A self-consistent theory of polymer solvation

Abstract

We propose a self-consistent molecular theory of conformational properties of flexible polymers in melts and solutions. The method employs the Polymer Reference Interaction Site Model for the intermolecular correlations and the Green functions technique for the intramolecular correlations. We demonstrate this method on n-alkane molecules in different environments: water, hexane, and in melt, corresponding to poor good, and /spl theta/-condition, respectively.