Simulation of a Flexible Polymer Confined between Two Parallel Surfaces

Abstract

The conformational properties of a lattice self-avoiding polymer chain confined between two parallel impenetrable surfaces are simulated using Monte Carlo method. The statistical conformation size of polymer can be scaled by polymer chain length N and distance D between two surfaces. Chain is nearly free at large scaled distance Δ = D/Nνb with ν = 0.58 the scaling exponent and b = 1.42 mean bond length. Then it is squeezed along normal direction to surface at intermediate Δ, and at last it spreads out along surface at small Δ. For attractive surfaces, the chain is adsorbed at low temperature. For small D, we find an abnormal temperature dependence of chain size due to chain adsorbed to both surfaces simultaneously.