The Packing of Granular Polymer Chains

Abstract

Like Beads on a String The optimal packing of spheres, and the somewhat lower densities obtained in the compaction of granular materials are well studied problems. What is less clear is what happens when the spheres are connected, as in the case of polymeric materials—often represented by connected sphere models. Zou et al. (p. 408 ; see the Perspective by Reichhardt and Lopatina ) examined the packing of chains of metal beads commonly used for securing bathroom drain plugs or for raising or lowering window blinds. Both the length of the chains, and whether they were linear or looped, influenced the overall packing density. Jamming the chains together captured the key physics of the glass transition of polymeric materials.