title: Continuous self-avoiding walk with application to the description of polymer chains.
abstract: We develop the continuous self-avoiding walk (CSAW) methodology for investigating temperature dependent thermodynamic properties of finite polymer chains without imposing a lattice. This leads to a new concept: the free energy theta temperature, T(theta)(F), at which the free energy is proportional to chain length. Above T(theta)(F), the polymer chain-solvent mixture leads to a single phase, whereas below T(theta)(F) the polymer solvent system has a positive surface tension with a tendency to phase separation to form a globular phase. For finite chains this coil-globule transition lies above the geometric theta temperature at which the distribution describes a Gaussian coil. CSAW provides the basis for a new approach to predict globular properties of real polymers.
authors.affiliation: Materials and Process Simulation Center (MC 139-74), California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.
authors.forename: Youyong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: William A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Goddard