Eur. Phys. J. E (2010) 32: 223-228
https://doi.org/10.1140/epje/i2010-10631-2

Regular Article

Non-spherical shapes of capsules within a fourth-order curvature model

¹ Laboratoire de Physique Statistique, Ecole Normale Superieure, UPMC Univ. Paris 06, Université Paris Diderot, CNRS, 24 rue Lhomond, 75005, Paris, France
² Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University Nijmegen, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525, AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands

^* e-mail: oksana@lps.ens.fr

Received: 2 April 2010
Revised: 20 May 2010
Accepted: 8 June 2010
Published online: 8 July 2010

Abstract

We minimize a discrete version of the fourth-order curvature-based Landau free energy by extending Brakke's Surface Evolver. This model predicts spherical as well as non-spherical shapes with dimples, bumps and ridges to be the energy minimizers. Our results suggest that the buckling and faceting transitions, usually associated with crystalline matter, can also be an intrinsic property of non-crystalline membranes.