  Using molecular dynamic simulations of short oligomeric fragments of
thermosensitive polymers exposed to power loads, we established three effects
characteristic of classical catastrophe machines such as the Euler arch. These
effects include the threshold effect (smooth responses of the oligomer to
external forces below the threshold load), the bifurcation effect (the
emergence of a new conformational state above the critical loads), and the
hysteresis effect (different values of the critical loads when moving forth and
back in the parametric force space). A nanoscale Euler arch made from short
oligomers demonstrates low-frequency, mechanic-like vibrations near the
bifurcation points, which we associate with an effect similar to thermal
activated bistability. All of these effects may be attractive for designing
molecular machines and nanodevices with mechanic-like functioning.
