Title | Dynamics of Polymers in Flowing Colloidal Suspensions |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 2011 |
Authors | Chen, H, Alexander-Katz, A |
Journal | Physical Review Letters |
Volume | 107 |
Issue | 12 |
Date Published | 2011/09/16/ |
Abstract | Using hydrodynamic simulations we examine the behavior of single polymers in a confined colloidal suspension under flow. We study the conformations of both, collapsed and noncollapsed polymers. Our results show that the presence of the colloids has a pronounced effect on the unfolding and refolding cycles of collapsed polymers, but does not have a large effect for noncollapsed polymers. Further inspection of the conformations reveals that the strong flow around the colloids and the direct physical compressions exerted on a globular polymer diffusing in between colloidal shear bands largely facilitate the initiation and unraveling of the globular chains. These results are important for rheological studies of (bio)polymer-(bio)colloid mixtures. |