Core-shell structures in single flexible-semiflexible block copolymers: Finding the free energy minimum for the folding transition
Soft Condensed Matter
2009-11-13 v1
Abstract
We investigate the folding transition of a single diblock copolymer consisting of a semiflexible and a flexible block. We obtain a {\it Saturn-shaped} core-shell conformation in the folded state, in which the flexible block forms a core and the semiflexible block wraps around it. We demonstrate two distinctive features of the core-shell structures: (i) The kinetics of the folding transition in the copolymer are significantly more efficient than those of a semiflexible homopolymer. (ii) The core-shell structure does not depend on the transition pathway.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.0706.1389,
title = {Core-shell structures in single flexible-semiflexible block copolymers: Finding the free energy minimum for the folding transition},
author = {Natsuhiko Yoshinaga and Kenichi Yoshikawa},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:0706.1389},
year = {2009}
}