title: Microscopic theory of the tube confinement potential for liquids of topologically entangled rigid macromolecules.
abstract: We formulate and apply a microscopic self-consistent theory for the dynamic transverse confinement field in solutions of zero-excluded-volume rods based solely on topological entanglements. In agreement with the phenomenological tube model, an infinitely deep potential is predicted. However, strong anharmonicities are found to qualitatively soften localization, in quantitative agreement with experiments on heavily entangled biopolymer solutions. Predictions are also made for the effect of rod alignment on the transverse diffusion constant, tube diameter, and confinement force.
authors: Department of Physics, University of Illinois, Urbana, 61801, USA.
authors: Daniel M
authors: DM
authors: Sussman
authors: Kenneth S
authors: KS
authors: Schweizer
mesh_terms: D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D004058:Diffusion; D046911:Macromolecular Substances / Q000737:chemistry*; D055595:Mechanical Phenomena; D008958:Models, Molecular; D013816:Thermodynamics
chemical_list: D046911:Macromolecular Substances