Berlin 2005 – scientific programme

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CPP: Chemische Physik und Polymerphysik

CPP 18: Physics of polymers II

CPP 18.1: Talk

Tuesday, March 8, 2005, 11:15–11:30, TU C130

Concentration dependent size of reversibly assembling polymers in solution: Mean field lattice theory and simulation — •Peter Lenz and Reinhard Hentschke — Fachbereich Mathematik und Naturwissenschaften, Bergische Universität, Wuppertal

The concentration dependence of the mean length of equilibrium polymers as function of solute volume fraction is studied both in a lattice description and via molecular dynamics simulation. Previous analytical models yield monotonous growth with increasing solute concentration. However, in a careful experimental study Boden and coworkers (Leeds, UK) have found that the size of self-assembled aggregates in solution may indeed decrease at high solute concentration. This unusual growth behavior can be explained via a lattice model using a more detailed description of constituent interactions in comparison to previous studies. In addition, the validity of the lattice model results is checked via molecular dynamics computer simulation of binary mixtures containing solvent and reversibly assembling monomers.