Abstract
A simple model of branched polymers in confined space is developed. Star-branched polymer molecules are built on a simple cubic lattice with excluded volume and no attractive interactions (good solvent conditions). A single star molecule is trapped in a network of linear polymer chains of restricted mobility. The simulations are carried out using the classical Metropolis algorithm. Static and dynamic properties of the star-branched polymer are determined using various networks. The dependence of the longest relaxation time and the self-diffusion coefficient on chain length and network properties are discussed and the proper scaling laws formulated. The possible mechanism of motion is discussed. The differences between the motion of star-branched polymers in such a network are compared with the cases of a dense matrix of linear chains and regular rod-like obstacles.
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