Dynamic morphologies and stability of droplet interface bilayers

Guiselin, B.; Law, J.O.; Chakrabarti, B.; Kusumaatmaja, H.

Abstract

We develop a theoretical framework for understanding dynamic morphologies and stability of droplet interface bilayers (DIBs), accounting for lipid kinetics in the monolayers and bilayer, and droplet evaporation due to imbalance between osmotic and Laplace pressures. Our theory quantitatively describes distinct pathways observed in experiments when DIBs become unstable. We find that when the timescale for lipid desorption is slow compared to droplet evaporation, the lipid bilayer will grow and the droplets approach a hemispherical shape. In contrast, when lipid desorption is fast, the bilayer area will shrink and the droplets eventually detach. Our model also suggests there is a critical size below which DIBs can become unstable, which may explain experimental difficulties in miniaturizing the DIB platform.

Citation

Guiselin, B., Law, J., Chakrabarti, B., & Kusumaatmaja, H. (2018). Dynamic morphologies and stability of droplet interface bilayers. Physical Review Letters, 120(23), Article 238001. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.120.238001

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: May 7, 2018
• Online Publication Date: Jun 6, 2018
• Publication Date: Jun 6, 2018
• Deposit Date: May 30, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 12, 2018
• Journal: Physical Review Letters
• Print ISSN: 0031-9007
• Electronic ISSN: 1079-7114
• Publisher: American Physical Society
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 120
• Issue: 23
• Article Number: 238001
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.120.238001
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1329823
• Related Public URLs: https://arxiv.org/abs/1803.08262