How long does it take to pull an ideal polymer into a small hole?

A. Yu Grosberg, S. Nechaev, M. Tamm, O. Vasilyev

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    Abstract

    We present scaling estimates for characteristic times τlin and τbr of pulling ideal linear and randomly branched polymers of N monomers into a small hole by a force f. We show that the absorbtion process develops as sequential straightening of folds of the initial polymer configuration. By estimating the typical size of the fold involved into the motion, we arrive at the following predictions, τlin(N)∼N3/2/f and τbr(N)∼N5/4/f, and we also confirm them by the molecular dynamics experiment.

    Original languageEnglish (US)
    Article number228105
    JournalPhysical Review Letters
    Volume96
    Issue number22
    DOIs
    StatePublished - 2006

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • General Physics and Astronomy

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