1306.4965 (D. Michieletto et al.)

Threading Dynamics of Ring Polymers in a Gel    [PDF]

D. Michieletto, D. Marenduzzo, E. Orlandini, G. P. Alexander, M. S. Turner

We perform large scale three-dimensional molecular dynamics simulations of unlinked and un-knotted ring polymers diffusing through a background gel, here a three-dimensional cubic lattice. Taking advantage of this architecture, we propose a new method to unambiguously identify and quantify inter-ring threadings (penetrations) and to relate these to the slow dynamics of the ring polymers. We find both that the number and the persistence time of the threadings increase with the length of the chains, ultimately leading to a percolating network of inter-ring penetrations. We discuss the implications of these findings for the possible emergence of a {\em topological glass} of very long rings.

View original: http://arxiv.org/abs/1306.4965