Issue 22, 2010
From the journal:

Soft Matter

Modelling semiflexible polymers: shape analysis, buckling instabilities, and force generation†‡

Jan Kierfeld,*ab   Krzysztof Baczynski,a   Petra Gutjahr,a   Torsten Kühnea  and  Reinhard Lipowskya  

* Corresponding authors

a Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Science Park Golm, Potsdam, Germany
E-mail: Jan.Kierfeld@tu-dortmund.de

b Physics Department, TU Dortmund University, Dortmund, Germany

Abstract

The behavior of semiflexible polymers and filaments is governed by their bending energy. The corresponding bending rigidity gives rise to material properties that are distinct from those of flexible polymers governed by entropy. In particular, bending rigidity plays an important role for the shapes of these polymers and their ability to withstand and transmit forces. Recent theoretical studies and modelling approaches are briefly reviewed and used for a systematic analysis of shapes of adsorbed semiflexible polymers and buckling instabilities. Semiflexible polymers and filaments exhibit a buckling instability which is modified by thermal fluctuations and provides upper bounds on the generation of polymerization forces. Growing bundles of polymers or filaments can generate force via adhesive interactions. The latter mechanism remains effective even after single filaments have attained a buckled state.

Graphical abstract: Modelling semiflexible polymers: shape analysis, buckling instabilities, and force generation

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Article information

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1039/C002035B
Article type
Paper
Submitted
29 Jan 2010
Accepted
19 Apr 2010
First published
11 Jun 2010

Soft Matter, 2010,6, 5764-5769

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Modelling semiflexible polymers: shape analysis, buckling instabilities, and force generation

J. Kierfeld, K. Baczynski, P. Gutjahr, T. Kühne and R. Lipowsky, Soft Matter, 2010, 6, 5764 DOI: 10.1039/C002035B

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