Topological Interactions in Ring Polymers
Springer | Materials | Oct 24 2016 | ISBN-10: 3319410415 | 124 pages | pdf | 4.68 mb
Authors: Michieletto, Davide
Nominated as an outstanding Ph.D. thesis by the University of Warwick, UK Presents an extensive study of large-scale molecular dynamics simulations resulting in strongly predictive quantitative results
Derives conclusions of fundamental interest in biology, e.g. for the circular kinetoplast DNA in protozoa

ing polymers are one of the last big mysteries in polymer physics, and this thesis tackles the problem of describing their behaviour when interacting in dense solutions and with complex environments and reports key findings that help shed light on these complex issues. The systems investigated are not restricted to artificial polymer systems, but also cover biologically inspired ensembles, contributing to the broad applicability and interest of the conclusions reached. One of the most remarkable findings is the unambiguous evidence that rings inter-penetrate when in dense solutions; here this behaviour is shown to lead to the emergence of a glassy state solely driven by the topology of the constituents. This novel glassy state is unconventional in its nature and, thanks to its universal properties inherited from polymer physics, will attract the attention of a wide range of physicists in the years to come.

Number of Illustrations and Tables
37 b/w illustrations, 5 illustrations in colour
Topics
Soft and Granular Matter, Complex Fluids and Microfluidics
Polymer Sciences
Biophysics and Biological Physics
Mathematical and Computational Biology
Statistical Physics, Dynamical Systems and Complexity

Download File Size:3.73 MB

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