Statistical Physics of Polymers

Provides an excellent reference and text for graduate students, physicists, and materials scientists seeking an introduction to the basic concepts used in the statistical physics of polymers. Methods of Gaussian chain statistics are discussed in detail. Applications to numerous interesting phenomena ranging from the microscopic (chain conformations, biopolymers, etc.) to the macroscopic (phase separations, rheology, etc.) are described. Readers are assumed to have taken elementary courses on statistical physics, quantum physics and mathematical physics, but prior knowledge of polymer science is not required. The book contains many illustrations and diagrams as well as exercises, which will help readers to easily and intuitively understand the concepts described in the text.

Provides the basic knowledge on theoretical and statistical polymer physics Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

Texte du rabat
This textbook provides senior undergraduate and graduate students with an introduction to the basic concepts used the statistical physics of polymers. Methods of Gaussian chain statistics are discussed in detail. Applications to numerous interesting phenomena ranging from the microscopic (chain conformations, biopolymers, etc.) to the macroscopic (phase separations, rheology, etc.) are described. Readers are assumed to have taken elementary courses on statistical physics, quantum physics and mathematical physics, but prior knowledge of polymer science is not required. The book contains many illustrations and diagrams as well as exercises, which will help readers to easily and intuitively understand the concepts described in the text.

Résumé
This book is an introductory textbook on the statistical mechanics of poly­ mers and complex fluids aimed at senior undergraduate and graduate stu­ dents and non-specialist researchers who are starting research in this field. Modern statistical mechanics on polymers and complex fluids is based on many fields, such as chemical physics, statistical mechanics, quantum me­ chanics, stochastic processes, theory of phase transitions, hydrodynamics, rheology, and so on. This book provides an overview of the basic concepts and methods used in current research on the physics of polymers and complex fluids. Using simple but essential examples, we describe how to derive the physical properties of polymers theoretically, focusing on the structure and dynamics on mesoscopic scales. Here, the term 'mesoscopic scales' means intermediate lengths and time scales between the microscopic atomic scale and the macroscopic scale. Properties on mesoscopic scales are the central issue of the physics of polymers and complex fluids, because these materials are well characterized by spatiotemporal structures on these scales, where we can extract universal properties that are independent of the microscopic details of the system.

Contenu
1 Introduction.- 2 Gaussian Chain Model and Statistics of Polymers.- 3 Mesoscopic Structures and Self-Consistent Field Theory.- 4 GinzburgLandau Theory.- 5 Macroscopic Viscoelastic Theory of Polymers.- References.