Comparing different coarse-grained potentials for star polymers

Abstract

We compare different coarse-grained models for star polymers. We find that phenomenological models inspired by the Daoud-Cotton model reproduce quite poorly the thermodynamics of these systems, even if the potential is assumed to be density dependent, as done in the analysis of experimental results. We also determine the minumum value fc of the functionality of the star polymer for which a fluid-solid transition occurs. By applying the Hansen-Verlet criterion we find 35 < fc < 40. This result is confirmed by an analysis based on the modified (reference) hypernetted chain method and is qualitatively consistent with previous work.

9 pages. In the new version, comments added and a few typos corrected. To appear in J. Chem. Phys

References in corpus (3)

• Beware of density dependent pair potentials
• Virial coefficients and osmotic pressure in polymer solutions in good-solvent conditions
• Third virial coefficient for 4-arm and 6-arm star polymers

Cited by in corpus (3)

• Thermodynamics of star polymer solutions: a coarse-grained study
• Coarse-graining polymer solutions: a critical appraisal of single- and multi-site models
• Phase diagram of mixtures of colloids and polymers in the thermal crossover from good to $\theta$ solvent