A MODIFIED SELF-CONSISTENT-FIELD THEORY - APPLICATION TO A HOMOPOLYMER MELT NEAR A HARD-WALL

A modified self-consistent-held (SCF) theory is introduced and applied to hard-site Gaussian chains at meltlike density in contact with a ha rd wall. The traditional Edwards, quantum theoretical approach to inho mogeneous polymeric systems is used, but the solvent induced potential is calculated by density functional (DF) methods where the polymer re ference interaction site model (PRISM) theory is used to calculate the ''input'' for the potential calculation. Specific calculations were p erformed with DF theory, Helfand-Tagami SCF theory, and modified-SCF t heory. It is seen that the modified-SCF theory is capable of capturing the major structural features predicted by DF theory, and it promises to be a useful bridge between the SCF and DF theories. (C) 1995 Ameri can Institute of Physics.