2006/12/11 by Erik Van der Straeten, Van der Straeten, Erik, Jan Naudts +1 · 1 citation
Physics and Astronomy · #FOS: Physical sciences #Statistical Mechanics (cond-mat.stat-mech) #cond-mat.stat-mech
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.cond-mat/0612256
revtex, 9 pages, 4 figures
arxiv created 2006/12/11 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01
In this paper we study the unfolding transition observed in polymer stretching experiments. We use a known model and extend it with a mean-field-like interaction. Expressions for all necessary thermodynamic variables as a function of the model parameters are derived in closed form. To obtain the exact force-extension relation at constant temperature, we invert these relations numerically. Below a critical temperature the model exhibits a sharp first order phase transition.