Physics – Condensed Matter – Soft Condensed Matter
Scientific paper
2011-01-07
Langmuir, 2011, 27 (7), pp 3416-3423
Physics
Condensed Matter
Soft Condensed Matter
16 pages plus 10 figures; preprint format; submitted to Langmuir
Scientific paper
10.1021/la200138b
Binary mixtures of amphiphiles in solution can self-assemble into a wide range of structures when the two species individually form aggregates of different curvatures. A specific example of this is seen in solutions of lipid mixtures where the two species form lamellar structures and spherical micelles respectively. Here, vesicles connected by thread-like micelles can form in a narrow concentration range of the sphere-forming lipid. We present a self-consistent field theory (SCFT) study of these structures. Firstly, we show that the addition of sphere-forming lipid to a solution of lamella-former can lower the free energy of cylindrical, thread-like micelles and hence encourage their formation. Next, we demonstrate the coupling between composition and curvature; specifically, that increasing the concentration of sphere-former in a system of two bilayers connected by a thread leads to a transfer of amphiphile to the thread. We further show that the two species are segregated within the structure, with the concentration of sphere-former being significantly higher in the thread. Finally, the addition of larger amounts of sphere-former is found to destabilize the junctions linking the bilayers to the cylindrical micelle, leading to a breakdown of the connected structures. The degree of segregation of the amphiphiles and the amount of sphere-former required to destabilize the junctions is shown to be sensitive to the length of the hydrophilic block of the sphere-forming amphiphiles.
Gompper Gerhard
Greenall M. J.
No associations
LandOfFree
Bilayers in amphiphilic mixtures connected by threadlike micelles: a self-consistent field theory study does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with Bilayers in amphiphilic mixtures connected by threadlike micelles: a self-consistent field theory study, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Bilayers in amphiphilic mixtures connected by threadlike micelles: a self-consistent field theory study will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-484314