Copolymers at interfaces : Scaling and Monte Carlo studies

We investigate using scaling arguments and Monte Carlo simulations the adsorption properties of AB-copolymers at the interface between two selective solvents. For random copolymers adsorption is determined by a single scaling variable, which is the same both for ideal chains and for excluded volume chains; numerical simulations based on the bond fluctuation model support the scaling prediction very well. For alternating AB-copolymers adsorption can be described (through a one-step renormalization) as a homopolymer problem at a penetrable interface; scaling is again obeyed well, as we demonstrate through simulations.