A stochastic model for the breaking of molecular segments

Abstract

In many chemical and biochemical situations it is of interest to know the distribution that results from the breaking up of long molecules into shorter segments under certain hypotheses. For example, Montroll and Simha (1940) assumed that polymers consist of discrete units—monomers—connected by bonds all of which have an equal chance of breaking in the depolymerization process. Charlesby (1954) used a different approach to essentially the same model and in effect obtained differential equations for the moments of the ensuing distributions. More recently, Daniels (1967) has given a more thorough mathematical exposition, especially with regard to the effect of the initial length distribution, while Blatt (1967) has considered a model in which not all links are susceptible to breakage.