Aggregation behavior of two separate polymers confined between two membranes

作者:Yang Zhiyong; Zhang Dong; Ateeq ur Rehman; Zhang Linxi*
来源:Soft Matter, 2012, 8(6): 1901-1908.
DOI:10.1039/c1sm06712e

摘要

An off-lattice Monte Carlo method is used to study the aggregation behavior of two separate confined polymer chains induced by membranes. A separation-to-combination transition occurs when the two separate chains are induced to combine and become a sphere by membranes for large surface tension sigma at the critical distance d(c). However, they still remain separate and each chain adopts a globular conformation for small surface tension sigma at d(c). For d < d(c), the two separate chains always mix and become a sphere under compression of membranes for all sigma, while for d > d(c), they keep separate and each chain becomes a sphere under compression of membranes for all sigma. Formation of a membrane tunnel between two separate chains and entropy lead to the aggregation of separate polymer chains. In addition, d(c) and chain length N satisfy the r

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