Chain solution conformations and interactions

This method applies for whatever polymer concentration. In practice, it is preferable to use high concentrations in order to increase the signal-to-noise ratio and therefore minimize counting time. However, it can also be applied to semidilute or even dilute solutions where Zimm plots are useful. It also applies not only to linear polymers but also to any form of chain architecture and to deuterated/protonated mixtures in non-solvent matrices such as polymer blends or polymer networks provided that changing the deuterated fraction does not change the homogeneous nature of the mixture (i.e., no change to the chain conformations and interactions). 

Prediction of Polymer Solution Properties from a Model of Chain Conformations and Interactions... 

The ionic strength dependence of intrinsic viscosity is function of molecular structure and protein folding, ft is well known that the conformational and rheological properties of charged biopolymer solutions are dependent not only upon electrostatic interactions between macromolecules but also upon interactions between biopolymer chains and mobile ions. Due electrostatic interactions the specific viscosity of extremely dilute solutions seems to increase infinitely with decreasing ionic concentration. Variations of the intrinsic viscosity of a charged polyampholite with ionic strength have problems of characterization. 

The conformation of a polymer in solution is the consequence of a competition between solute intra- and intermolecular forces, solvent intramolecular forces, and solute-solvent intermolecular forces. Addition of a good solvent to a dry polymer causes polymer swelling and disaggregation as solvent molecules adsorb to sites which had previously been occupied by polymer intra- and intermolecular interaction. As swelling proceeds, individual chains are brought into bulk solution until an equilibrium solubility is attained. 

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