Molecular dynamics simulation study of hydrogen bonding in aqueous poly(ethylene oxide) solutions

Phys Rev Lett. 2000 Dec 25;85(26 Pt 1):5583-6. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.85.5583.

Abstract

A molecular dynamics simulation study of hydrogen bonding in poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)/water solutions was performed. PEO-water and water-water hydrogen bonding manifested complex dependence on both composition and temperature. Strong water clustering in concentrated solutions was seen. Saturation of hydrogen bonding at w(p) approximately equal to 0.5 and a dramatic decrease in PEO-water hydrogen bonding with increasing temperature, consistent with experimentally observed closed-loop phase behavior, were observed. Little tendency toward intermolecular bridging of PEO chains by water molecules was seen.