Swollen-to-globular transition of a self-avoiding polymer confined in a soft tube.
Monte Carlo simulations are presented for the structural transition of a self-avoiding polymer confined in an elastic soft tube, within the Helfrich energy model for the description of a fluctuating surface. Based on the simulation data of the maximum extension of the confined polymer in the tube and of the tube radius, a swollen-to-globular transition is identified where the confined polymer undergoes an abrupt transition from a shape elongated along the tube axis to a globule that is of much smaller dimensions than that of an unperturbed polymer. An extended regime in the parameter space has been explored where various scaling properties can be viewed.
Chen
Jeff Z Y
JZ
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3G1.