The packing of granular polymer chains

Ling Nan Zou, Xiang Cheng, Mark L. Rivers, Heinrich M. Jaeger, Sidney R. Nagel

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

111 Scopus citations

Abstract

Rigid particles pack into structures, such as sand dunes on the beach, whose overall stability is determined by the average number of contacts between particles. However, when packing spatially extended objects with flexible shapes, additional concepts must be invoked to understand the stability of the resulting structure. Here, we examine the disordered packing of chains constructed out of flexibly connected hard spheres. Using x-ray tomography, we find that long chains pack into a low-density structure whose mechanical rigidity is mainly provided by the backbone. On compaction, randomly oriented, semi-rigid loops form along the chain, and the packing of chains can be understood as the jamming of these elements. Finally, we uncover close similarities between the packing of chains and the glass transition in polymers.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)408-410
Number of pages3
JournalScience
Volume326
Issue number5951
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 16 2009

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