https://doi.org/10.1007/s100510050883
Adsorption of polymer chains by disordered traps
Universität Freiburg,
Theoretische Polymerphysik,
Hermann-Herder Straße 3, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
Corresponding author: a jens.sommer@physik.uni-freiburg.de
Received:
18
November
1998
Published online: 15 August 1999
We study the adsorption cross-over of ideal polymer chains in an environment of disordered traps. Starting from the assumption of an optimal cluster size of traps (optimal fluctuation method) we derive a general scaling form of the free energy function for arbitrary spatial dimensions. For small concentrations of traps we find a cross-over from localized (adsorbed) behavior to delocalized behavior depending on the chain's length and on the depth of the traps; this is connected with the non-monotonic behavior of the chain's extension. In terms of the free energy of the chain this cross-over resembles a first order transition scenario, the chain gets localized at many traps at once.
PACS: 05.40.-a – Fluctuation phenomena, random processes, noise, and Brownian motion / 36.20.-r – Macromolecules and polymer molecules / 64.70.-p – Specific phase transitions
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag, 1999
