Scaling of homopolymers next to adsorbing surfaces: A Monte Carlo study

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Abstract
The interfacial structure of physisorbed homopolymers is studied by means of Monte Carlo simulations. The focus is on relatively long chains in an effort to reach the "power law regime" inside the intermediate portion of the solid-polymer interface. The chain lengths required exceed substantially those of polymers typically used for colloid stabilization. Our findings confirm the correctness of the generic -4/3 exponent for long chains. Furthermore, they quantify the difference between mean-field predictions and Monte Carlo data, which is exaggerated for long chains. Finally, these findings illustrate that resolution of the finer trends of interfacial structure requires even longer chain lengths than those studied in this article.