Summary
The theory of undulations of fluid membranes is reviewed and in some parts extended. The functional dependences of the steric interaction of undulating membranes are derived in a new way from simple physical arguments. Discussing the competition between steric repulsion and van der Waals attraction, one finds that membranes which usually separate (e.g. giant egg lecithin vesicles) should cohere if under lateral tension. The contours of two cohering vesicles observed when egg lecithin was swelling are analysed to show that the net energy of cohesion can be extremely small (≲10−5 erg cm−2).
Riassunto
La teoria delle ondulazioni delle membrane dei fluidi è rivista ed estesa in alcune parti. Si derivano le dipendenze funzionali dell'interazione sterica delle membrane ondulate in un nuovo modo da semplici argomenti fisici. Discutendo la competizione tra repulsione sterica e attrazione di Van der Waals, si trova che membrane che di solito separano (per esempio, grandi vescicole di lecitina dell'uovo) dovrebbero aderire se sottoposte a tensione laterale. I contorni di due vescicole contigue osservate quando la lecitina dell'uovo si sta rigonfiando mostrano che l'energia netta di coesione può essere estremamente piccola (≲10−5 erg cm−2).
Резюме
Анализируется теория неровностей жидких мембран. Из простых физических аргументов выводятся функциональные зависимости стерического взаимодействия волнистых мембран. Рассматривая конкуренцию между стерическим отталкиванием и притяжением Ван дер Ваальса, получается, что мембраны, которые обычно разделяют, должны связывать при поперечном напряжении. Анализируются контуры двух связанных пузырьков и показывается, что суммарная энергия сцепления может быть чрезвочайно малой (≲10−5 эрг см−2).
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References
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Helfrich, W., Servuss, R.M. Undulations, steric interaction and cohesion of fluid membranes. Il Nuovo Cimento D 3, 137–151 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02452208
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02452208