Nonequilibrium unfolding of polyelectrolyte condensates in electric fields.
Using simulations and scaling methods, the effect of an electric field on a collapsed polyelectrolyte globule is investigated, where conduction by counterions and the polyelectrolyte itself is taken into account. At a critical field E(*), a nonequilibrium transition occurs at which the polyelectrolyte unfolds and aligns parallel to the external field. E(*) is determined using scaling results for the polarizability of a polyelectrolyte globule and exhibits a dependence on the chain length N, E(*) approximately N(-1/2), which might be useful for electrophoretic separation of charged biopolymers.
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Sektion Physik, LMU Munich, Theresienstrasse 37, 80333 Munich, Germany.
D003198:Computer Simulation; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry; D004563:Electrochemistry; D004573:Electrolytes / Q000737:chemistry*; D004586:Electrophoresis / Q000379:methods; D007700:Kinetics; D008956:Models, Chemical; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*
D004573:Electrolytes; D011108:Polymers; D004247:DNA