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The European Physical Journal B
ISSN: 1434-6028 (printed version)
ISSN: 1434-6036 (electronic version)
Abstract Volume 1 Issue 4 (1998) pp 481-489
Stiffening of fluid membranes and entropy loss of membrane closure: Two effects of thermal undulations
W. Helfrich (a)
Fachbereich Physik, Freie Universität Berlin, Arnimallee 14, 14195 Berlin, Germany
Received: 10 June 1997 / Revised: 7 October 1997 / Accepted: 2 December 1997
Abstract: The problem of membrane softening by thermal undulations is revisited. In contrast to general belief, fluid membranes are predicted to be stiffened, not softened, by their undulations. Equal values of the effective bending rigidity are calculated from the interplay of local mean curvature modes (hats) on the basically flat membrane and from the coupling of spherical harmonic modes with spherical curvature. In addition, a conjecture is made on the entropy of membrane closure. It relies on a similarity of membrane closure to periodic boundary conditions.
PACS. 68.10.Et Interface elasticity, viscosity and viscoelasticity - 82.65.Dp Thermodynamics of surfaces and interfaces
(a) email: Wolfgang.Helfrich@physik.fu-berlin.de
Online publication: March 19, 1998
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