World's Best Scientists 2026 revealed!

D-Index & Metrics

Chemistry

D-Index
70
Citations
27000
World Ranking
5735
National Ranking
1764

Research.com Recognitions

  • 1981 - NAS Award in Chemical Sciences, National Academy of Sciences (US) For his contributions and influence in theoretical and experimental polymer chemistry, notably his work on polymer interactions, polymer visco-elasticity, the helix coil transition in bio-polymers, the theory of light scattering, and the study of extraordinarily large DNA molecules.
  • 1958 - Member of the National Academy of Sciences
  • 1953 - Fellow of American Physical Society (APS)

Overview

Bruno H. Zimm was affiliated with the University of California, San Diego in the United States. Their scientific contributions primarily focused on theoretical and experimental polymer chemistry, with specific attention given to various important aspects within this domain.

Among the notable areas of study were polymer interactions and polymer visco-elasticity, which involve understanding how polymer chains behave and respond to external forces. Their work also encompassed the helix-coil transition in bio-polymers, a critical phase change relevant to the structural properties of biological macromolecules such as DNA and proteins.

Additionally, Zimm contributed to the theory of light scattering, exploring how light interacts with polymers and large macromolecules, which has implications for characterizing molecular size and structure. Studies involved in the behavior and properties of extraordinarily large DNA molecules were also significant parts of their research portfolio.

Zimm received several recognitions associated with their scientific career. In 1953, they were named a Fellow of the American Physical Society (APS), an acknowledgment within the physics community. In 1958, Zimm was inducted as a Member of the National Academy of Sciences, marking their recognition among leading scientists in the U.S. Further, in 1981, Zimm was awarded the NAS Award in Chemical Sciences by the National Academy of Sciences (US) for contributions and influence in polymer chemistry fields, including polymer interactions, polymer visco-elasticity, bio-polymer transitions, light scattering theory, and the study of large DNA molecules.

Best Publications

  • Dynamics of Polymer Molecules in Dilute Solution: Viscoelasticity, Flow Birefringence and Dielectric Loss

    Bruno H. Zimm

  • Theory of the Phase Transition between Helix and Random Coil in Polypeptide Chains

    B. H. Zimm;J. K. Bragg

  • The Dimensions of Chain Molecules Containing Branches and Rings

    Bruno H. Zimm;Walter H. Stockmayer

  • The Scattering of Light and the Radial Distribution Function of High Polymer Solutions

    Bruno H. Zimm

  • Apparatus and Methods for Measurement and Interpretation of the Angular Variation of Light Scattering; Preliminary Results on Polystyrene Solutions

    Bruno H. Zimm

  • Dynamics of branched polymer molecules in dilute solution

    Bruno H. Zimm;Ralph W. Kilb

  • Theory of gel electrophoresis of DNA.

    Oscar J. Lumpkin;Philippe Déjardin;Bruno H. Zimm

  • Sorption of Vapors by High Polymers

    Bruno H. Zimm;John L. Lundberg

  • Theory of twisting and bending of chain macromolecules; analysis of the fluorescence depolarization of DNA

    Mary D. Barkley;Bruno H. Zimm

  • Viscosity and sedimentation of the DNA from bacteriophages T2 and T7 and the relation to molecular weight

    D.M. Crothers;B.H. Zimm

  • Application of the Methods of Molecular Distribution to Solutions of Large Molecules

    Bruno H. Zimm

  • Theory of the melting transition of synthetic polynucleotides: Evaluation of the stacking free energy

    Donald M. Crothers;Bruno H. Zimm

  • Theory of ``Melting'' of the Helical Form in Double Chains of the DNA Type

    Bruno H. Zimm

  • Mobility of DNA in gel electrophoresis.

    Oscar J. Lumpkin;Bruno H. Zimm

  • Chromosome-sized DNA molecules from Drosophila

    Ruth Kavenoff;Bruno H. Zimm

  • Viscosity, Sedimentation, et Cetera, of Ring- and Straight-Chain Polymers in Dilute Solution

    Victor Bloomfield;B. H. Zimm

  • Monte Carlo approach to the analysis of the rotational diffusion of wormlike chains

    Paul J. Hagerman;Bruno H. Zimm

  • Distribution of counterions around a cylindrical polyelectrolyte and manning's condensation theory

    Marc Le Bret;Bruno H. Zimm

  • SIMPLIFIED ROTATING CYLINDER VISCOMETER FOR DNA.

    Bruno H. Zimm;Donald M. Crothers

  • Light Scattering Investigation of the Structure of Polystyrene

    Paul Outer;Clide I. Carr;Bruno H. Zimm

Frequent Co-Authors

Ken A. Dill
Ken A. Dill Stony Brook University
Paul Doty
Paul Doty Harvard University
Neville R. Kallenbach
Neville R. Kallenbach New York University
M. Thomas Record
M. Thomas Record University of Wisconsin–Madison
Robert L. Baldwin
Robert L. Baldwin Stanford University
Stuart A. Rice
Stuart A. Rice University of Chicago
Melvin Calvin
Melvin Calvin University of California, Berkeley
Thomas M. Roberts
Thomas M. Roberts Harvard University
George D. Rose
George D. Rose Johns Hopkins University
Paul J. Hagerman
Paul J. Hagerman University of California, Davis

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