https://doi.org/10.1140/epje/i2006-10003-7
Regular Article
Smoothening transition of a two-dimensional pressurized polymer ring
School of Chemistry, Raymond & Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, 69978, Tel Aviv, Israel
* e-mail: hdiamant@tau.ac.il
Received:
16
January
2006
Accepted:
9
February
2006
Published online:
10
April
2006
We revisit the problem of a two-dimensional polymer ring subject to an inflating pressure differential. The ring is modeled as a freely jointed closed chain of N monomers. Using a Flory argument, mean-field calculation and Monte Carlo simulations, we show that at a critical pressure, p c ∼ N -1, the ring undergoes a second-order phase transition from a crumpled, random-walk state, where its mean area scales as 〈A〉 ∼ N, to a smooth state with 〈A〉 ∼ N 2. The transition belongs to the mean-field universality class. At the critical point a new state of polymer statistics is found, in which 〈A〉 ∼ N 3/2. For p ≫ p c we use a transfer-matrix calculation to derive exact expressions for the properties of the smooth state.
PACS: 36.20.Ey Macromolecules and polymer molecules: Conformation (statistics and dynamics) – / 05.40.Fb Random walks and Levy flights – / 64.60.-i General studies of phase transitions –
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica and Springer-Verlag, 2006