Anomalous Fluctuations of Nematic Order in Solutions of Semiflexible Polymers

The nematic ordering in semiflexible polymers with contour length L exceeding their persistence length ℓ_{p} is described by a confinement of the polymers in a cylinder of radius r_{eff} much larger than the radius r_{ρ} expected from the respective concentration of the solution. Large-scale molecul...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Physical review letters 2016-05, Vol.116 (18), p.187801-187801, Article 187801
Main Authors: Egorov, Sergei A, Milchev, Andrey, Binder, Kurt
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Chains (polymeric)
Confinement
Cylinders
Deflection
Density functional theory
Fluctuation
Nematic
Polymers
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The nematic ordering in semiflexible polymers with contour length L exceeding their persistence length ℓ_{p} is described by a confinement of the polymers in a cylinder of radius r_{eff} much larger than the radius r_{ρ} expected from the respective concentration of the solution. Large-scale molecular dynamics simulations combined with density functional theory are used to locate the isotropic-nematic (I-N) transition and to validate this cylindrical confinement. Anomalous fluctuations due to chain deflections from neighboring chains in the nematic phase are proposed. Considering deflections as collective excitations in the nematically ordered phase of semiflexible polymers elucidates the origins of shortcomings in the description of the I-N transition by existing theories.
ISSN:0031-9007
1079-7114
DOI:10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.187801