Shape and Diffusion of Circular Polyelectrolytes in Salt-Free Dilute Solutions and Comparison with Linear Polyelectrolytes

Abstract

The shape and diffusion of circular polyelectrolytes in salt-free dilute solutions are investigated over a large range of the Bjerrum length lB by mesoscale hydrodynamic simulations, where lB characterizes the strength of electrostatic interactions (EIs). A comprehensive comparison of linear and circular polyelectrolytes is also made to gain a deep understanding of the effects of topological constraints on the conformational and dynamical properties. As lB increases, counterions become increasingly important due to their condensations on the polyelectrolyte backbone. The shape of a circular polyelectrolyte changes from a prolate coil to an oblate ring at small lB, then to a prolate coil at intermediate lB, and finally to a dense coil at large lB; in contrast, the shape of a linear polyelectrolyte changes from a prolate coil to a rod, then to a prolate coil, and finally to a dense coil. By switching on/off hydrodynamic interactions (HIs), the simulations clarify the complex coupling effects of hydrodynamic...