Densely grafted brushes of gradient copolymers: an effective Flory-Huggins parameter approach

Manufacturing of gradient copolymers becomes cheaper and easier nowadays. There is a wide spectrum of experimental applications for such polymers. In this work, densely grafted gradient copolymer (monomers distribution function $g(n)$ along the chain is assumed to be a power law) brushes in a selective solvent are considered. Equilibrium thermodynamic properties of the system are investigated within the frames of a simple mean-field approach and an effective Flory-Huggins parameter $\chi_{eff}(n)$ approximation. Constructed profiles for polymer concentration demonstrate non-linear behavior, however the brush thickness varies in direct proportion to the molecular weight of copolymer. Coil-Globule transition properties in such a system are investigated as well.