First-order theta-point of a single polymer chain
| dc.creator | Lesne, Annick | |
| dc.creator | Victor, Jean-Marc | |
| dc.date | 2000-04-17 | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2026-07-07T02:37:23Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2026-07-07T02:37:23Z | |
| dc.description | Conformational transitions of a single macromolecule of finite size $N$ cannot be described within standard thermodynamic framework. Taking as a basis a simple model of homopolymer exhibiting a coil-globule transition, we show that a relevant approach is to describe the thermal equilibrium distribution $P_N^{(β)}(t)$ of some variable $t$ characterizing the conformation. Although the mean order parameter exhibits a second-order behaviour in the infinite-size limit, the $Θ$-point arises from the coexistence of two distinct populations, associated with two well-separated peaks of $P_N^{(β)}(t)$ and identified respectively with a coil state and a globule state. Remarkably, this first-order feature increases with the size of the chain. It allows to describe the transition within a two-state model, well-suited to analyse experimental data. | |
| dc.description | 4 pages, 3 figures | |
| dc.identifier | https://arxiv.org/abs/cond-mat/0004273 | |
| dc.identifier | http://arxiv.org/abs/cond-mat/0004273 | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://salesiana.dossiersoluciones.com/handle/123456789/16269 | |
| dc.subject | Statistical Mechanics | |
| dc.subject | Soft Condensed Matter | |
| dc.title | First-order theta-point of a single polymer chain | |
| dc.type | text |