Adv Polym Sci (2014) 260: 1–60
DOI: 10.1007/12_2013_266
© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013
Published online: 17 January 2014
Mechanical Properties of Single Molecules
and Polymer Aggregates
R. Berger, K. Binder, G. Diezemann, J. Gauss, M. Helm, H.-P. Hsu,
A. Janshoff, T. Metzroth, I. Mey, A. Milchev, W. Paul, V.G. Rostiashvili,
and T.A. Vilgis
Abstract This chapter deals with the mechanical properties of single polymer
chains, aggregates, and supramolecular complexes. The topics discussed cover a
broad range from fundamental statistical mechanics of the equilibrium elastic properties of single polymer chains to details of the behavior of binding pockets in
R. Berger, V.G. Rostiashvili, and T.A. Vilgis
Max-Planck-Institut fu ¨r Polymerforschung, Ackermannweg 10, 55128 Mainz, Germany
K. Binder, and H.-P. Hsu
Institut fu ¨r Physik, Johannes Gutenberg Universita ¨t Mainz, Staudinger Weg 7, 55128 Mainz,
Germany
G. Diezemann (*), J. Gauss, and T. Metzroth
Institut fu ¨r Physikalische Chemie, Johannes Gutenberg Universita ¨t Mainz,
Duesbergweg 10-14, 55128 Mainz, Germany
e-mail: diezemann@uni-mainz.de
M. Helm
Institut fu ¨r Pharmazie und Biochemie, Johannes Gutenberg Universita ¨t Mainz, Staudinger
Weg 5, 55128 Mainz, Germany
A. Janshoff, and I. Mey
Institut fu ¨r Physikalische Chemie, Johannes Gutenberg Universita ¨t Mainz,
Duesbergweg 10-14, 55128 Mainz, Germany
Institut fu ¨r Physikalische Chemie, Tammannstraße 6, 37077 Go ¨ttingen, Germany
A. Milchev
Institut fu ¨r Physik, Johannes Gutenberg Universita ¨t Mainz, Staudinger Weg 7, 55128 Mainz,
Germany
Institute for Physical Chemistry, Academy of Sciences, Sofia 1113, Bulgaria
W. Paul
Institut fu ¨r Physik, Johannes Gutenberg Universita ¨t Mainz,
Staudinger Weg 7, 55128 Mainz, Germany
Institut fu ¨r Physik, Martin Luther Universita ¨t Halle, 06099 Halle, Germany