Thermoreversible gelation strongly coupled to coil-to-helix transition of polymers

This paper theoretically studies thermoreversible gelation driven by aggregation of helices formed on the polymer chains. Two fundamentally different cases of (i) multiple association of single helices and (ii) association by multiple helices with multiplicity k (such as double helices (k=2), triple helices (k=3), etc.) are treated on the basis of different equations. The helix length distribution on a polymer chain (or assemble of chains for multiple helices) is derived as a function of polymer concentration and temperature. Theoretical calculation of the total helix content in the solution is compared with experimental data of optical rotation in iota-carrageenan solutions at different polymer concentrations. It is shown that at low temperature there is a sharp transition from network to bundle state (pair, triplet, etc.). To confirm such a network/pairing transition, we carried out Monte Carlo simulation of polymer solution in which hydrogen-bonded zipper-like cross-links are formed.