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Topological Relaxation of a Shear-Induced Lamellar Phase to Sponge Equilibrium and the Energetics of Membrane Fusion

L. Porcar, W. A. Hamilton, P. D. Butler, and G. G. Warr
Phys. Rev. Lett. 93, 198301 – Published 1 November 2004
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Abstract

We report time-resolved small angle neutron scattering (t-SANS) measurements of the topological relaxation of Couette shear-induced stacked Lα lamellar states to their multiconnected isotropic L3 sponge equilibrium phases in a surfactant bilayer membrane system. Comparison of this structural relaxation time to the interval between diffusive membrane contacts, as determined from dynamic light scattering or estimated from the shear rates required for Lα saturation, allows us to determine the activation energy barrier to the membrane fusion process reestablishing the solution channel handles that characterize the sponge phase.

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  • Received 25 May 2004

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.93.198301

©2004 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

L. Porcar1,3, W. A. Hamilton2, P. D. Butler1,2, and G. G. Warr4

  • 1National Institute of Standards and Technology, Center for Neutron Research, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899, USA
  • 2Center for Neutron Scattering, Condensed Matter Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, USA
  • 3University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA
  • 4School of Chemistry, University of Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia

See Also

When Membranes Collide

Chelsea Wald
Phys. Rev. Focus 14, 20 (2004)

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Issue

Vol. 93, Iss. 19 — 5 November 2004

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