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Diffusive growth of a polymer layer by in sity polymerization

J. P. Wittmer·M. E. Cates·A. Johner·M. S. Turner
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Abstract

We consider the growth of a polymer layer on a flat surface in a good solvent by in-situ polymerization. This is viewed as a modified form of diffusion-limited aggregation without branching. We predict theoretically the formation of a pseudo-brush with density rhog(z) \propto z^{-2/3} and characteristic height \propto t^{3}. These results are found by combining a mean-field treatment of the diffusive growth (marginally valid in three dimensions) with a scaling theory (Flory exponent nu =3/5) of the growing polymers. We confirm their validity by Monte Carlo simulations.

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J. P. Wittmer, M. E. Cates, A. Johner, M. S. Turner. 1998-05-20. Diffusive growth of a polymer layer by in sity polymerization. https://doi.org/10.1209/epl%2Fi1996-00347-0

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