Dense Knots

Polymers can become dense by application of pressure, or action of attractive forces.

    Are tight shapes also present in topologically entangled dense polymers?

Simulations and scaling analysis confirm that the flat figure-8 is remains tight:

Scaling analysis suggests that the trefoil is loose:

Simulations by E. Orlandini, A.L. Stella, and C. Vanderzande, PRE68, 031804 (2003) (cond-mat/0211259):

Delocalization in three dimensional compact polymers?

• R.C. Lau, N.T. Moore, and A.Yu. Grosberg (cond-mat/0403413)
• B. Marcone, E. Orlandini, A.L. Stella, and F. Zonta (cond-mat/040523)

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