Year: 2003
Type: article
Abstract: The bending rigidity k(c) of bilayer vesicles self-assembled from amphiphilic diblock copolymers has been measured using single- and dual-micropipet techniques. These copolymers are nearly a factor of 5 greater in hydrophobic membrane thickness d than their lipid counterparts and an order of magnitude larger in molecular weight M(n). The macromolecular structure of these amphiphiles lends insight into and extends relationships for traditional surfactant behavior. We find the scaling of k(c) with thickness to be nearly quadratic, in good agreement with existing theories for bilayer membranes. The results here are key to understanding and designing soft interfaces such as biomembrane mimetics.
Source: Langmuir
DOI: 10.1021/la035497f
Authors: H. Bermúdez, D. A. Hammer, D. E. Discher
Institution: University of Pennsylvania
Language: English
Subfield: Molecular Biology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2091766117