Polymer adsorption on curved surface

TL;DR

This study uses a lattice model to analyze how a semiflexible copolymer chain adsorbs onto a curved surface, revealing that the adsorption transition point is unaffected by the chain's bending energy.

Contribution

It provides an exact analytical solution for the adsorption behavior of semiflexible copolymers on curved surfaces using a directed walk model.

Findings

Adsorption transition point is independent of bending energy.

Exact analytical expressions for monomer-surface interactions.

Adsorption occurs at specific surface attraction values.

Abstract

Lattice model of directed self avoiding walk is used to investigate adsorption properties of a semiflexible sequential copolymer chain on an impenetrable curved surface on a hexagonal lattice in two dimensions. Walks of the copolymer chains are directed in a direction away from the surface at a suitable value of monomer surface attraction, the copolymer chain gets adsorbed on the surface. To calculate exact value of monomer surface attraction, the directed walk model have been solved analytically using generating function method to discuss results when one type monomer of the copolymer chain has attractive, repulsive or no interaction with the surface. Results obtained show that adsorption transition point is independent of bending energy of the copolymer chain.