Effects of random walk asymmetries on the depletion interaction / Mario Triantafillou.

Format:

Book

Manuscript

Microformat

Thesis/Dissertation

Author/Creator:

Triantafillou, Mario.

Contributor:

Kamien, Randall D., advisor.

University of Pennsylvania.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Penn dissertations--Physics and astronomy.

Physics and astronomy--Penn dissertations.

Local Subjects:

Penn dissertations--Physics and astronomy.

Physics and astronomy--Penn dissertations.

Physical Description:

xii, 102 pages : illustrations ; 29 cm

Production:

2000.

Summary:

There is no question of whether a polymer random walk is on average asymmetrical. Numerous calculations, including computer simulations and renormalization group theory methods, have confirmed this fact. There is a question, however, about how this asymmetry manifests itself. Scattering experiments, which are traditionally used to determine the form of matter, come to no avail. The random orientations of the polymers in solution wash out any signature of asymmetry. The depletion interaction, however, is sensitive to the shape of the depletors. In this thesis, we lay out an estimate of the depletion interaction between two spheres in a dilute solution of polymers. The progress that has been made on the analytical treatment of this problem will be detailed. Additionally, we will lay out our own approach to the problem. We have run computer simulations to calculate this force taking only the most frequent shape of polymers into account, a prolate spheroid. Our results agree favorably with the available experimental results.

Notes:

Supervisor: Randall D. Kamien.

Thesis (Ph.D. in Physics and Astronomy) -- University of Pennsylvania, 2000.

Includes bibliographical references.

Local Notes:

University Microfilms order no.: 9989661.

OCLC:

244971799