Date Published:

2001

Abstract:

We present a comprehensive numerical study of phase diagram and conformational transitions in disordered globular networks with physical/chemical crosslinks. Physically crosslinked random heteropolymer (RHP) networks at positive intersegment interaction dissimilarity, i.e., χf>0, exhibit three globular phases: frozen globular with microdomain structure, random globular, and frozen-random-globular phase, while chemically crosslinked RHPs at positive χf exhibit one random-globular phase and three frozen-globular phases; in contrast with RHPs with physical crosslinks, phase changes in chemically crosslinked RHP networks do not require reentrant passages via a random-globular phase. Based on physical grounds we explain the origins of the phase changes predicted and discuss the order of the phase transitions predicted. © 2001 American Institute of Physics.

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