Designing highly tunable semi-flexible filament networks


“Designing highly tunable semi-flexible filament networks”

R. Pandolfi, L. Edwards, D. Johnston, P. Becich and L.S. Hirst, PHYS. REV. E. 89, 062602(2013) Link

Semiflexible polymers can generate a range of filamentous networks significantly different in structure from those seen in conventional polymer solutions. Our coarse-grained simulations with an implicit cross-linker potential show that networks of branching bundles, knotted morphologies, and structural chirality can be generated by a generalized approach independent of specific cross-linkers. Network structure depends primarily on filament flexibility and separation, with significant connectivity increase after percolation. Results should guide the design of engineered semiflexible polymers

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