Conformational transitions of a semiflexible polymer in nematic solvents

TL;DR

This paper uses mean field theory to study how a semiflexible polymer changes shape in nematic solvents, revealing phase transitions influenced by polymer stiffness and nematic interactions.

Contribution

It introduces a theoretical model accounting for polymer stiffness and nematic interactions, predicting phase transitions in polymer conformations within liquid crystalline solvents.

Findings

Discontinuous and continuous phase transitions depend on polymer stiffness.

Nematic interactions influence polymer segment conformations.

The model predicts conformational changes in nematic solvents.

Abstract

Conformations of a single semiflexible polymer chain dissolved in a low molecular weight liquid crystalline solvents (nematogens) are examined by using a mean field theory. We takes into account a stiffness and partial orientational ordering of the polymer. As a result of an anisotropic coupling between the polymer and nematogen, we predict a discontinuous (or continuous) phase transition from a condensed-rodlike conformation to a swollen-one of the polymer chain, depending on the stiffness of the polymer. We also discuss the effects of the nematic interaction between polymer segments.