Simulation of diffusion-limited aggregation of pectin

End-to-end diffusion-limited aggregation of an ideal, monodisperse pectin species with variable probability of interrmolecular crosslinking has been simulated on a lattice. The aggregate was fixed on the lattice as a structure of segmented rods. The growth of averages of size, length, width, and radius of gyration followed a power law dependence on time as measured by number of random lattice movements of diffusing monomer. The structures exhibited multifractal properties that arise from both the diffusion process and the random generation of crosslinking sites. The growth of the average length of the structures was independent of probability of crosslinking under the condition of constant presence of diffusing monomer. The growth of the average size of the structures was directly related to the growth of the average number of crosslinks. Average length, width, and radius of gyration were related to growth of average size by power laws. Macintosh and IBM PC source code and executables are included on disk in this issue.