We present calculations of the anisotropy of the tension of interfaces separating an isotropic phase rich in a flexible polymer from a nematic phase rich in a semiflexible polymer. We find that the interfacial tension is always lower when the director is parallel to the plane of the interface than when it is perpendicular. The ratio of the tension in the perpendicular to parallel case can be quite large, of order 5 or so, depending on the strength of the nematic interactions. We also find that the interfacial width is always lower in the parallel case even though the tension is lower; this is because the orientational density prefers parallel alignment of chains at the interface.
In this letter we propose a hybrid molecular dynamics/Monte Carlo (MD/MC) method to simulate the statistical behavior of tethered and fluid membranes which does not suffer from severe slowing-down problems as in conventional MC and MD methods. A parallel version of the algorithm allows for reliable determination of the scaling behavior of open and closed membranes.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.