Cluster formation in star-linear polymer mixtures: equilibrium and dynamical properties

Autor(en)

Manuel Camargo, Sergei A. Egorov, Christos Likos

Abstrakt

We investigate the influence of the addition of polymer chains on suspensions of low-functionality star polymers in the dilute star regime. We focus on the structural and dynamical features of the mixture by means of Molecular Dynamic simulations, based on a recently introduced model, which coarse-grained the interactions between the two components of the system. Numerical results are compared to the analytical ones, obtained from mode-coupling theory. We find evidence for the formation of transient star clusters upon chain addition, which is induced by the depletion attraction between the stars. Contrary to the case of hard colloids with a depletion-induced short-range attraction and a long range repulsion, the formed clusters are irregular and transient, allowing for particle exchange among themselves.

Organisation(en)

Computergestützte Physik und Physik der Weichen Materie

Externe Organisation(en)

Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, University of Virginia

Journal

Soft Matter

Band

8

Seiten

4177-4184

Anzahl der Seiten

8

ISSN

1744-683X

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1039/c2sm06849d

Publikationsdatum

2012

Peer-reviewed

Ja

ÖFOS 2012

103023 Polymerphysik, 103036 Theoretische Physik, 103015 Kondensierte Materie, 103029 Statistische Physik

Link zum Portal

https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/de/publications/c790a3d6-f090-4bac-bd4c-f98ed4559925