A Monte Carlo Algorithm For Studying The Collapse Transition In Lattice Animals

Abstract

. Polymers in dilute solution are expected to collapse from expanded to compact structures as either solvent quality or temperature is reduced. This collapse phase transition can be modelled using a lattice animal model which includes both monomer-solvent molecule interactions and monomer-monomer interactions. We discuss a Monte Carlo algorithm developed by us to study this two parameter lattice animal model on the square lattice. Results from this algorithm for the interesting special case of a zero valued monomer-monomer interaction, the solvent model, are presented. Key words. Monte Carlo, lattice animal, collapse phase transition, branched polymer, square lattice. AMS(MOS) subject classifications. 82B41,82B80,82D60,82B27,82B26,60K35. 1. Introduction. Polymers in dilute solution are expected to collapse from expanded to compact structures as either solvent quality or temperature is reduced [1]. Many theoretical studies of this collapse phenomenon have been based on lattice models ..