools necessary for the application of CMD to crosslinked polymer systems. The novel parts of the system include the data structures used, which allow for simple calculation of structural descriptors, and the formulation of the optimization problem. A heuristic optimization method, Tabu Search, is used to determine candidate monomers. Use of a heuristic optimization algorithm makes the system more independent of the types of QSPRs used, and more efficient when applied to combinatorial problems. A software package has been created which provides polymer researchers access to the design framework. A complete example of the methodology is provided for polymethacrylate dental materials.

Keywords: Molecular design; Polymer.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
HEMA monomer graph states.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
BisGMA monomer graph states.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Example polymer graph.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Full graph for poly(HEMA).
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Structure of TEGDMA monomer.
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
Structure of UDMA monomer.
Fig. 7
Fig. 7
Structure of BisEMA monomer.
Fig. 8
Fig. 8
Structure of PEGDMA monomer.
Fig. 9
Fig. 9
Structure of TMPEDMA monomer.
Fig. 10
Fig. 10
Structure of MPE monomer.
Fig. 11
Fig. 11
Candidate monomer 1.
Fig. 12
Fig. 12
Candidate monomer 2.
Fig. 13
Fig. 13
Candidate monomer 3.
Fig. 14
Fig. 14
Candidate monomer 4.
Fig. 15
Fig. 15
Candidate monomer 5.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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