Grosberg A.Y., Khokhlov A.R. Giant Molecules: Here, There, and Everywhere

World Scientific Publishing, 2 edition, 2011, 322 pages, ISBN10: 9812839224This book describes the basic facts, concepts and ideas of polymer physics in simple, yet scientifically accurate, terms. In both scientific and historic contexts, the book shows how the subject of polymers is fascinating, as it is behind most of the wonders of living cell machinery as well as most of the newly developed materials. No mathematics is used in the book beyond modest high school algebra and a bit of freshman calculus, yet very sophisticated concepts are introduced and explained, ranging from scaling and reptations to protein folding and evolution. The new edition includes an extended section on polymer preparation methods, discusses knots formed by molecular filaments, and presents new and updated materials on such contemporary topics as single molecule experiments with DNA or polymer properties of proteins and their roles in biological evolution.Introduction: Physics in the World of Giant Molecules
What Does a Polymer Molecule Look Like?
How are Polymers Made
What Kinds of Polymer Substances are There?
Polymers in Nature
The Mathematics of a Simple Polymer Coil
The Physics of High Elasticity
The Problem of Excluded Volume
Coils and Globules
Globular Proteins and Folding
To Knot or Not to Knot
Dynamics of Polymer Fluids
The Mathematics of Complicated Polymer Structures: Fractals
Polymers, Evolution, and the Origin of Life