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From macroscopic adhesion energy to molecular bonds: a test of the theory
F Pincet1, E Perez, J C Loudet
1Laboratoire de Physique Statistique de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure, associé au CNRS et aux universités Paris VI et Paris VII, 24, rue Lhomond, 75231 Paris Cedex 05, France. pincet@lps.en.fr
Abstract:
We present a statistical mechanical treatment relating the macroscopic adhesion energy of two surfaces, which can be obtained by micropipette aspiration studies, to the microscopic adhesion energy between individual bonds. The treatment deals with the case of weak reversible bonds, so that the equilibrium partition function has significance. This description is coherent with previous theories. Experiment and theory are compared to probe the nature of weak bonds in membranes, where local equilibria can be obtained. The case of a bead and a vesicle decorated by nucleosides was considered.