title: Effect of confinement on coil-globule transition.
abstract: The equilibrium thermodynamic properties of a linear polymer chain confined to a space between two impenetrable walls (lines) at a distance D under various solvent conditions have been studied using series analysis and exact enumeration technique. We have calculated the end-to-end distance of polymer chain, which shows a nonmonotonic behavior with inter wall separation D. The density distribution profile shows a maxima at a particular value of (D=)D*. Around this D*, our results show that the collapse transition occurs at higher temperature as compared to its bulk value of 2d and 3d. The variation of theta-temperature with D shows a re-entrance behavior. We also calculate the force of compression exerted by the walls (lines) on the polymer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221 005, India. pramod@justice.com
authors.forename: P K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Mishra
authors.forename: Sanjay
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kumar