Polymers with Random Self-Interactions

Abstract
We examine macromolecules with quenched random (on the average vanishing) charges interacting either via long- or short-range interactions. If charges of the same sign repel each other, at low space dimensions such interactions produce swollen states. For short-range one-dimensional interactions, we find the lowest-energy configuration by a complete enumer- ation of all states for chains up to length L = 22. Averaging over the quenched charges results in a swelling exponent v = 0.57. For power law interactions an exact value of the exponent v is found, which in the particular case of Coulomb interactions in d=3 gives v= 1.
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