Gyration tensor based analysis of the shapes of polymer chains in an attractive spherical cage

Abstract

In a recent computational study, we found highly structured conformations for the polymer-attractive sphere model system. Those conformations are of highly ordered spherical shape or form two-dimensional planar, compact to extended, random coil structures. The observed conformations range from desorbed to partially or even completely adsorbed. In order to present their shape characteristics, here we calculate the gyration tensor and related shape descriptors.