A Monte Carlo study of the effect of polymer rigidity on adsorption behaviour

Abstract

The effect of copolymer sequence distribution and stiffness on the adsorption–desorption transition and configuration of an adsorbed polymer chain is examined by Monte Carlo methods. Trends in the adsorption–desorption transition temperatures show that the transition temperature of the block and alternating copolymers are determined by entropic factors while the copolymers with a random sequence distribution (block-ran, random, or alt-ran, defined below) are controlled by enthalpic considerations. Analysis of the conformation of adsorbed chains and monomer density profiles suggests that utilizing an adsorbed rigid copolymer may be useful at tuning the properties of an interface in a multiphase material. A block copolymer can be utilized to affect substantial surface coverage and extensive expansion away from the surface. Additionally, an increase in the rigidity of the diblock chain will improve the expansion of the chain in all three dimensions. Alternatively, random copolymer structures offer a chain that will adopt a flatter adsorbed configuration that offers more efficient surface coverage. In this case, the expansion of the copolymer along the surface can be enhanced by increasing the stiffness of the chain with little or no change in the expansion away from the interface.