Moleculardynamics(MD)simulationsareperformedtostudyadhesionandpeelingofashortfragmentofsinglestrandDNA(ssDNA)moleculefromagraphitesurface.Thecriticalpeel-offforceisfoundtodependonboththepeelingangleandtheelasticityofssDNA.FortheshortssDNAstrandunderinvestigation,weshowthatthesimulationresultscanbeexplainedbyacontinuummodelofanadhesiveelasticbandonsubstrate.Theanalysissuggeststhatitisoftenthepeakvalue,ratherthanthemeanvalue,ofadhesionenergywhichdeterminesthepeelingofananoscalematerial.
