Molecular view of polymer flow into a strongly attractive slit

We present molecular dynamics simulations of the flow of macromolecules fro m a bulk melt into a slit of nanometer dimension with strongly attracting w alls. Such flow is central to the formation of polymer-layered silicate nan ocomposites by direct melt intercalation. In this process, polymer molecule s flow from a melt into the galleries between the sheets that compose a mic a-type layered silicate. We present a systematic study of the effects of po lymer molecular weight and polymer-surface interactions on the flow dynamic s. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-9606(99)50743-5].