Flow-injection of branched polymers inside nanopores

TL;DR

This paper refines the understanding of how flexible branched and linear polymers enter nanopores under flow, showing that the critical flow rate depends on the entry of a single blob and shares similar scaling for both chain types.

Contribution

It corrects previous models by considering the progressive suction process, revealing that the critical current is governed by the entry of a single capillary-sized blob, applicable to both branched and linear polymers.

Findings

Critical current depends on the entry of a single blob.

Scaling structure is the same for branched and linear chains.

Refines previous models of polymer entry into nanopores.

Abstract

Flexible chains (linear or branched) can be forced to enter into a narrow capillary by using a hydrodynamic flow. Here, we correct our earlier description of this problem by considering the progressive nature of the suction process. We find that the critical current for penetration, $J\_c$, is controlled by the entry of a single blob of the capillary size, and that its scaling structure is the same for branched and linear chains.