Ordered regular pentagons for semiflexible polymers on soft elastic shells

D Zhang and AH Chai and XH Wen and LL He and LX Zhang and HJ Liang, SOFT MATTER, 8, 2152-2158 (2012).

DOI: 10.1039/c1sm06653f

Statistical properties and phase transitions of semiflexible polymers on a soft elastic shell are investigated by using a molecular dynamics (MD) simulation method. The phase diagram of adsorbed semiflexible polymers depends on the bending energy of the elastic shell and the binding energy between polymers and the elastic shell. The ordered regular pentagons of polymers are observed at a moderate adhesive strength and bending energy. At the same time, the shape of the soft elastic shell can be controlled easily by adjusting the chain length of adsorbed polymers, which is helpful for the regulation and reshaping of membranes in the micrometre range or smaller sizes.

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