Collapse of Semiflexible Polymers in Two Dimensions. Monte Carlo Simulations

We present Monte Carlo simulations of a two-dimensional square lattice semi-flexible polymer model. Short-range repulsive potential (excluded volume) and long-range attractive (segment-segment) potential are included. Particular attention was paid to a phase transition of a model polymer chain from a random coil state to a dense globule. The transition temperature increases with the chain length and decreases with the stiffness of the model chain. The cooperativity of the transition increases with the polymer stiffness