Papers by Alexander Skvortsov
Physical Review Letters, 2014
We propose a design for polymer-based sensors and switches with sharp switching transition and fa... more We propose a design for polymer-based sensors and switches with sharp switching transition and fast response time. The switching mechanism involves a radical change in the conformations of adsorption-active minority chains in a brush. Such transitions can be induced by a temperature change of only about ten degrees, and the characteristic time of the conformational change is less than a second. We present an analytical theory for these switches and support it by self-consistent field calculations and Brownian dynamics simulations. arXiv:1412.4935v1 [cond-mat.soft]
Journal of Chromatography A, 1997
The adsorption behavior of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) in reversed-phase chromatography is studie... more The adsorption behavior of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) in reversed-phase chromatography is studied both experimentally and theoretically and a computer simulation of chromatograms is performed on the basis of these studies. The experimental conditions were: different reversed-phase adsorbents and a solvent methanol-water system as the mobile phase. At varying mobile phase compositions highly resolved chromatograms of PEG samples were obtained, in which all peaks could be identified, and the dependencies of the distribution coefficient on the degree of polymerization for PEG molecules were evaluated by processing these chromatograms. The data were interpreted by using a theory of homopolymers based on a continuum Gaussian chain model of flexible macromolecules and a slit-like model of pores of stationary phase. The theory proved to describe well the experimental data in the whole range of studied molecular masses, and the thermodynamic parameters characterizing interactions of ethylene oxide repeating units in PEG molecules with the adsorbent pore walls have been determined from the comparison of the theory with the experimental data. The dispersion of chromatographic peaks corresponding to individual oligomer molecules is also estimated. In the system studied the peak width occurred to be proportional to the distribution coefficient of corresponding macromolecule. The theory is used to develop a computerassisted procedure for simulation of chromatograms for samples of linear homopolymers. Using the obtained data on the thermodynamic parameters and the estimates of peak dispersion, chromatograms are simulated for PEG samples at two different chromatographic conditions. These simulated chromatograms were in good quantitative agreement with the real chromatograms.
Molekuliarnaia biologiia
The results of a dynamical Monte-Carlo study on the coil-globule and globule-coil transitions are... more The results of a dynamical Monte-Carlo study on the coil-globule and globule-coil transitions are presented. Self-avoiding chains of lengths N = 32 and 64 are investigated. The kinetic model included two- and three-bonds flips. The relaxation of the chain was induced by the abrupt change of the interaction between the monomers. The time evolution of the radius of gyration and the number of intramolecular contacts was obtained. It is established that the transition to the compact state occurs due to the contacts between the monomers close to each other along the chain. The results obtained are compared with the predictions of analytical theories.
On the basis of theoretical considerations and computer experiment, we suggest a new technique fo... more On the basis of theoretical considerations and computer experiment, we suggest a new technique for separation of polymer molecules. The method is based on filling an array of nanochannels with macromolecules whereby the subsequent ejection time depends strongly on small differences in the end-to-end distances of elongated configurations inside the nanotubes. In contrast to conventional methods for chromatographic separation, the efficiency of the proposed method increases with growing molecular length of the chains. The method appears promising also for the separation of ring from linear polymer chains.
Macromolecules, 2008
We present a scaling theory and Monte Carlo (MC) simulation results for a flexible polymer chain ... more We present a scaling theory and Monte Carlo (MC) simulation results for a flexible polymer chain slowly dragged by one end into a nanotube. We also describe the situation when the completely confined chain is released and gradually leaves the tube. MC simulations were performed for a self-avoiding lattice model with a biased chain growth algorithm, the pruned-enriched Rosenbluth method (PERM). The nanotube is a long channel opened at one end and its diameter D is much smaller than the size of the polymer coil in solution. We analyze the following characteristics as functions of the chain end position x inside the tube: the free energy of confinement, the average end-to-end distance, the average number of segments imprisoned in the tube, and the average stretching of the confined part of the chain for various values of D and for the number of repeat units in the chain, N . We show that when the chain end is dragged by a certain critical distance x * into the tube, the polymer undergoes a first-order phase transition whereby the remaining free tail is abruptly sucked into the tube. This is accompanied by jumps in the average size, the number of imprisoned segments, and in the average stretching parameter. The critical distance scales as x * ∼ N D 1−1/ν . The transition takes place when approximately 3/4 of the chain units are dragged into the tube. The theory presented is based on constructing the Landau free energy as a function of an order parameter that provides a complete description of equilibrium and metastable states. We argue that if the trapped chain is released with all monomers allowed to fluctuate, the reverse process in which the chain leaves the confinement occurs smoothly without any jumps. Finally, we apply the theory to estimate the lifetime of confined DNA in metastable states in nanotubes.
We analyze exact analytical partition functions for Gaussian chains near surfaces and interfaces.... more We analyze exact analytical partition functions for Gaussian chains near surfaces and interfaces. These partition functions contain the possibility of conformational first order phase transitions. Such transitions occur when chains are tethered in space and exposed to a local perturbing field. Then the chain can partially escape from the field: the chain transforms from the confined coil to an inhomogeneous flower conformation. The flower consists of a strongly stretched stem and a very weakly deformed crown. A generic phase diagram including one binodal and two spinodal lines is found for three related systems. The height of the barrier between stable and metastable states as well as the dynamics of barrier crossings is discussed.
Polymer Science U.S.S.R., 1978
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Polymer Science U.S.S.R., 1980
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Polymer Science U.S.S.R., 1981
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ACS Macro Letters, 2013
On the basis of theoretical considerations and computer experiment, we suggest a new technique fo... more On the basis of theoretical considerations and computer experiment, we suggest a new technique for separation of polymer molecules. The method is based on filling an array of nanochannels with macromolecules whereby the subsequent ejection time depends strongly on small differences in the end-to-end distances of elongated configurations inside the nanotubes. In contrast to conventional methods for chromatographic separation, the efficiency of the proposed method increases with growing molecular length of the chains. The method appears promising also for the separation of ring from linear polymer chains.
Polymer Science U.S.S.R., 1990
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Polymer Science U.S.S.R., 1991
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Papers by Alexander Skvortsov