Simulation of polyethylene oxide: Improved structure using better models for hydrogen and flexible walls

We describe calculations of the structure of amorphous polyethylene oxide using a previously reported model, but with better treatment of hydrogen positions and in a code which allows relaxation of stresses in the polymerized sample by Rahman-Parrinello techniques. We also report the effects of two different intermolecular force field potentials and find that our earlier, empirical force field produces better agreement with experimental neutron scattering results than a force field derived from ab initio electronic structure calculations.