Influence of topology on effective potentials: coarse-graining ring polymers

Author(s)
Arturo Narros, Angel J. Moreno, Christos Likos
Abstract

We employ computer simulations and integral equation theory techniques to perform coarse-graining of self-avoiding ring polymers with different knotedness and to derive effective interaction potentials between the centers of mass of these macromolecular entities. Different microscopic models for the monomer-monomer interactions and bonding are employed, bringing about an insensitivity of the effective interactions on the microscopic details and a convergence to a universal form for sufficiently long molecules. The pair effective interactions are shown to be accurate up to within the semidilute regime with additional, many-body forces becoming increasingly important as the polymer concentration grows. The dramatic effects of topological constraints in the form of interaction potentials are brought forward and critically discussed.

Organisation(s)
Computational and Soft Matter Physics
External organisation(s)
Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, University of the Basque Country
Journal
Soft Matter
Volume
6
Pages
2435-2441
No. of pages
7
ISSN
1744-683X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1039/C001523G
Publication date
2010
Peer reviewed
Yes
Austrian Fields of Science 2012
1030 Physics, Astronomy
Portal url
https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/366eaf01-ad6f-4a8e-9655-25b7d934f289