Electrostatic self-energy of a partially formed spherical shell in salt solution: application to stability of tethered and fluid shells -- viruses and vesicles

TL;DR

This study analyzes the electrostatic stability of partially formed charged spherical shells in salt solutions, relevant to viruses and vesicles, using numerical and analytical methods to understand rupture conditions and growth.

Contribution

It provides a combined numerical and analytical analysis of electrostatic effects on the stability of charged shells, including bending elasticity, which was not comprehensively studied before.

Findings

Charging induces shell instability towards rupture.

Different stability regimes depend on shell properties and salt conditions.

Electrostatics influence growth and rupture of charged shells.

Abstract

We investigate the electrostatics of a partially formed, charged spherical shell in a salt solution. We solve the problem numerically at the Poisson-Boltzmann level and analytically in the Debye-Huckel regime. From the results on energetics of partially formed shells we examine the stability of tethered (crystalline) and fluid shells towards rupture. We clearly delineate different regimes of stability towards rupture, where, for fluid shells, we also include the effects of bending elasticity of the shells. Our analysis shows how charging of the shell induces its instability towards rupture but also provides insight regarding growth of charged shells.