Conformations of polydisperse polymer solutions : bimodal distribution

Abstract

Starting with the Flory theory for one long flexible polymer chain of N segments in a homopolymer melt of shorter (P segments) chains, we employ scaling arguments to construct the « phase diagram » of an athermal bimodal solution, i.e. a ternary system composed of N chains, P chains, and solvent. Qualitatively the presence of short chains reduces the effective solvent quality as experienced by the long chains. We present limiting forms for the radii of gyration of both chains through out the « phase diagram »