Star Polymers Viewed as Ultrasoft Colloidal Particles

Abstract

Combining statistical-mechanical theories and neutron-scattering techniques, we show that the effective pair potential between star polymers is exponentially decaying for large distances and crosses over, at a density-dependent corona diameter, to an ultrasoft logarithmic repulsion for small distances. We also make the theoretical prediction that in concentrated star polymer solutions, this ultrasoft interaction induces an anomalous fluid structure factor which exhibits an unusually pronounced second peak.