Brownian dynamics simulations of needle chain and nugget chain polymer models--rigid constraint conditions versus infinitely stiff springs.

It is well known that orientational correlations appear in polymer chain models when the subunits are linked by ball-socket joints implemented as rigid constraint conditions. These correlations do not appear when the subunits are connected by springlike potential forces, even in the limit of infinitely stiff springs. In a widely used class of algorithms for Brownian dynamics simulations, inertia effects are ignored.

Viscosity and transient electric birefringence study of clay colloidal aggregation.

We study a synthetic clay suspension of laponite at different particle and NaCl concentrations by measuring stationary shear viscosity and transient electrically induced birefringence (TEB). On one hand the viscosity data are consistent with the particles being spheres and the particles being associated with large amount bound water. On the other hand the viscosity data are also consistent with the particles being asymmetric, consistent with single laponite platelets associated with a very few monolayers of water.