Adsorption and pattern recognition of polymers at complex surfaces with attractive stripelike motifs.
We construct the complete structural phase diagram of polymer adsorption at substrates with attractive stripelike patterns in the parameter space spanned by the adsorption affinity of the stripes and temperature. Results were obtained by extensive generalized-ensemble Monte Carlo simulations of a generic model for the hybrid organic-inorganic system. By comparing with adhesion properties at homogeneous substrates, we find substantial differences in the formation of adsorbed polymer structures if translational invariance at the surface is broken by a regular pattern. Beside a more specific understanding of polymer adsorption processes, our results are potentially relevant for the design of macromolecular pattern recognition devices such as sensors.
Institut für Theoretische Physik and Centre for Theoretical Sciences (NTZ), Universität Leipzig, Postfach 100 920, D-04009 Leipzig, Germany.
Monika
M
Möddel
Institut für Theoretische Physik and Centre for Theoretical Sciences (NTZ), Universität Leipzig, Postfach 100 920, D-04009 Leipzig, Germany.
Wolfhard
W
Janke
Center for Simulational Physics, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA; Instituto de Física, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, 78060-900 Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brazil; and Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Michael
M
Bachmann
D000327:Adsorption; D008956:Models, Chemical; D010363:Pattern Recognition, Automated; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D013379:Substrate Specificity
D011108:Polymers