Symmetry-breaking in chiral polymerisation
Year: 2004
Type: preprint
Abstract: We propose a model for chiral polymerisation and investigate \nits symmetric and asymmetric solutions. The model has a source \nspecies which decays into left- and right-handed types of monomer, \neach of which can polymerise to form homochiral chains; \nthese chains are susceptible to `poisoning' by the opposite handed \nmonomer. Homochiral polymers are assumed to influence the \nproportion of each type of monomer formed from the precursor. \nWe show that for certain parameter values a positive feedback \nmechanism makes the symmetric steady-state solution unstable. \n \nThe kinetics of polymer formation are then analysed in the case \nwhere the system starts from zero concentrations of monomers \nand chains. We show that following a long induction time, extremely \nlarge concentrations of polymers are \nformed for a short time, during this time an asymmetry \nintroduced into the system by a random external perturbation \nmay be massively amplified. The system then approaches one \nof the steady-state solutions described above.
Authors: Jonathan Ad Wattis, Peter V Coveney
Institutions: University of Nottingham, University College London
Language: English
Subfield: Astronomy and Astrophysics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W3101040074