Search results for " Topology"

Scaling behavior of topologically constrained polymer rings in a melt

2014

Large scale molecular dynamics simulations on graphic processing units (GPUs) are employed to study the scaling behavior of ring polymers with various topological constraints in melts. Typical sizes of rings containing $3_1$, $5_1$ knots and catenanes made up of two unknotted rings scale like $N^{1/3}$ in the limit of large ring sizes $N$. This is consistent with the crumpled globule model and similar findings for unknotted rings. For small ring lengths knots occupy a significant fraction of the ring. The scaling of typical ring sizes for small $N$ thus depends on the particular knot type and the exponent is generally larger than 0.4.

1991

Thermoanalytical studies on an order-disorder transition resulting from supramolecular organization of hydrogen bond motifs in an unpolar (polymer-) matrix are reported. Functional groups having two potential sites for hydrogen bonding (4-carboxyphenylarazole) are located statistically along the polybutadiene backbone. Multistep hydrogen bond formation leads to the formation of association chains whose lengths can be controlled by addition of monofunctional groups (phenylurazole) like in conventional stepgrowth polymers. The association chain length is estimated from the variation of transition enthalpy and «melting» temperature

Polymer chains confined into tubes with attractive walls: A Monte Carlo simulation

1994

A bead-spring off-lattice model of a polymer chain with repulsive interactions among repeating units confined into straight tubes of various cross sections, DT2, is studied by Monte Carlo simulation. We are also varying the chain length from N = 16 to 128 and the strength of a short-range attractive interaction between the repeating units and the walls of the tube. Longitudinal and perpendicular static linear dimensions of the chains are analyzed, as well as the density profile of repeating units across the tube. These data are interpreted in terms of scaling concepts describing the crossover between three-dimensional and quasi-one-dimensional chain conformations and the adsorption transiti…

Basic kinetic model for the reaction yielding linear polyurethanes. II

1995

On the basis of the gradual polyaddition kinetic model developed earlier, an attempt was made to provide a generalized mathematical model for the set of reactions yielding linear polyurethanes. The model is a system of first-order ordinary differential equations. It was assumed at the present stage of this model that the rate constants for the reaction considered do not change. The model developed was then solved numerically. Average molecular weight of the polymer and composition data for oligomers were calculated for a constant volume batch reactor and varied process parameters. The GPC method, which was tested for model urethane oligomers, was employed to verify the model developed. The …

Unified Thermodynamic Modeling of Polymer Solutions: Polyelectrolytes, Proteins, and Chain Molecules

2013

The thermodynamic description of the systems specified in the title requires in general dissimilar theories. This contribution presents an approach that is capable of modeling all of them with a maximum of three adjustable parameters. The Ansatz starts from the Flory–Huggins theory and extends it in a 2-fold manner: The number of segments assigned to the solvent is no longer one but treated as an adjustable parameter to account for the differences in the molecular geometries and in the free volumes of the components. Furthermore, the modeling allows for effects resulting from ternary contacts of the solvent/polymer/polymer type. Examination of the acquired thermodynamic expressions by means…

Structure and dynamics of grafted polymer layers: A Monte Carlo simulation

1991

The bond fluctuation model of polymer chains on lattices is used to study layers of polymers anchored with one end at a hard wall, assuming good solvent conditions and repulsive interactions between the monomers and the wall. Chain lengths from N=10 to N=80 and grafting densities σ from 0.025 to 0.20 are considered, both for the ‘‘quenched’’ case, where the anchor points are kept fixed at randomly chosen surface sites, and the ‘‘annealed’’ case, where lateral diffusion of the anchored ends at the wall is considered. Profiles of monomer density and free end density, chain linear dimensions parallel and perpendicular to the wall, as well as corresponding mean square displacements of inner and…

Monte Carlo simulations of chain dynamics in polymer brushes

1994

The bond-fluctuation model of polymer chains has been used to study layers of end-grafted polymers anchoring at repulsive walls for a broad range of chain length, grafting densities and solvent quality. The dynamics of monomers and associated relaxation times are investigated and interpreted by phenomenological theories and scaling arguments. The case is also considered where a chain is cut off from its anchor point and the chain is subsequently expelled from the brush. Both the velocity with which the chain leaves the brush and the associated conformational changes (chain contraction etc.) are analysed and interpreted in terms of recent theoretical concepts.

Microscopic verification of dynamic scaling in dilute polymer solutions: A molecular-dynamics simulation

1991

The dynamics of a single polymer chain immersed in a large number of solvent particles is studied by molecular dynamics. This is the first simulation where chain length (30, 40, and 60 monomers) and statistical accuracy are sufficient to test the predictions of the Zimm model as a result of the particle-particle interactions: The short-time diffusion constant is in good agreement with the Kirkwood prediction, and the monomer motions exhibit the expected dynamic scaling. The long-range hydrodynamic interaction requires a data analysis that explicitly includes the periodic images via Ewald sums.

Bending of flexible magnetic rods.

2004

The flexible inextensible magnetic rod model is applied for the study of bending and buckling deformations of the paramagnetic particle chains linked by polymer molecules. It is shown that the existing experimental results can be reasonably well described by this model which takes into account the normal magnetic forces arising at chain bending deformation. By matching the experimentally observed shapes with our numerical simulation results different physical properties of the linked paramagnetic particle chains are determined.

Anomalous scaling of the critical temperature of unmixing with chain length for two-dimensional polymer blends

2003

The thermodynamics, structure and the chain configurations of symmetrical polymer mixtures confined into ultrathin films are studied by Monte Carlo simulations of the bond fluctuation model. It is shown that the Flory-Huggins–type scaling of the critical temperature (Tc ~ N) with chain length N in the bulk is replaced by a weaker increase, Tc ~ N1/2, in an ultrathin film, and this is interpreted in terms of geometric arguments. The pair-correlation function g(r) of monomers from different chains exhibits a pronounced correlation hole, and the density of intermolecular contacts zc decreases with N as zc ~ N−1/2.