Spontaneous Curvature-induced pearling instability

TL;DR

This paper studies how the addition of oil induces spontaneous curvature in tubular membranes, leading to a pearling instability, and models the wavelength dependence on tubule radius considering surface tension and spontaneous curvature.

Contribution

It introduces a model incorporating spontaneous curvature to explain the wavelength selection in membrane pearling instability caused by oil incorporation.

Findings

Wavelength of instability depends on tubule radius.

Spontaneous curvature influences the pearling pattern.

Model matches experimental measurements.

Abstract

We investigate the instability of a tubular fluid membranes made of a water soluble surfactant. The tubules are obtained at high salinities. The instability is due to the introduction within the vesicle multilayer of an alkane. We measure the wavelength of this instability versus the unperturbed radius of the tubules. To interpretthis dependance we use a model that includes not only the surface tension in the elastic energy but the spontaneous curvature as well. The spontaneous curvature is induced by the presenceof the oil in the bilayer of the membrane and give a selection of a non-zero wavelength.