Polymer Chain Statistics

Apoorva M Ranjekar M.Tech-Nanotechnology ICNTAA

Degree of Polymerization (DP)

n no. of repeating units of monomers. Usually large in the range of 10^4-10^5. Solid state- Polymer molecules pack with little voids in a regular array-Crystalline, randomAmorphous. In solution each polymer molecule is surrounded by solvent molecules.

Polymer Chain Architecture

Definitions
Conformation- An instantaneous shape of a polymer chain in solution is called a conformation. Contour length (Lc)- The distance between the two ends of a skeletal linear polymer chain when it is stretched. - Lc is proportional to DP/Mol. Wt.

Linear skeleton Chains Models

Models in continuous space

Bead-stick Model
The chain consists of beads & sticks that connect adjacent beads. Variations1. The bead dia. & stick thickness can be any nonnegative value. 2. We can restrict the angle between two adjacent sticks or let it free. 3. We can resrict the tortional angle(dihedral angle) of stick relative to the 2nd next stick.

Comparison of two typical variations of the model.

Models in discrete space (lattice)

 Discrete space is called lattice. Polymer chain consists of monomers sitting on the grids and bonds connecting them. The grid point is called a site. The lattice coordinate Z refers to the no. of nearest neighbors for a lattice point.

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