Adsorption of periodic copolymers at a planar interface

Abstract

We use Monte Carlo methods to study a self-avoiding walk model of copolymers, with a periodic sequence of comonomers, adsorbing at a planar surface. The monomers are of two types, A and B, and only A monomers interact with the surface. We investigate how the location of the adsorption transition depends on the comonomer sequence and make comparisons with some rigorous results. We also investigate a directed-walk model (in two dimensions) and show that this model can be used to give insight into the behaviour of the more natural self-avoiding-walk model.