Phase behavior of rod-like virus and polymer mixture
Abstract
We have prepared a homologous series of filamentous viruses with varying contour length using molecular cloning techniques. These viruses are monodisperse enough to form a stable smectic phase. Two systems are studied. The first system consists of viruses to which polymers are covalently attached to the virus surface. Through studies of the isotropic - cholesteric phase transition we demonstrate that covalently attached polymers alter the effective diameter of the virus. Additionally, we have produced mixtures of viruses whose ratio of effective diameters varies by a factor of five. The second system is composed of mixtures of rod-like viruses and non-absorbing polymers. With this system we study the kinetics of the isotropic - smectic phase transition and describe observations of a number of novel metastable structures of unexpected complexity.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.cond-mat/0010269,
title = {Phase behavior of rod-like virus and polymer mixture},
author = {Zvonimir Dogic and Seth Fraden},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:cond-mat/0010269},
year = {2007}
}
Comments
22 pages, 8 figures. For related information see http://www.elsie.brandeis.edu