Issue 4, 2022

Simulation of defects, flexibility and rupture in biopolymer networks

Abstract

Networks of biopolymers occur often in nature, and are vulnerable to damage over time. In this work, a coarse grained model of collagen IV molecules is applied in a 2D hexagonal network and the mechanisms by which these networks can rupture are explored. The networks are stretched linearly in order to study their structural limits and mechanism of rupture over timescale of up to 100 μs. Metrics are developed to track the damage networks suffer over time, and qualitatively analyse ruptures that occur. Further simulations repeatedly stretch the networks sinusoidally to mimic the in vivo strains. Defects of increasing levels of complexity are introduced into an ordered network, and their effect on the rupturing behaviour of the biopolymer networks studied. The effect of introducing holes of varying size in the network, as well as strips of finite width to mimic surgical damage are studied. These demonstrate the importance of the flexibility of the networks to preventing damage.

Graphical abstract: Simulation of defects, flexibility and rupture in biopolymer networks

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
29 Sept. 2021
Accepted
14 Dec. 2021
First published
13 Janv. 2022
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

RSC Adv., 2022,12, 2171-2180

Simulation of defects, flexibility and rupture in biopolymer networks

M. H. J. Bailey and M. Wilson, RSC Adv., 2022, 12, 2171 DOI: 10.1039/D1RA07262E

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence. You can use material from this article in other publications without requesting further permissions from the RSC, provided that the correct acknowledgement is given.

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