title: Scaling in force spectroscopy of macromolecules.
abstract: We use molecular dynamics to determine the force needed to rupture a chain molecule being stretched at constant loading rate and temperature. When all energy bonds of the molecule are identical, we find that the force F depends on the pulling rate r and temperature T according to F approximately const- T(1/3)|ln (r/T)|(1/3). When a single weak bond is introduced, this result is modified to F approximately const - T(2/3|ln (r/T)(2/3)|. This scaling, which is model independent, can be used with experiment to quantitatively extract relevant microscopic parameters.
authors.affiliation: Physics Department, Rutherford Building, McGill University, Montréal, Québec,Canada.
authors.forename: Cristiano L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Dias
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dubé
authors.forename: Fernando A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grant
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001703:Biophysics / Q000379:methods; D003198:Computer Simulation; D006801:Humans; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force / Q000379:methods*; D015233:Models, Statistical; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D013053:Spectrophotometry / Q000379:methods*; D013269:Stochastic Processes; D013696:Temperature; D013816:Thermodynamics