Pore formation phase diagrams for lipid membranes
S. I. Mukhin, B. B. Kheyfets
Theoretical Physics and Quantum Technology Department, NUST "MISIS", 119049 Moscow, Russia
Abstract
Critical lateral pressure for a pore formation and phase diagram of porous
membrane are derived analytically as functions of the microscopic parameters
of the lipid chains. The derivation exploits path-integral calculation of
the free energy of the ensembles of semi-flexible strings and rigid rods
that mimic the hydrophobic tails of lipids in the lipid bilayers and
bolalipid membranes respectively. Analytical expressions for the area
stretch/compressibility moduli of the membranes are derived in both models.