Thermo-elastic inversion

The data in Fig. 5.18 were obtained at a fairly high extension (350 percent). When the experiment is repeated at lower extensions the slope of the curve decreases and below about 10% extension it becomes negative. This is caused by a reduction in stress due to thermal expansion of the material as the temperature is increased and it is known as the thermo-elastic inversion effect. If the effective change in extension due to thermal expansion is allowed for then the thermo-elastic inversion effect disappears and the stress increases proportionately with temperature at low extensions as well as high extensions. 

Furthermore, yet to be computed by any program is the fundamental thermo-mechanical transduction wherein the cross-linked elastic-contractile model proteins contract and perform mechanical work on raising the temperature through their respective inverse temperature transitions. These results first appeared in the literature in 1986 and have repeatedly appeared since that time with different preparations, compositions, and experimental characterizations. Additionally, the set of energies converted by moving the temperature of the inverse temperature transition (as the result of input energies for which the elastic-contractile model protein has been designed to be responsive) have yet to be described by computations routinely used to explain protein structure and function. 

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