Chain linear dimensions in the surface-enriched layer of polymer mixtures

We calculate the mean-square end-to-end distances and mean-square gyration radii using the bond fluctuation model for a binary polymer blend in the presence of a wall by Monte Carlo simulation. In the bulk, the size of the minority, low-concentration polymer species is compressed compared to the majority one. In the vicinity of the wall, where the minority polymer concentration is enriched due to attraction from the wall, the dimensions of the two types of polymers are approximately equal and are essentially the same as in an athermal polymer melt. Thus, the geometric constraint is more important to the structure of the polymers than the polymer-polymer and polymer-wall interactions.