Formation of a complex between a long polymer chain and several spherical particles with surface attractive adsorption layers is studied using scaling arguments. It is shown that if the spatial position of particles is fixed, the polymer chain in the complex becomes highly stretched. In this case the polymer is adsorbed on many particles and adopts an extended conformation; its dimensions substantially exceed those of a free coil. Complex formation (adsorption) is a first order phase transition. By contrast, if adsorption on mobile particles is considered, additional stretching vanishes and the dimensions of the adsorbed polymer chain are of the same order as those of a corresponding free coil. In this case adsorption of polymer macromolecule remains a first order phase transition. However, its features are similar to those of the second order phase transition, because the approach to the critical point of adsorption results in considerable swelling of adsorption layers of particles involved in the complex.
Посилання на статтю:
Study of polymer chain in a solution of colloidal particles / D. K. Klimov and A. R. Khokhlov // Polymer. – 1992. – Vol 33. – P. 2177-2181.
Study of polymer chain in a solution of colloidal particles - Завантажити.