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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik

BP 2: Biopolymers and Biomaterials (joint session BP/CPP)

BP 2.5: Talk

Monday, March 23, 2009, 12:00–12:15, ZEU 260

Non-affine Deformations in Entangled Networks of Semiflexible Polymers — •Hauke Hinsch and Erwin Frey — Arnold Sommerfeld Center for Theoretical Physics, Ludwigs-Maximilians-Universität, 80333 Munich, Germany

Biopolymers are ubiquitous in nature and play a crucial role for cell mechanics and motility. One prominent example is the semiflexible filamentous actin that constitutes the cytoskeleton by forming large networks with viscoelastic properties that are suited to the cell's need for both rigidity and plasticity.

To characterize these properties we have investigated the modulus of entangled networks of semiflexible polymers. We report on theoretical work and simulation results. While most theoretical descriptions assume the macroscopic deformation to be affinely transmitted to the network constituents, we have developed a model that accounts for local non-affine displacements.