Ring Polymers
Due to the absence of chain ends, caused by their loop topology, polymer rings exhibit distinctly different static and dynamic properties. Besides the role of the single ring topology, these properties pertain to the different role of interactions with the surrounding chains in pure ring melts or in blends with linear polymers. For ring polymers, interpenetration is costly entropically and compact structures that evolve for high molecular weight are induced. The related phenomena are not only of fundamental interest, but also are highly relevant for a mechanistic understanding of cyclic DNA in chromatin folding or even processing. We are able to synthesize polymer rings of different molecular weight (up to 100 kg/mol) and determine their structural and dynamical properties in quiescent and deformed state using SANS, NSE, rheology and PFG NMR.
References:
- M. Kruteva , M. Monkenbusch , J. Allgaier , O. Holderer , S. Pasini , I. Hoffmann , and D. Richter
Self-Similar Dynamics of Large Polymer Rings: A Neutron Spin Echo Study
Phys. Rev. Lett, 125, 238004 (2020)
- M. Kruteva, J. Allgaier, M. Monkenbusch, L. Porcar,and D. Richter
Self-Similar Polymer Ring Conformations Based on Elementary
Loops: A Direct Observation by SANS
ACS Macro Letters, 9 (4) 507 (2020)
- M. Kapnistos, M.l Lang, D. Vlassopoulos, W. Pyckhout- Hintzen, D. Richter, D. Cho, T. Chang, and M. Rubinstein:
Unexpected Power-law stress relaxation of entangled ring polymers
Nature materials, 7(12),997-1002(2008)
Contact:
Phone: +49 2461 61-1838
Email: m.kruteva@fz-juelich.de
