Estudo das interações eletrostáticas em superfícies e macromoléculas por meio de simulações de Monte Carlo
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Data
2017-09-26
Autores
Caetano, Daniel Lucas Zago [UNESP]
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Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp)
Resumo
Este trabalho tem por objetivo estudar, por meio de simulações computacionais baseadas no método de Monte Carlo, interações eletrostáticas em superfícies e macromoléculas. Na primeira parte deste estudo é abordada a interação entre polieletrólitos, mais especificamente, homopolímeros e copolímeros em bloco suscetíveis à variações de pH, e macromoléculas com distribuição helicoidal de carga compatível com a encontrada em polinucleotídeos. A macromolécula foi representada por um cilindro rígido infinito que simula a parte central do DNA/RNA, totalmente inacessível ao polieletrólito. Visando simular os sulcos do DNA, duas esferas completam o modelo: uma localizada na posição dos grupos fosfato (esfera externa) e outra localizada entre a esfera externa e o cilindro (esfera interna). A distribuição de carga da macromolécula é dada por um conjunto de cargas negativas monovalentes centradas nas esferas externas. O polieletrólito foi representado por uma cadeia de N esferas rígidas carregadas, conectadas por um potencial harmônico e com um valor de pKa específico. A solução eletrolítica foi tratada pela teoria de Debye-Hückel. Os efeitos do pH, da concentração de sal, da estrutura primária e da rigidez da cadeia polimérica e da distribuição de carga da macromolécula sobre as propriedades conformacionais e físico-químicas da cadeia adsorvida foram calculados. Verificou-se que a presença da macromolécula modifica as propriedades ácido/base do polieletrólito e que o efeito de regulação de carga afeta o processo de adsorção/dessorção. Além disso, constatou-se uma dependência entre as conformações adotadas pelo polieletrólito na superfície da macromolécula e a concentração de sal da solução. Na segunda parte deste trabalho é investigada a influência das interações de hidratação sobre a capacitância diferencial da dupla camada elétrica por meio de simulações de Monte Carlo e por modelos teóricos baseados na aproximação de Campo Médio. Um eletrodo plano e carregado foi inserido em uma solução eletrolítica constituída por íons monovalentes e com concentração próxima às condições fisiológicas. As interações de hidratação foram descritas por meio de potenciais de Yukawa, as quais foram adicionadas às interações de Coulomb e de volume excluído entre os íons e entre os íons e o eletrodo. O modelo de Campo Médio proposto não só inclui interações de hidratação aos pares ânion-ânion, ânion-cátion e cátion-cátion de intensidades arbitrárias, mas também leva em consideração o tamanho finito dos íons por meio de duas abordagens distintas: i) equação de estado de Carnahan-Starling; e ii) modelo de rede. A capacitância diferencial obtida não só pelas simulações de Monte Carlo, mas também pelas aproximações de Campo Médio, apresenta o característico pico duplo, usualmente denominado de camel-shape, no qual seu decaimento reflete o empacotamento dos contraíons nas proximidades do eletrodo. Verificou-se também que a presença das interações de hidratação entre os íons e entre o eletrodo e os íons promove o surgimento de uma pequena região de depleção de carga nas proximidades do eletrodo, similar à camada de Stern.
This work aims to analyze electrostatic interactions on surfaces and macromolecules through the use of computational simulations based on the Monte Carlo method. In the first part of this study, we discuss the interaction between polyelectrolytes – more specifically homopolymers and block-copolymers which are susceptible to variations in pH – and macromolecules with helical charge distribution compatible with that found in polynucleotides. The macromolecule was represented by an infinite rigid cylinder, which mimics the central core of RNA/DNA, totally inaccessible to the polyelectrolyte. In order to simulate DNA grooves, two additional spheres complete the model: one being centered at the position of the phosphate groups (outer sphere) and the other being located between the outer sphere and the cylinder (inner sphere). The charge distribution of the macromolecule is given by a helical set of monovalent negative charges centered at the outer spheres. The polyelectrolyte was represented by a chain with charged hard spheres connected by harmonic bonds and presenting a specific pKa value. The electrolyte solution was treated at the Debye-Hückel level. The effects of pH, salt concentration, primary structure and stiffness of the polymer chain on the conformational and physicochemical properties of the adsorbed chain were investigated. Results show that the presence of the macromolecule modifies the acid/base properties of the polyelectrolyte and that the effect of charge regulation affects the adsorption/desorption process. Furthermore, a dependence between the conformations adopted by the polyelectrolyte on the surface of the macromolecule and the salt concentration of the solution was also observed. In the second part of this study, we investigated the influence of hydration interactions on the differential capacitance of an electric double layer by means of Monte Carlo simulations and by theoretical models based on mean-field approximation. A charged planar electrode was inserted in an electrolyte solution composed of monovalent ions and with concentration close to that found at physiological conditions. The hydration interactions were modeled through Yukawa potentials, which were added to Coulomb and excluded volume interactions among the ions and between the ions and the electrode. The proposed mean-field model not only include hydration interactions to the cation-cation, anion-anion and cationanion pairs, but also take into account the finite size of the ions through two distinct approaches: i) the Carnahan-Starling equation of state, and ii) the lattice gas model. We found that both our Monte Carlo simulations and mean-field approaches predict a characteristic double-peak (the so-called camel shape) of the differential capacitance, where its decrease reflects the packing of the counterions near the electrode. We also found that the presence of hydration interactions among the ions and between the ions and the electrode promotes the emergence of a small region of charge depletion near the electrode, similar to the Stern layer.
This work aims to analyze electrostatic interactions on surfaces and macromolecules through the use of computational simulations based on the Monte Carlo method. In the first part of this study, we discuss the interaction between polyelectrolytes – more specifically homopolymers and block-copolymers which are susceptible to variations in pH – and macromolecules with helical charge distribution compatible with that found in polynucleotides. The macromolecule was represented by an infinite rigid cylinder, which mimics the central core of RNA/DNA, totally inaccessible to the polyelectrolyte. In order to simulate DNA grooves, two additional spheres complete the model: one being centered at the position of the phosphate groups (outer sphere) and the other being located between the outer sphere and the cylinder (inner sphere). The charge distribution of the macromolecule is given by a helical set of monovalent negative charges centered at the outer spheres. The polyelectrolyte was represented by a chain with charged hard spheres connected by harmonic bonds and presenting a specific pKa value. The electrolyte solution was treated at the Debye-Hückel level. The effects of pH, salt concentration, primary structure and stiffness of the polymer chain on the conformational and physicochemical properties of the adsorbed chain were investigated. Results show that the presence of the macromolecule modifies the acid/base properties of the polyelectrolyte and that the effect of charge regulation affects the adsorption/desorption process. Furthermore, a dependence between the conformations adopted by the polyelectrolyte on the surface of the macromolecule and the salt concentration of the solution was also observed. In the second part of this study, we investigated the influence of hydration interactions on the differential capacitance of an electric double layer by means of Monte Carlo simulations and by theoretical models based on mean-field approximation. A charged planar electrode was inserted in an electrolyte solution composed of monovalent ions and with concentration close to that found at physiological conditions. The hydration interactions were modeled through Yukawa potentials, which were added to Coulomb and excluded volume interactions among the ions and between the ions and the electrode. The proposed mean-field model not only include hydration interactions to the cation-cation, anion-anion and cationanion pairs, but also take into account the finite size of the ions through two distinct approaches: i) the Carnahan-Starling equation of state, and ii) the lattice gas model. We found that both our Monte Carlo simulations and mean-field approaches predict a characteristic double-peak (the so-called camel shape) of the differential capacitance, where its decrease reflects the packing of the counterions near the electrode. We also found that the presence of hydration interactions among the ions and between the ions and the electrode promotes the emergence of a small region of charge depletion near the electrode, similar to the Stern layer.
Descrição
Palavras-chave
Polieletrólitos, Interação eletrostática, Interação de hidratação, Distribuição iônica, Simulação computacional, Método de Monte Carlo, Polyelectrolytes, Electrostatic interaction, Hydration interaction, Ionic distribution, Computational simulation, Monte Carlo method