Helical Wormlike Chains In Polymer Solutions

This book presents the "helical wormlike chain" model – a general model for both flexible and semiflexible polymer chains. It explains how statistical-mechanical, hydrodynamic, and dynamic theories of their solution properties can be developed on the basis of this model. This new second edition has been carefully updated and thoroughly revised. It includes a new chapter covering "Simulation and More on Excluded-Volume Effects", as well as the discussion of new experimental data and the application of the theory to ring polymers. The authors provide analysis of important recent experimental data by the use of their theories for flexible polymers over a wide range of molecular weights, including the oligomer region, and for semiflexible polymers, including biological macromolecules such as DNA. This is all clearly illustrated using a reasonable number of theoretical equations, tables, figures, and computer-aided forms, which support the understanding of the basic theory and help to facilitate its application to experimental data for the polymer molecular characterization.

Providing a comprehensive review of the state-of-the-art advanced research in the field, Polymer Physics explores the interrelationships among polymer structure, morphology, and physical and mechanical behavior. Featuring contributions from renowned experts, the book covers the basics of important areas in polymer physics while projecting into the future, making it a valuable resource for students and chemists, chemical engineers, materials scientists, and polymer scientists as well as professionals in related industries.

Remarkable progress has been made in the last two decades in the study of concentrated polymer solutions leading to many new concepts, theories, and techniques in the field of polymer science. Any description of the theory of polymer solutions is now insufficient unless both concentrated and dilute solutions are given equal attention. This book reviews recent developments in the study of dilute and concentrated polymer solutions, emphasizing mainly the typical equilibrium and steady-state dynamic properties of linear homopolymers. The author strives to clarify the gap which still remains open between current theories and well-documented experimental results, thereby stimulating further efforts toward a more accurate understanding of polymer solutions. The book contains a collection of typical experimental data and their comparison with current theories, molecular or phenomenological, a summary of recent advances in the physics of concentrated polymer solutions and melts, and an elementary account of the renormalization group theory as applied to dilute solutions. Polymer Solutions should prove invaluable as a reference work for graduate students and specialists in this field.

The behavior of polymer solutions in simple shear flows has been the subject of considerable research in the past. On the other hand, reports on polymers in elongational flow have appeared comparatively recently in the literature. Elongational flow with an inherent low vorticity is known to be more effective in extending polymer chains than simple shear flow and thus is more interesting from the point of view of basic (molecular chain dynamics at high deformation) and applied polymer science (rheology, fiber extrusion, drag reduction, flow through porous media). Undoubtly, one landmark in the field of polymer dynamics in elongational flow was the notion of critical strain-rate for chain extension, initially put forward by A. Peterlin (1966) and later refined into the "coil-stretching" transition by P. G. de Gennes and H. Hinch (1974). In the two decades which followed, significant progress in the understanding of chain conformation in "strong" flow has been accomplished through a combination of advances in instrumentation, computation techniques and theoretical studies. As a result of the multidisciplinary nature of the field, information on polymer chains in "strong" flow is accessible only from reviews and research papers scattered in disparate scientific journals. An important objective of this book is to remedy that situation by providing the reader with up-to-date knowledge in a single volume. The editors therefore invited leading specialists to provide both fundamental and applied information on the multiple facets of chain deformation in elongational flow.

This book is a printed edition of the Special Issue "Polymer Micelles" that was published in Polymers

Molecular Characterization of Polymers presents a range of advanced and cutting-edge methods for the characterization of polymers at the molecular level, guiding the reader through theory, fundamentals, instrumentation, and applications, and supporting the end goal of efficient material selection and improved material performance. Each chapter focuses on a specific technique or family of techniques, including the different areas of chromatography, field flow fractionation, long chain branching, static and dynamic light scattering, mass spectrometry, NMR, X-Ray and neutron scattering, polymer dilute solution viscometry, microscopy, and vibrational spectroscopy. In each case, in-depth coverage explains how to successfully implement and utilize the technique. This practical resource is highly valuable to researchers and advanced students in polymer science, materials science, and engineering, and to those from other disciplines and industries who are unfamiliar with polymer characterization techniques. Introduces a range of advanced characterization methods, covering aspects such as molecular weight, polydispersity, branching, composition, and tacticity Enables the reader to understand and to compare the available technique, and implement the selected technique(s), with a view to improving properties of the polymeric material Establishes a strong link between basic principles, characterization techniques, and real-life applications

Advanced Mechanical Models of DNA Elasticity includes coverage on 17 different DNA models and the role of elasticity in biological functions with extensive references. The novel advanced helicoidal model described reflects the direct connection between the molecule helix structure and its specific properties, including nonlinear features and transitions. It provides an introduction to the state of the field of DNA mechanics, known and widely used models with their short analysis, as well as coverage on experimental methods and data, the influence of electrical, magnetic, ionic conditions on the persistence length, and dynamics with viscosity influence. It then addresses the need to understand the nature of the non-linear overstretching transition of DNA under force and why DNA has a negative twist-stretch coupling. Includes coverage of 17 contemporary models of DNA mechanics with analysis Provides comparison of DNA and RNA mechanical features Covers advances in experimental techniques including AFM, X-ray, and optical tweezers Contains extensive references for further reading

Propelled by the success of the sequencing of the human and many related genomes, molecular and cellular biology has delivered significant scientific breakthroughs. Mathematics (broadly defined) continues to play a major role in this effort, helping to discover the secrets of life by working collaboratively with bench biologists, chemists and physicists. Because of its outstanding record of interdisciplinary research and training, the IMA was an ideal venue for the 2007-2008 IMA thematic year on Mathematics of Molecular and Cellular Biology. The kickoff event for this thematic year was a tutorial on Mathematics of Nucleic Acids, followed by the workshop Mathematics of Molecular and Cellular Biology, held September 15--21 at the IMA. This volume is dedicated to the memory of Nicholas R. Cozzarelli, a dynamic leader who fostered research and training at the interface between mathematics and molecular biology. It contains a personal remembrance of Nick Cozzarelli, plus 15 papers contributed by workshop speakers. The papers give an overview of state-of-the-art mathematical approaches to the understanding of DNA structure and function, and the interaction of DNA with proteins that mediate vital life processes.