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ABSTRACT
A theoretical framework is presented to study the contact formation dynamics of polymer chains, in accompany with an electron-transfer quenching. Based on a non-Markovian Smoluchowski equation supplemented with an exponential sink term, we derive the mean time of contact formation under Wilemski–Fixman approximation. Our particular attentions are paid to the effect of internal friction. We find out that internal friction induces a novel fractional viscosity dependence, which will become more remarkable as internal friction increases. Furthermore, we clarify that internal friction inevitably promotes a diffusion-controlled mechanism by slowing the chain relaxation. Finally, we apply our theory to rationalise the experimental investigation for contact formation of a single-stranded DNA. The theoretical results can reproduce the experimental data very well with quite reasonable estimation for the intrinsic parameters. Such good agreements clearly demonstrate the validity of our theory which has appropriately addressed the very role of internal friction to the relevant dynamics.
