Ribbon polymers in poor solvents: layering transitions in annular and tubular condensates

TL;DR

This paper investigates how ribbon polymers form stable, anisotropic condensates with layering transitions in poor solvents, revealing non-monotonic size behavior and the influence of anisotropic rigidity.

Contribution

It introduces the study of layering transitions in ribbon polymers' condensates, highlighting the effects of anisotropic rigidity and surface tension in poor solvents.

Findings

Condensates exhibit multiple layering transitions.

Size of condensates varies non-monotonically with chain length.

Condensates are stable with small fluctuations.

Abstract

We study the structures of a ribbon or ladder polymer immersed in poor solvents. The anisotropic bending rigidity coupled with the surface tension leads ribbon polymers to spontaneous formation of highly anisotropic condensates in poor solvents. Unlike ordinary flexible polymers these condensates undergo a number of distinct layering transitions as a function of chain length or solvent quality, and the size of condensates becomes non-monotonic function of chain length. We show that the fluctuations of the condensates are in general small and these condensates are stable.