Polymer physics

The polymer physics is a branch of condensed matter, in their physical behavior of polymers is examined.

Among the subjects studied

• Characterization: degree of polymerization, chain networking
• Microscopic structure: entanglement, crystallinity
• Polymer melts
• Polymer alloys
• Glass transition
• Crystallization
• Polymer solutions
• Polymer Brushes
• Rubber elasticity

Research methods are

Experiment

• Scattering experiments: X-ray scattering, neutron scattering
• Direct surface observation by scanning force microscopes

Simulation

• Monte Carlo simulation
• Molecular dynamics simulation
• Specifically: Simulation (polymer)

Theory

• Analytical calculations
• Selfconsistent Field Theory (SCF )
• Single Chain Mean Field ( SCMF )

The simulations are an important tool for the investigation of polymers. In the experiment, many interesting quantities of the measurement is not available. The theoretical models on the other hand have difficulty describing fluctuations and are often exactly only in special cases. Simulations provide data also experimentally accessible quantities, and there may also provide results in which the theory is not exact. Therefore, simulations are a link between experiment and theory. Because of the limited computing power, however, only a small system can be simulated, often substantially less than the experimentally accessible systems or application-relevant.