Bicriticality in the Polymerization of Chains and Rings

Authors

Rolfe G. Petschek, Case Western Reserve UniversityFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

5-23-1983

Abstract

The equilibrium polymerization of chains and rings can be viewed as a bicritical point in a suitably augmented parameter space. The polymerization of chains in equilibrium with rings is described by the cross-over exponent, φ, for quadratic anisotropy in the O(n) vector model with n→1. While the total mass fraction of polymerized material is described by the Ising exponent α, the mass fraction of chains separately (and therefore also of rings) is described by the exponent αc=φ-1+α.

Publication Title

Physical Review Letters

Rights

© 1983 The American Physical Society.

Recommended Citation

Bicriticality in the Polymerization of Chains and Rings. Wheeler J.C., Petschek R.G., Pfeuty P., Physical Review Letters 50:21, 1633-1636, 1983.