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Free energy and dimensions of macromolecules under confinement in layered assemblies
Author(s) -
Cifra Peter,
Bleha Tomáš,
Škrinárová Zuzana
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
macromolecular symposia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.257
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1521-3900
pISSN - 1022-1360
DOI - 10.1002/masy.200351312
Subject(s) - polymer , macromolecule , penetration (warfare) , materials science , molecule , chemical physics , lattice (music) , thermodynamics , molecular physics , condensed matter physics , physics , chemistry , composite material , biochemistry , operations research , acoustics , engineering , quantum mechanics
The changes in the free energy Δ A accompanying penetration of polymer solutions from bulk into slit‐like cavities were determined by lattice simulations. In dilute solutions the thermodynamics of penetration is controlled mainly by the parameter ϵ w specifying interaction between polymer and walls of repulsive or adsorptive cavities. However, the magnitude of |Δ A | is substantially reduced by increasing concentration ∅ in bulk solution. Furthermore, compression of chains by concentration in good solvents and adsorptive cavities was found to be larger in the slit then in the bulk. At intermediate confinement, a region of a minimum coil size was observed at all concentrations and attraction strengths, where molecules are squeezed along all three axes.