Deformation of crosslinked semiflexible polymer networks

Abstract

Motivated by the cellular cytoskeleton, we investigate the mechanical properties of networks of crosslinked semiflexible polymers in two dimensions and at zero temperature. A novel simulation method is constructed which allows us to probe the linear response of such networks to an imposed macroscopic shear. Above a rigidity percolation transition, we observe two regimes: an affine regime in which the bulk of the elastic energy is due to filament stretching, and a non-affine regime which is dominated by bending modes. We quantify the crossover between these regimes and re-express it in terms of more natural parameters for experiments.