title: Swelling of Olympic gels.
abstract: The swelling equilibrium of Olympic gels, which are composed of entangled cyclic polymers, is studied by Monte Carlo simulations. In contrast to chemically cross-linked polymer networks, we observe that Olympic gels made of chains with a larger degree of polymerization, N, exhibit a smaller equilibrium swelling degree, Q ∝ N(-0.28)ϕ(0)(-0.72), at the same polymer volume fraction ϕ(0) at network preparation. This observation is explained by a desinterspersion (reorganization with release of nontrapped entanglements) process of overlapping nonconcatenated rings upon swelling.
authors: Leibniz Institute for Polymer Research, Hohe Straße 6, 01069 Dresden, Germany.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Lang
authors: Leibniz Institute for Polymer Research, Hohe Straße 6, 01069 Dresden, Germany.
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Fischer
authors: Leibniz Institute for Polymer Research, Hohe Straße 6, 01069 Dresden, Germany.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Werner
authors: Leibniz Institute for Polymer Research, Hohe Straße 6, 01069 Dresden, Germany.
authors: J-U
authors: JU
authors: Sommer