Metastable globules in good solvents: Topologically stabilized state of polymers

Y. Rabin, A. Yu Grosberg, T. Tanaka

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    Abstract

    A novel state of polymers in solution is proposed. It is suggested that macromolecules which are initially collapsed in a poor solvent maintain a long-lived, partially collapsed conformation upon a fast temperature jump into the good-solvent regime. This metastable state is stabilized by topological constraints, ie. tight intra-molecular knots. The number of tight knots and the tensile forces which generate them are related to experimentally observable quantities such as the radius of gyration and the relaxation time of the partially swollen globule. An experimental test of the theoretical prediction is proposed, including an analysis of the role of control parameters such as degree of polymerization, chain flexibility and the depth and kinetics of the temperature quenches.

    Original languageEnglish (US)
    Pages (from-to)505-510
    Number of pages6
    JournalEPL
    Volume32
    Issue number6
    DOIs
    StatePublished - Nov 20 1995

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • General Physics and Astronomy

    Fingerprint

    Dive into the research topics of 'Metastable globules in good solvents: Topologically stabilized state of polymers'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

    Cite this