Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 February 2011
We study surface effects in amorphous polymer systems by means of computer simulation. In the framework of molecular dynamics, we present two different methods to prepare such surfaces. Free surfaces are stabilized solely by van-der-Waals interactions, whereas confined surfaces emerge in the presence of repelling plates. The buildup of density and pressure profiles from zero to their bulk values depends on the surface preparation method. In the case of confined surfaces, we find density and pressure oscillations next to the repelling plates. For free surfaces, we attest chain-end enrichment and present a comparison between density profile and particle coordination number.