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arXiv · 0710.3951

Nonlinear elasticity of composite networks of stiff biopolymers with flexible linkers

C. P. Broedersz·C. Storm·F. C. MacKintosh
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Abstract

Motivated by recent experiments showing nonlinear elasticity of in vitro networks of the biopolymer actin cross-linked with filamin, we present an effective medium theory of flexibly cross-linked stiff polymer networks. We model such networks by randomly oriented elastic rods connected by flexible connectors to a surrounding elastic continuum, which self-consistently represents the behavior of the rest of the network. This model yields a crossover from a linear elastic regime to a highly nonlinear elastic regime that stiffens in a way quantitatively consistent with experiment.

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C. P. Broedersz, C. Storm, F. C. MacKintosh. 2008-10-19. Nonlinear elasticity of composite networks of stiff biopolymers with flexible linkers. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.101.118103

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