2025/09/10 by Yannick Lüdemann, Stefan Klumpp, Lüdemann, Yannick +2
Materials Science · Physics and Astronomy · #Biological Physics (physics.bio-ph) #Calcium Carbonate Crystallization and Inhibition #FOS: Physical sciences #Force Microscopy Techniques and Applications #Theoretical and Computational Physics
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2509.08587
openalex publication_date 2025/09/10 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
In biological materials, strong binding despite an applied load force is often based on clusters of dynamic bonds that share the load. Different macroscopic behaviors have been described depending on whether the load is shared locally or globally in the force-depended unbinding rate. Here we introduce and study a model in which the load is distributed over a characteristic length scale, introduced by an exponential decay. The model contains the local and global scenario as limiting cases and smoothly interpolates between them. We derive approximations in which some analytical results can be obtained. In particular, we derive rupture conditions and validate these with stochastic simulations. The model shows two main pathways for failure of the bond cluster, due to rupture of all bonds above a critical force and due to the formation of a critical crack, a large gap between closed bonds that spreads in both directions.