English

Coupling between membrane tilt-difference and dilation: a new ``ripple'' instability and multiple crystalline inclusions phases

Soft Condensed Matter 2009-10-31 v1

Abstract

A continuum Landau theory for the micro-elasticity of membranes is discussed, which incorporates a coupling between the bilayer thickness variation and the difference in the two monolayers' tilts. This coupling stabilizes a new phase with a rippled micro-structure. Interactions among membrane inclusions combine a dilation-induced attraction and a tilt-difference-induced repulsion that yield 2D crystal phases, with possible coexistence of different lattice spacings for large couplings. Inclusions favoring crystals are those with either a long-convex or a short-concave hydrophobic core.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.cond-mat/9806269,
  title  = {Coupling between membrane tilt-difference and dilation: a new ``ripple'' instability and multiple crystalline inclusions phases},
  author = {J. -B. Fournier},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:cond-mat/9806269},
  year   = {2009}
}

Comments

EURO LaTeX, 6 pages, 4 figures, to be published in Europhys. Lett