Local order and statistics of a polymer chain in an external electric field

Abstract

A solution of polymer macromolecules in the presence of an external electric field is considered. Dipole-like interactions between polymer chain segment-vectors and the electric field are assumed to be proportional to cosv, where v is the angle between the segment-vector and the direction of the electric field. Parameters describing the local order at the segmental and chain level, i.e., moments of the first and second Legendre polynomials 〈P ₁(v)〉 and 〈P ₂(v)〉 are expressed as power series on parameter q, where q is the intensity of the external electric field in kT units. The optical anisotropy induced by the external electric field and the possibility of application of the Kerr equation for description of this effect are discussed.