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CPP: Fachverband Chemische Physik und Polymerphysik
CPP 24: Poster: Polymer Dynamics
CPP 24.3: Poster
Tuesday, March 15, 2011, 18:00–20:00, P2
Segregation of Identical Flexible Chains in Solution — •Ron Dockhorn1,2 and Jens-Uwe Sommer1,2 — 1Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden, D-01069 Dresden, Germany — 2Technische Universität Dresden, Institute for Theoretical Physics, D-01069 Dresden, Germany
We study the segregation of two long chains from parallel but randomly twisted start conformations under good solvent conditions using Monte Carlo simulations. For investigation of the segregation process we focus on the center of mass separation between the two chains and the average square distance between the monomers which were connected before segregation starts. We argue that segregation is dominated by free diffusion of the chains assuming that untwisting can be achieved by Rouse-like fluctuations on the length scale of the twisted loop. The free diffusion hypothesis is confirmed in the scaling analysis of individual chain dynamics, and segregation measures follow this scaling nearly. Long chains, however, show retardation effects which can be described by a new dynamical exponent which is slightly larger than the dynamical exponent for Rouse-like diffusion. Our results indicate that nearly free diffusion of chains during a time scale of a few Rouse-times can lead to segregation of chains. These results are applicable for DNA in eukaryotic cells and their chromatin segregation after replication.