Engineering Commons^™

A Monte Carlo (MC) simulation of surface enrichment in polymer blends is presented. The algorithm introduced by Madden is used in this simulation, in which a compressible blend is condensed against a solid wall, with the surface of the blend forming an interface with holes (or solvent) that is parallel to the wall. Three regimes in the mixture are thus recognized: the interface at the wall, the bulk regime, and the interface with the vacuum (or solvent) at the surface of the mixture. Under certain conditions, enrichment of one of the components is observed, both at the surface and close …