Glassy dynamics of nanoparticles in semiflexible ring polymer nanocomposite melts

By employing molecular dynamics simulations, we explore the dynamics of NPs in semiflexible ring polymer nanocomposite melts. A novel glass transition is observed for NPs in semiflexible ring polymer melts as the bending energy (Kb) of ring polymers increases. For NPs in flexible ring polymer melts (Kb = 0), NPs move in the classic diffusive behavior. However, for NPs in semiflexible ring polymer melts with large bending energy, NPs diffuse very slowly and exhibit the glassy state in which the NPs are all irreversibly caged be the neighbouring semiflexible ring polymers. This glass transition occurs well above the classical glass transition temperature at which microscopic mobility is lost, and the topological interactions of semiflexible ring polymers play an important role in this non-classical glass transition. This investigation can help us understand the nature of the glass transition in polymer systems.