Free energy of semiflexible polymers and structure of interfaces |
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Authors: | J Fukuda |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Physics, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan, JP |
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Abstract: | The free energy of semiflexible polymers is calculated as a functional of the compositional scalar order parameter and the orientational order parameter of second-rank tensor Sij on the basis of a microscopic model of wormlike chains with variable segment lengths. We use a density functional theory
and a gradient expansion to evaluate the entropic part of the free energy, which is given in a power series of .The interaction term of the free energy is derived with a random phase approximation. For the rigid rod limit, the nematic-isotropic
transition point is given by , N and w being the degree of polymerization and the anisotropic interaction parameter, respectively, and the degree of ordering at
the transition point is 0.33448. We also find that the contour length of polymer chains becomes larger in a nematic phase
than in an isotropic phase. Interface profiles are obtained numerically for some typical cases. In the neighborhood of isotropic-isotropic
interfaces, polymer chains tend to align parallel to the interface on the polymer-rich side and perpendicular on the poor
side. When an isotropic region and a nematic region coexist, orientational order parallel to the interface is preferred in
the nematic region.
Received: 28 May 1998 / Revised: 12 August 1998 / Accepted: 8 September 1998 |
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Keywords: | PACS 61 25 Hq Macromolecular and polymer solutions polymer melts swelling - 61 30 Cz Theory and models of liquid crystal structure - 64 70 Md Transitions in liquid crystals |
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