MONTE-CARLO CALCULATION OF 2ND VIRIAL-COEFFICIENTS FOR LINEAR AND STAR CHAINS IN A GOOD SOLVENT

Second virial coefficients and radii of gyration for an off-lattice mo del of linear and star polymer chains in a good solvent (or excluded v olume conditions) have been obtained by means of a Monte Carlo method. The results are discussed in terms of the dimensionless interpenetrat ion factor, which combines these two quantities. Comparisons with theo retical prediction from the renormalization group theory and with exis ting simulation and experimental data are performed for the different types of chains.