MONTE-CARLO STUDY OF THE MOLECULAR-WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION OF LIVING POLYMERS

Monte CarIo simulation in two dimensions shows that the distribution o f chain lengths in a system of living polymers is well described by a Schultz molecular-weight distribution C(l,T)proportional to(l/L)(gamma eff-1)exp(-l/L), with an effective exponent gamma(eff), reflecting th e crossover from dilute to semidilute regime. Beyond the crossover den sity phi the distribution function gradually reduces to a purely expo nential form C(I,T) = phi/L(2)exp(-l/L) known from mean-field approxim ation treatments. In the case of numerical simulation the determinatio n of phi can be done by seeking the maximum of gamma(eff).