Elasticity of Polymer Gels (and a Cytoskeleton in the Closet) – Gavin Buxton
Date: Mon. September 10th, 2007, 12:30 pm-1:30 pmLocation: Rockefeller 221
Using computer simulations we can investigate the elastic properties of random elastic networks of struts. As the connectivity of the network increases a transition is observed between systems which deform through the bending of the struts to systems which deform through the stretching of the struts. I would like to talk a little about this bending to stretching transition and the implications of this transition to materials science and biology.