title: A quantum mechanical quantitative structure-activity relationship study of the flexural modulus of C, H, O, N-containing polymers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The result of this research was to develop a quantum mechanically based QSAR model for polymer flexural modulus from structural features of small oligomers of the polymers. The final model was to have both explanatory power and be a reasonably accurate screening tool for new materials.
  
  
  METHODS
  A quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) was developed using the CODESSA program from quantum mechanical information provided by the AM1 semiempirical method, as implemented in AMPAC.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A four-descriptor correlation equation with R(2)=0.91, also satisfying our other statistical criteria. A tetramer was determined to be a sufficient simulator for the polymer chain. The descriptors in the model show that rigidity of the monomer, electrostatic interactions and branching are the most important contributors to the flexural modulus value for a particular system.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The QSAR model we have developed here is conceptually satisfying for flexural, and provides an easily usable tool for rational biomaterials design.
authors.affiliation: University of Missouri-Kansas City, Department of Chemistry, 5110 Rockhill Rd, Kansas City, MO 64110, USA. holdera@umkc.edu
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Holder
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D055119:Elastic Modulus; D008422:Materials Testing / Q000379:methods*; D055595:Mechanical Phenomena; D008956:Models, Chemical; D018583:Pliability; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D021281:Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship; D055672:Static Electricity
chemical_list: D011108:Polymers