title: Mechanism of Chain Collapse of Strongly Charged Polyelectrolytes.
abstract: We perform extensive molecular dynamics simulations of a charged polymer in a good solvent in the regime where the chain is collapsed. We analyze the dependence of the gyration radius R_{g} on the reduced Bjerrum length ℓ_{B} and find two different regimes. In the first one, called a weak electrostatic regime, R_{g}∼ℓ_{B}^{-1/2}, which is consistent only with the predictions of the counterion-fluctuation theory. In the second one, called a strong electrostatic regime, we find R_{g}∼ℓ_{B}^{-1/5}. To explain the novel regime we modify the counterion-fluctuation theory.
authors.affiliation: The Institute of Mathematical Sciences, C.I.T. Campus, Taramani, Chennai 600113, India.
authors.forename: Anvy Moly
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Tom
authors.affiliation: The Institute of Mathematical Sciences, C.I.T. Campus, Taramani, Chennai 600113, India.
authors.forename: Satyavani
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vemparala
authors.affiliation: The Institute of Mathematical Sciences, C.I.T. Campus, Taramani, Chennai 600113, India.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rajesh
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematics, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Nikolai V
authors.initials: NV
authors.lastname: Brilliantov