Semiflexible polymers in a random environment

TL;DR

This paper develops a theoretical framework using scaling and replica symmetry breaking to understand how semiflexible polymers localize in a random environment, highlighting the effects of disorder and chain stiffness on localization.

Contribution

It introduces a novel theory for semiflexible polymer localization considering both disorder and flexibility, and proposes a phase diagram for their states.

Findings

Localization depends on disorder density and polymer stiffness.

Increased disorder or stiffness can cause delocalization.

A phase diagram for localized states is proposed.

Abstract

We present using simple scaling arguments and one step replica symmetry breaking a theory for the localization of semiflexible polymers in a quenched random environment. In contrast to completely flexible polymers, localization of semiflexible polymers depends not only on the details of the disorder but also on the ease with which polymers can bend. The interplay of these two effects can lead to the delocalization of a localized polymer with an increase in either the disorder density or the stiffness. Our theory provides a general criterion for the delocalization of polymers with varying degrees of flexibility and allows us to propose a phase diagram for the highly folded (localized) states of semiflexible polymers as a function of the disorder strength and chain rigidity.