Diffusion of extended structures I polymers
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to describe the diffusive motion of a polymer.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper describes the Fokker‐Planck equation for the probability distribution of the positions of the monomers and the stochastic equation for their positions (in the large friction limit). The average position is studied for a free polymer ring or an attached ring, respectively.
Findings
It is found that this motion is subdiffusive: at time t, the average position of the polymer is of order t1/4 rather than t1/2.
Originality/value
The paper is of value in showing that it is wrong to consider a polymer as a particle of large mass, owing to the fact the polymer has an internal structure.
Keywords
Citation
Gaveau, B. (2009), "Diffusion of extended structures I polymers", Kybernetes, Vol. 38 No. 5, pp. 704-708. https://doi.org/10.1108/03684920910962597
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2009, Emerald Group Publishing Limited