Abstract
The behavior of a single collapsed polymer under shear flow is examined using hydrodynamic simulations and scaling arguments. Below a threshold shear rate , the chain remains collapsed and only deforms slightly, while above the globule exhibits unfolding/refolding cycles. Hydrodynamics are crucial: In the free draining case, scales with the globule radius as , while in the presence of hydrodynamic interactions . Experiments on the globular von Willebrand protein confirm the presence of an unfolding transition at a well-defined critical shear rate.
- Received 23 March 2006
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.97.138101
©2006 American Physical Society