arXiv subjects

Jean Daillant

Publications and source records attributed to Jean Daillant.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2019

Attractive Interaction between Fully Charged Lipid Bilayers in a Strongly-Confined Geometry

We investigate the interaction between highly charged lipid bilayers in the presence of monovalent counterions. Neutron and X-ray reflectivity experiments show that the water layer between like-charged bilayers is thinner than for zwitterionic lipids, demonstrating the existence of counterintuitive electrostatic attractive interaction between bilayers. Such attraction can be explained by taking into account the correlations between counterions within the Strong Coupling limit, which falls beyond the classical Poisson-Boltzmann theory of electrostatics. Our results show the limit of the Strong Coupling continuous theory in a highly confined geometry and are in agreement with a decrease in the water dielectric constant due to a surface charge-induced orientation of water molecules.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2016

Reduction in Tension and Stiffening of Lipid Membranes in an Electric Field Revealed by X-ray Scattering

The effect of AC electric fields on the elasticity of supported lipid bilayers has been investigated at the microscopic level using grazing incidence synchrotron x-ray scattering. A strong decrease in the membrane tension up to 1mN/m and a dramatic increase of its effective rigidity up to 300kBT are observed for local electric potentials seen by the membrane < 1V. The experimental results were analyzed using detailed electrokinetic modeling and non-linear Poisson-Boltzmann theory. Based on a modeling of the electromagnetic stress which provides an accurate description of bilayer separation vs pressure curves, we show that the decrease in tension results from the amplification of charge fluctuations on the membrane surface whereas the increase in bending rigidity results from direct interaction between charges in the electric double layer. These effects eventually lead to a destabilization of the bilayer and vesicle formation. Similar effects are expected at the tens of nanometer lengthscale in cell membranes with lower tension, and could explain a number of electrically driven processes.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2013

Controlling interactions in supported bilayers from weak electrostatic repulsion to high osmotic pressure

Understanding interactions between membranes requires measurements on well-controlled systems close to natural conditions, in which fluctuations play an important role. We have determined, by grazing incidence X-ray scattering, the interaction potential between two lipid bilayers, one adsorbed on a solid surface and the other floating close by. We find that interactions in this highly hydrated model system are two orders of magnitude softer than in previously reported work on multilayer stacks. This is attributed to the weak electrostatic repulsion due to the small fraction of ionized lipids in supported bilayers with a lower number of defects. Our data are consistent with the Poisson-Boltzmann theory, in the regime where repulsion is dominated by the entropy of counter ions. We also have unique access to very weak entropic repulsion potentials, which allowed us to discriminate between the various models proposed in the literature. We further demonstrate that the interaction potential between supported bilayers can be tuned at will by applying osmotic pressure, providing a way to manipulate these model membranes, thus considerably enlarging the range of biological or physical problems that can be addressed.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2012

Tailoring Nanostructures Using Copolymer Nanoimprint Lithography

Finding affordable ways of generating high-density ordered nanostructures that can be transferred to a substrate is a major challenge for industrial applications like memories or optical devices with high resolution features. In this work, we report on a novel technique to direct self-assembled structures of block copolymers by NanoImprint Lithography. Surface energy of a reusable mold and nanorheology are used to organize the copolymers in defect-free structures over tens of micrometers in size. Versatile and controlled in-plane orientations of about 25 nm half-period lamellar nanostructures are achieved and, in particular, include applications to circular tracks of magnetic reading heads.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2011

Organization of Block Copolymers using NanoImprint Lithography: Comparison of Theory and Experiments

We present NanoImprint lithography experiments and modeling of thin films of block copolymers (BCP). The NanoImprint lithography is used to align perpendicularly lamellar phases, over distances much larger than the natural lamellar periodicity. The modeling relies on self-consistent field calculations done in two- and three-dimensions. We get a good agreement with the NanoImprint lithography setups. We find that, at thermodynamical equilibrium, the ordered BCP lamellae are much better aligned than when the films are deposited on uniform planar surfaces.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2009

Supported bilayers: combined specular and diffuse x-ray scattering

A new method is proposed for the analysis of specular and off-specular reflectivity from supported lipid bilayers. Both thermal fluctuations and the "static" roughness induced by the substrate are carefully taken into account. Examples from supported bilayers and more complex systems comprising a bilayer adsorbed or grafted on the substrate and another "floating" bilayer are given. The combined analysis of specular and off-specular reflectivity allows the precise determination of the structure of adsorbed and floating bilayers, their tension, bending rigidity and interaction potentials. We show that this new method gives a unique opportunity to investigate phenomena like protusion modes of adsorbed bilayers and opens the way to the investigation of more complex systems including different kinds of lipids, cholesterol or peptides.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2009

Easy orientation of diblock copolymers on self-assembled monolayers using UV irradiation

A simple method based on UV/ozone treatment is proposed to control the surface energy of dense grafted silane layers for orientating block copolymer mesophases. Our method allows one to tune the surface energy down to a fraction of a mN/m. We show that related to the surface, perpendicular orientation of a lamellar phase of a PS-PMMA diblock copolymer (neutral surface) is obtained for a critical surface energy of 23.9-25.7 mN/m. Perpendicular cylinders are obtained for 24.6 mN/m and parallel cylinders for 26.8 mN/m.

cond-mat.soft↗