Polymer dynamics: from synthetic polymers to proteins

Polymer dynamics from synthetic to biological macromolecules

In soft materials entropic and enthalpic contributions are of similar magnitude and balance each other. Therefore, the macroscopic mechanical and rheological properties and the phase changes are determined to a high degree by thermal motion of the atoms and molecules. Most of the relevant dynamics takes place on mesoscopic length and time scales in between the picosecond atomic scale and the ma...

Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Synthetic Polymers

Nanostructures from Synthetic Genetic Polymers

Nanoscale objects of increasing complexity can be constructed from DNA or RNA. However, the scope of potential applications could be enhanced by expanding beyond the moderate chemical diversity of natural nucleic acids. Here, we explore the construction of nano-objects made entirely from alternative building blocks: synthetic genetic polymers not found in nature, also called xeno nucleic acids ...

Polymer solutions: from hard monomers to soft polymers

A coarse-graining strategy for dilute and semi-dilute solutions of interacting polymers, and of colloid–polymer mixtures, is briefly described. Monomer degrees of freedom are traced out to derive an effective, state-dependent pair potential between the polymer centres of mass. The cross-over between good and poor solvent conditions is discussed within a scaling analysis. The method is extended ...

Batch experimental studies of Hg(II) ion removal from aqueous solution using seven synthetic polymers

In this work application of seven synthetic polymers as adsorbents for the removal of Hg(II) from aqueous solution was studied. The equilibrium studies are systematically carried out in a batch process, covering various process parameters that include agitation time, adsorbent dosage, and pH of the aqueous solution. Variations of Hg(II) concentration in solution have been studied through measur...