Brushes of Statistically Branched Polymers

TL;DR

This paper analyzes the distribution of free ends and monomer insertion potential in strongly-stretched branched polymer brushes, revealing how branching affects end density and potential profiles, which simplifies copolymer phase analysis.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of end density and potential profiles in branched polymer brushes, highlighting effects of strong branching and surface curvature.

Findings

End density flattens with strong branching.

Grafting surface end density is enhanced.

Parabolic potential profile persists despite surface curvature.

Abstract

We determine the distribution of free ends and the monomer insertion potential in the strongly-stretched limit for regularly and statistically branched polymer brushes. We find that the end density flattens in the limit of very strong branching with a concomitant enhancement of the grafting surface end density. This enhancement ensures for a wide range of parameters that a parabolic potential profile is preserved, even for large positive curvature of the brush surface. This considerably simplifies the analysis of copolymer phases.