By extending the classical Peyrard–Bishop model, we are able to obtain a fully analytical
description for the mechanical response of DNA under stretching at variable values of …

The fracture behavior of brittle and ductile materials can be strongly influenced by thermal
fluctuations, especially in micro-and nanodevices as well as in rubberlike and biological …

Non-local and non-convex energies represent fundamental interacting effects regulating the
complex behavior of many systems in biophysics and materials science. We study one …

The classical Prandtl–Tomlinson model is the most famous and efficient method to describe
the stick–slip phenomenon and the resulting friction between a slider and a corrugated …

We study the rate-independent decohesion process for a chain linked to a substrate through
a series of breakable elements with a softening mechanism. Such an assumption describes …

The stick-slip phenomenon, at the basis of friction, is crucial for several applications ranging
from nanotechnology and biophysics to mechanics and geology. Deep understanding of …

Sacrificial bonds have been observed in several biological materials and structures and can
increase their toughness, ie, their resistance to fracture. They provide a reversible …

Arrays of bistable elements have been studied extensively in the last two decades due to
their relevance to a wide range of physical phenomena and engineering applications, from …

Spider silks have attracted significant interest due to their exceptional mechanical
properties, which include a unique combination of high strength, ultimate strain, and …

Multi-stable structures offer a unique set of mechanical properties, such as the ability to
undergo large reversible deformations, the ability to provide mechanical protection and …