Topological defects and shape of aromatic self-assembled vesicles

TL;DR

This paper investigates how the arrangement of aromatic molecules on curved surfaces leads to topological defects, affecting the shape of self-assembled vesicles, with a focus on molecular symmetry's role.

Contribution

It predicts the influence of molecular symmetry on the number of topological defects and the equilibrium shape of aromatic vesicles.

Findings

Molecular stacking on curved surfaces induces topological defects.

Symmetry of molecules affects defect number and vesicle shape.

Theoretical prediction of defect-shape relationship in aromatic vesicles.

Abstract

We show that the stacking of flat aromatic molecules on a curved surface results in topological defects. We consider, as an example, spherical vesicles, self-assembled from molecules with 5- and 6-thiophene cores. We predict that the symmetry of the molecules influences the number of topological defects and the resulting equilibrium shape.