Adsorption of polymers on a fluctuating surface

TL;DR

This paper investigates how polymer chains adsorb onto fluctuating surfaces, revealing that such adsorption induces surface tension and reduces surface roughness, with implications for interfaces like membranes.

Contribution

It introduces a mean-field model showing that polymer adsorption causes surface stiffening and roughness suppression, a novel insight into polymer-surface interactions.

Findings

Polymer adsorption induces surface tension.

Adsorption causes surface stiffening.

Surface roughness is significantly suppressed.

Abstract

We study the adsorption of polymer chains on a fluctuating surface. Physical examples are provided by polymer adsorption at the rough interface between two non-miscible liquids, or on a membrane. In a mean-field approach, we find that the self--avoiding chains undergo an adsorption transition, accompanied by a stiffening of the fluctuating surface. In particular, adsorption of polymers on a membrane induces a surface tension and leads to a strong suppression of roughness.