Dresden 2011 – scientific programme
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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik
BP 3: Biopolymers and Biomaterials I (with CPP)
BP 3.5: Talk
Monday, March 14, 2011, 11:45–12:00, ZEU 222
Thermodynamics of chondroitin sulfate solutions using field-theoretic methodologies — •Stephan A Baeurle1, Michael G Kiselev2, Elena S Makarova2, and Evgenij A Nogovitsin2 — 1Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstr. 31, D-93053 Regensburg, Germany — 2Institute of Solution Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 153045 Ivanovo, Russia
Articular cartilage is predominantly composed of chondroitin sulfates, which are known to affect in a decisive way the mobility and flexibility of our joints. Progress in understanding their frictional-compressive behavior on the molecular level has been hindered due to the lack of reliable experimental data and the multitude of controlling parameters, influencing their structure and properties under physiological conditions. Here, we discuss the thermodynamic response of aqueous chondroitin sulfate solutions to changes in the monomer and added salt concentrations, using a recently developed field-theoretic approach beyond the mean-field level of approximation (S.A. Baeurle et al, Polymer 50, 1805-1813 (2009)). We compare our calculation results to experimental as well as molecular modeling data, and demonstrate that our field-theoretic approach provides useful estimates for important physical properties, affecting their frictional-compressive behavior.