Eur. Phys. J. E 8, 275-282 (2002)
DOI: 10.1140/epje/i2001-10101-0
Dewetting of solid-supported multilamellar lipid layers
L. Perino-Gallice1, G. Fragneto1, U. Mennicke2, T. Salditt2 and F. Rieutord31 Institut Laue-Langevin, B.P. 156, 38042 Grenoble Cedex 9, France
2 Universität des Saarlandes, Postfach 15 11 50, 66041 Saarbrücken, Germany
3 CEA-Grenoble Département de Recherche Fondamentale sur la Matière Condensée, 38054 Grenoble Cedex 9, France
rieutord@cea.fr
(Received 27 November 2001)
Abstract
Thin multilamellar assemblies of neutral lipid bilayers
deposited on silicon substrates are shown to be unstable upon
hydration.
We analyze the stability of these systems taking into
account a reduction
of the fluctuation-related components of the bilayer
interaction potential. The sizes of the patterns observed are
consistent
with a spinodal dewetting process.
68.08.Bc - Wetting.
87.16.Dg - Membranes, bilayers, and vesicles.
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag 2002