Research

The Capacitance and Electromechanical Coupling of Lipid Membranes Close to Transitions: The Effect of Electrostriction

Thomas Heimburg

Biophys. J., 103 (5), 918–929 (2012)

Biomembranes are thin capacitors with the unique feature of displaying phase transitions in a physiologically relevant regime. We investigate the voltage and lateral pressure dependence of their capacitance close to their chain melting transition. Because the gel and the fluid membrane have different area and thickness, the capacitance of […]

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Self-assembled aggregates in the gravitational field: Growth and nematic order

V. A. Baulin
J. Chem. Phys., 119, 2874 (2003)
The influence of the gravitational field on the reversible process of assembly and disassembly of linear aggregates is the focus of this paper. Even the earth gravitational field can affect the equilibrium properties of heavy biological aggregates such as microtubules or actin filaments. The gravity gives rise to […]

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Self-consistent field theory of brushes of neutral water-soluble polymers

V.A. Baulin, E.B. Zhulina, A. Halperin
J. Chem. Phys., 119, 2874 (2003)
The self-consistent field theory of brushes of neutral water-soluble polymers described by two-state models is formulated in terms of the effective Flory interaction parameter χeff(T,ϕ) that depends on both temperature, T, and the monomer volume fraction, ϕ. The concentration profiles, distribution of free ends and […]

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