Authors
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Su, C.-F. ; Cui, W. ; Merlitz, H. ; Wu, C.-X. ; Sommer, J.-U.
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Title
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Starlike polymer brushes in q-solvent
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Date
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19.06.2014
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Number
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42906
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Abstract
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The properties of starlike polymer brushes in T-solvent are investigated using molecular dynamics simulations, scaling- and mean-field theory. Deviations of layer thickness and monomer density from predictions of scaling theory are analyzed and explained. Contrary to common believes, we conclude that the Alexander-deGennes scaling theory is not valid for starlike polymer brushes in T-solvent, unless the grafting density is extremely low. A comparison with structural and dynamical properties of starlike polymer brushes in good solvent is carried out. Previous studies in good solvent reported about the dual-population structure of these branched polymer brushes, with coexisting phases of stretched and retracted molecules; the same separation emerges in T-solvent, though at higher grafting densities. Molecular tension and population fractions are shown to be solvent-dependent, and a reduced dynamical flip-rate between the two populations is observed for the case of the T-brush.
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Publisher
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Polymer
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Wikidata
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Citation
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Polymer 55 (2014) 3254-3260
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DOI
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https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polymer.2014.05.039
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Tags
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starlike polymer brushes md simulation mean-field theory
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