title: Constant pH simulations of pH responsive polymers.
abstract: Polyacidic polymers can change structure over a narrow range of pH in a competition between the hydrophobic effect, which favors a compact state, and electrostatic repulsion, which favors an extended state. Constant pH molecular dynamics computer simulations of poly(methacrylic acid) reveal that there are two types of structural changes, one local and one global, which make up the overall response. The local structural response depends on the tacticity of the polymer and leads to different cooperative effects for polymers with different stereochemistries, demonstrating both positive and negative cooperativities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of New Orleans, New Orleans, Louisiana 70148, USA.
authors.forename: Arjun
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of New Orleans, New Orleans, Louisiana 70148, USA.
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical Engineering, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, Mississippi 39762, USA.
authors.forename: Keisha B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Walters
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of New Orleans, New Orleans, Louisiana 70148, USA.
authors.forename: Steven W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Rick