Berlin 2012 – scientific programme

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DY: Fachverband Dynamik und Statistische Physik

DY 5: Soft Matter I

DY 5.4: Talk

Monday, March 26, 2012, 15:45–16:00, MA 004

Crosslinker-induced formation of filament networks: Dependence on the filament length. — •Thomas Gruhn¹ and Raghunath Chelakkot² — ¹Material- und Prozesssimulation, Universität Bayreuth, D-95440 Bayreuth. — ²Physics Department, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA-02454, USA.

Self-assembling networks of rod-like filaments are of technological and scientific interest. Due to their complex morphology and their huge internal surface area, they are excellently suited for nano-circuits, high efficiency catalysts, and molecular sensors. In the cytoskeleton of living cells, such networks are formed by F-actin filaments, which are interconnected by crosslinkers like myosin or α-actinin. We have analyzed the percolation behavior of a self-assembling network of rigid filaments and reversibly binding crosslinkers with the help of Monte Carlo simulations. In the system, filaments are represented by long spherocylinders, while crosslinkers are mimicked by short spherocylinders with adhesive sites at both ends with which the crosslinkers can bind to the filaments. In our recent studies we have studied the influence of the filament length on the percolation threshold. For a given filament volume fraction and crosslinker filament ratio, the network formation and the percolation threshold is remarkably independent of the filament length, while changes of the packing fraction have a distinct impact on the percolation threshold. The system behavior is analyzed with an analytical approach, which reproduces the binding probability qualitatively and provides a deeper insight into the basic aspects of network formation.