A Simple Method for Complex Monomer Creation in the Matrix Method for the Statistics and Thermodynamics of a Confined Polymer Chain

Published

January 21, 2015

Author(s)

Charles M. Guttman, Chad R. Snyder, Edmund A. DiMarzio

Abstract

We extend earlier work that gave exact results for the thermodynamics and size parameters of a confined polymer to the case where the monomers have complex structure. The only restriction on the complex monomers is that they be composed of a linear sequence of sub-monomers, each of which occupies one site on the lattice. The complex monomers can contain both rigid and flexible parts. For ease of understanding, we first treat the case of a square (2-d) lattice. Then the cubic lattice (3-d) is treated. As before the confining walls can be both chemically and physically rough, the attraction energy of sub-monomers for the lattice sites can be different for each lattice site, and importantly can be different for each sub-monomer. There is no restriction on the number of, or the linear sequencing of, the chemically different complex monomers that constitute a polymer chain. Our results have application to a confined polymer in solution as found in polymer chromatography as well as to adsorption/absorption of polymers onto/into nano-particles.

Citation

Macromolecules

Volume

48

Issue

3

Pub Type

Journals

Download Paper

DOI Link

Keywords

chromatography, diffusion, nanoparticles, polymer adsorption, polymer confinement, random walk, semiconducting polymers

Citation

Guttman, C. , Snyder, C. and DiMarzio, E. (2015), A Simple Method for Complex Monomer Creation in the Matrix Method for the Statistics and Thermodynamics of a Confined Polymer Chain, Macromolecules, [online], https://doi.org/10.1021/ma502066w (Accessed October 24, 2025)