Compression and Stretching of Confined Linear and Ring Polymers by Applying Force
We use Langevin dynamics to study the deformations of linear and ring polymers in different confinements by applying compression and stretching forces on their two sides. Our results show that the compression deformations are the results of an interplay among of polymer rigidity, degree of confineme...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2021-11-01
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| Series: | Polymers |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/13/23/4193 |
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| author | Wenduo Chen Xiangxin Kong Qianqian Wei Huaiyu Chen Jiayin Liu Dazhi Jiang |
| author_facet | Wenduo Chen Xiangxin Kong Qianqian Wei Huaiyu Chen Jiayin Liu Dazhi Jiang |
| author_sort | Wenduo Chen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We use Langevin dynamics to study the deformations of linear and ring polymers in different confinements by applying compression and stretching forces on their two sides. Our results show that the compression deformations are the results of an interplay among of polymer rigidity, degree of confinement, and force applied. When the applied force is beyond the threshold required for the buckling transition, the semiflexible chain under the strong confinement firstly buckles; then comes helical deformation. However, under the same force loading, the semiflexible chain under the weaker confinement exhibits buckling instability and shrinks from the folded ends/sides until it becomes three-folded structures. This happens because the strong confinement not only strongly reduces the buckling wavelength, but also increases the critical buckling force threshold. For the weakly confined polymers, in compression process, the flexible linear polymer collapses into condensed states under a small external force, whereas the ring polymer only shows slight shrinkage, due to the excluded volume interactions of two strands in the crowded states. These results are essential for understanding the deformations of the ring biomacromolecules and polymer chains in mechanical compression or driven transport. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T04:46:15Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-37e1bf37ecfb48498b0da32581a7eab9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4360 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T04:46:15Z |
| publishDate | 2021-11-01 |
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| series | Polymers |
| spelling | doaj.art-37e1bf37ecfb48498b0da32581a7eab92023-11-23T02:54:18ZengMDPI AGPolymers2073-43602021-11-011323419310.3390/polym13234193Compression and Stretching of Confined Linear and Ring Polymers by Applying ForceWenduo Chen0Xiangxin Kong1Qianqian Wei2Huaiyu Chen3Jiayin Liu4Dazhi Jiang5School of Materials, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 135, Xingang Xi Road, Guangzhou 510275, ChinaChangchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, ChinaSchool of Materials, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 135, Xingang Xi Road, Guangzhou 510275, ChinaSchool of Materials, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 135, Xingang Xi Road, Guangzhou 510275, ChinaSchool of Materials, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 135, Xingang Xi Road, Guangzhou 510275, ChinaSchool of Materials, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 135, Xingang Xi Road, Guangzhou 510275, ChinaWe use Langevin dynamics to study the deformations of linear and ring polymers in different confinements by applying compression and stretching forces on their two sides. Our results show that the compression deformations are the results of an interplay among of polymer rigidity, degree of confinement, and force applied. When the applied force is beyond the threshold required for the buckling transition, the semiflexible chain under the strong confinement firstly buckles; then comes helical deformation. However, under the same force loading, the semiflexible chain under the weaker confinement exhibits buckling instability and shrinks from the folded ends/sides until it becomes three-folded structures. This happens because the strong confinement not only strongly reduces the buckling wavelength, but also increases the critical buckling force threshold. For the weakly confined polymers, in compression process, the flexible linear polymer collapses into condensed states under a small external force, whereas the ring polymer only shows slight shrinkage, due to the excluded volume interactions of two strands in the crowded states. These results are essential for understanding the deformations of the ring biomacromolecules and polymer chains in mechanical compression or driven transport.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/13/23/4193ring polymercompressionconfinementapplying forcehelical structure |
| spellingShingle | Wenduo Chen Xiangxin Kong Qianqian Wei Huaiyu Chen Jiayin Liu Dazhi Jiang Compression and Stretching of Confined Linear and Ring Polymers by Applying Force Polymers ring polymer compression confinement applying force helical structure |
| title | Compression and Stretching of Confined Linear and Ring Polymers by Applying Force |
| title_full | Compression and Stretching of Confined Linear and Ring Polymers by Applying Force |
| title_fullStr | Compression and Stretching of Confined Linear and Ring Polymers by Applying Force |
| title_full_unstemmed | Compression and Stretching of Confined Linear and Ring Polymers by Applying Force |
| title_short | Compression and Stretching of Confined Linear and Ring Polymers by Applying Force |
| title_sort | compression and stretching of confined linear and ring polymers by applying force |
| topic | ring polymer compression confinement applying force helical structure |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/13/23/4193 |
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