Threading-Induced Dynamical Transition in Tadpole-Shaped Polymers

• DOI: 10.1021/acsmacrolett.0c00197
• Publication Date: 2020-05-05T17:52:53Z
• Authors: Angelo Rosa; Jan Smrek; Matthew S. Turner; Davide Michieletto
• Keywords: Condensed Matter - Materials Science; Materials Science (cond-mat.mtrl-sci); FOS: Physical sciences; RELAXATION; Condensed Matter - Soft Condensed Matter; BLENDS; 01 natural sciences; DIFFUSION; 0104 chemical sciences; MOLECULAR TOPOLOGY; Soft Condensed Matter; 103023 Polymerphysik; RING POLYMERS; STATISTICAL-MECHANICS; Soft Condensed Matter (cond-mat.soft); 103023 Polymer physics; MELT RHEOLOGY; QC

Accepted in ACS Macroletters<br/>The relationship between polymer topology and bulk rheology remains a key question in soft matter physics. Architecture-specific constraints (or threadings) are thought to control the dynamics of ring polymers in ring-linear blends, which thus affects the viscosity to range between that of the pure rings and a value larger, but still comparable to, that of the pure linear melt. Here we consider qualitatively different systems of linear and ring polymers, fused together in "chimeric" architectures. The simplest example of this family is a "tadpole"-shaped polymer - a single ring fused to the end of a single linear chain. We show that polymers with this architecture display a threading-induced dynamical transition that substantially slows chain relaxation. Our findings shed light on how threadings control dynamics and may inform design principles for chimeric polymers with topologically-tunable bulk rheological properties.<br/>