MONTE-CARLO SIMULATIONS FOR THE BEHAVIOR OF MULTIBLOCK COPOLYMERS AT A PENETRABLE INTERFACE

We use Monte Carlo simulations to examine the behavior of a single multiblock AB copolymer near the penetrable interface between two immiscible fluids, A and B. We determine the values of CHI-AB, the interaction energy between comonomer and fluid, that are necessary to localize the chain at the fluid-fluid boundary and investigate the dependence of this value on the block length. Once localized at the interface, we calculate how the conformation of the multiblock copolymer is perturbed from its random coil dimensions. We then compare the interfacial behavior of the multiblock chain for a range of CHI-AB values and for different block lengths. Furthermore, we compare these results with the properties of various diblocks at such an interface. Finally, we examine the behavior of several multiblocks at the fluid-fluid surface. The findings of the simulations are helpful in contrasting the compatibilizing activity of diblock and multiblock copolymers.