https://doi.org/10.1140/epje/e2006-00015-6
Regular Articles
Size and viscoelasticity of spatially confined multilamellar vesicles
Institute for Physical Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Landoltweg 2, 52056, Aachen, Germany
* e-mail: sfujii@chem.nagaokaut.ac.jp
** e-mail: richtering@rwth-aachen.de
Received:
9
May
2005
Published online:
31
January
2006
We studied viscoelastic properties and scaling behavior of multilamellar vesicles (MLVs) confined between two parallel plates as a function of the shear rate and sample thickness (gap size between parallel plates). The rheological properties are classified into two regimes; the shear-thinning regime at high shear rates and the shear-thickening regime at low shear rates. In the former, the MLV radius results from the mechanical balance between the effective surface tension σeff and viscous stress force. The MLV radius is independent of the gap size. σeff estimated by van der Linden model is 2.1 ±0.15 ×10-4 Nm-1 corresponding to the same value obtained by SANS measurement. Power law exponents for the steady state viscosity and yield stress against pre-shear rate (,
) well agree with prediction based on the layering of membranes. Therefore, viscoelastic properties in this regime could be modeled by assuming that the dynamics of MLVs are driven by layering of MLV polydomains, which could be accompanied by the viscous dissipation, i.e., the stress relaxation on the MLV, induced by continuous sequence of yields of MLVs. The flow curve is empirically explained by the assumption of a relaxation time for the MLV shape. In the latter, however, scaling laws observed in the shear-thinning regime break down. The MLV radius increases when the gap size is reduced below the threshold value and MLV is no longer formed at very small gap sizes. Different dynamics from the shear-thinning regime seem to dominate the viscoelasticity.
PACS: 82.70.Uv Surfactants, micellar solutions, vesicles, lamellae, amphiphilic systems (hydrophilic and hydrophobic interactions) – / 83.60.Rs Shear rate-dependent structure (shear thinning and shear thickening) – / 83.80.Qr Surfactant and micellar systems, associated polymers –
© EDP Sciences/Società Italiana di Fisica/Springer-Verlag, 2006