Molecular dynamics simulation study of glass transition in hydrated Nafion

The thermal transition of Nafion is studied using a molecular dynamics simulation through a chemically realistic model. Static and dynamic properties of polymer melts with different water contents are investigated over a wide range of temperatures to obtain viscometric and calorimetric glass transition temperatures. The effect of cooling rate of the simulation on the glass transition of the hydrated polymer is also examined within the well-known Williams-Landel-Ferry (WLF) equation. Variation of relaxation times versus temperature shows a fragile-to-strong transition. The hydration level has a significant impact on the static and dynamic properties of the polymer chains and water molecules confined in nanometric spaces between polymer chains. The results of this study are useful to predict the behavior of Nafion for various applications including fuel cells, sensors, actuators, and shape memory devices at different temperatures. (c) 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2014, 52, 907-915