Entropic characterization of the coil-stretch transition of polymers in random flows
Polymer molecules in a flow undergo a coil-stretch phase transition on an increase of the velocity gradients. Model-independent identification and characterization of the transition in a random flow has been lacking so far. Here we suggest to use the entropy of the extension statistics as a proper m...
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Published in | Physical review. E Vol. 103; no. 3-1; p. 033107 |
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Main Authors | , , , , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
United States
01.03.2021
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Online Access | Get more information |
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Summary: | Polymer molecules in a flow undergo a coil-stretch phase transition on an increase of the velocity gradients. Model-independent identification and characterization of the transition in a random flow has been lacking so far. Here we suggest to use the entropy of the extension statistics as a proper measure due to strong fluctuations around the transition. We measure experimentally the entropy as a function of the local Weisenberg number and show that it has a maximum, which identifies and quantifies the transition. We compare the new approach with the traditional one based on the theory using either linear Oldroyd-B or nonlinear finite extensible nonlinear elastic polymer models. |
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ISSN: | 2470-0053 |
DOI: | 10.1103/PhysRevE.103.033107 |