Chapter 6
Modified iSAFT: Application to
grafted polymer chains
Tethered∕grafted polymer chains are polymer molecules with one of their ends
attached to a solid surface. The chain end can be chemically bonded to the solid
substrate or it can be a chemical group that strongly adsorbs on the solid surface.
Grafted polymer chains have several industrial applications in colloid stabilization,
adhesives, lubricants, modification of surface hydrophobicity, microfluidic devices and
biophysics. This chapter discusses the application of modified iSAFT to two most
important aspects of grafted polymers, their structures and the force of interaction
between two grafted (planar) surfaces in the absence or presence of free polymer
solvent.
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