Highly Stretched Single Polymers: Atomic-Force-Microscope Experiments Versus Ab-Initio Theory

Thorsten Hugel, Matthias Rief, Markus Seitz, Hermann E. Gaub, and Roland R. Netz
Phys. Rev. Lett. 94, 048301 – Published 31 January 2005

Abstract

Experimental single-molecule stretching curves for three backbone architectures (single-stranded DNA, various types of peptides, polyvinylamine) are quantitatively compared with corresponding quantum-chemical (zero-temperature) ab-initio calculations in the high-force range of up to two nanonewtons. For high forces, quantitative agreement is obtained with the contour length of the polymers as the only fitting parameter. For smaller forces, the effects of chain fluctuations are accounted for by using recent theoretical results for the stretching response of a freely-rotating-chain model.

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  • Received 5 February 2004

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.94.048301

©2005 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Thorsten Hugel1,2, Matthias Rief1,3, Markus Seitz1, Hermann E. Gaub1, and Roland R. Netz1,3

  • 1Center for Nanoscience, LMU München, Geschwister-Scholl Platz 1, 80799 München, Germany
  • 2Physics Department, University of California Berkeley, 269 Birge Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
  • 3Physics Department, TU München, 85748 Garching, Germany

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Issue

Vol. 94, Iss. 4 — 4 February 2005

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