Effect of confinement and stiffness on the conformational change of a semiflexible homopolymer chain

Abstract

We analyse the nature of the confinement of an infinitely long (and finite) linear semiflexible homo-polymer chain confined in between two geometrical constraints (A & B) under good solvent condition in two dimensions. The constraints are stair shaped impenetrable lines. A lattice model of fully directed self avoiding walk is used to list information of walks of the confined chain and the exact enumeration technique is used for the canonical ensemble of conformations of the confined chain to discuss equilibrium statistics of the chain. We calculate probability of finding the confined flexible chain segments with either one end of the chain lying on the constraint (i.e. polymer trains) or both the ends of the confined chain lying on the stair shaped constraints (polymer bridge and polymer arc). We have also calculated the force of confinement exerted by the constraints on to the chain or the force exerted by the chain on the geometrical constraints using grand canonical ensemble theory and discuss nature of variation of the force.

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