<i>In Silico</i> Formation of Polyphosphazene Networks Based on Phloroglucinol (Phg) and Hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene (HCCP): Structural and Mechanical Properties as a Function of the Phg:HCCP Ratio

Twenty-four molecular models for polyphosphazene networks were created via an <i>in silico</i> polymerization of phloroglucinol Phg (C₆H₆O₃) and hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene HCCP (N₃P₃Cl₆) mixtures at different Phg:HCCP ratios. A series of monomer mixtures at Phg-to-HCCP stoichiometric ratios ranging from 1:1 to 8:1 were created using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Alternating phases of reactions followed by relaxation steps led to the progressive formation of percolating polyphosphazene networks. The actual ratios of Phg to HCCP rings incorporated in the network polymers remained close to those in the mixtures for initial ratios up to 2:1. Above 2:1, there was a gradual divergence toward lower values in the networks as the limits to the number of possible bonds for each monomer started to take effect. The details of the structures were found to be very complex in terms of the probability distributions of links per Phg or HCCP ring. The highest degrees of connectivity and ring packing densities were found in the networks formed from the initial mixtures having Phg-to-HCCP ratios of around 2:1. Mechanical tests were carried out in order to ascertain the resistance of the model polyphosphazene networks to compression/decompression. There again, the networks obtained from the 2:1 initial mixture were found to have the highest Young's modulus and to display the most elasticity as they recovered their initial shape once the compression was removed. The influence of trapped excess monomers in the percolating networks was only noticeable at the highest mixture ratios. The most resistant Phg-HCCP networks are thus obtained from Phg-to-HCCP mixture ratios of around 2:1, with or without trapped excess monomers.