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Electrostatic rigidity of polyelectrolytes from reparametrization invariance
Author(s) -
Kholodenko Arkady L.,
Douglas Jack F.,
Vilgis Thomas A.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
macromolecular theory and simulations
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.37
H-Index - 56
eISSN - 1521-3919
pISSN - 1022-1344
DOI - 10.1002/mats.1996.040050109
Subject(s) - polyelectrolyte , rigidity (electromagnetism) , persistence length , monte carlo method , polymer , electrostatics , invariant (physics) , statistical physics , chain (unit) , ionic bonding , thermodynamics , ionic strength , physics , chemical physics , chemistry , mathematical physics , quantum mechanics , mathematics , ion , aqueous solution , nuclear magnetic resonance , statistics
The persistence length l p of a polyelectrolyte chain can be represented as l p = l O + l e where l O is the bare persistence and I e is the electrostatic contribution coming from the effects of electrostatic chain self‐interactions. Using a reparametrization‐invariant path integral model of semiflexible polymers we find that I e depends on the ionic strength I as I e ∼ I −1/2 . This result accords with experimental observations and recent Monte Carlo simulations. Reparametrization‐invariance is apparently an essential constrainet in selecting acceptable models of semiflexible polymers.