STRIPE PHASE HYDRODYNAMICS IN LIPID MONOLAYERS

The time-dependent serpentine distortions of the stripe phase of lipid monolayers at the air-water interface are studied by accounting for t he effects of line tension and electrostatic forces within the monolay er, as well as viscous forces within both the monolayer and the subpha se. It is shown that distortions that have wavelengths of the same ord er as the stripe widths are expected to grow or decay rapidly, dependi ng on the relation between the stripe width and the equilibrium width. Serpentine distortions with wavelengths much larger than the stripe w idths grow or decay much more slowly. Experimental data of Seul and Ch en (Phys. Rev. Lett. 1993, 70, 1658-1661) on stripe phases are discuss ed in terms of these calculations, with the conclusion that the stripe s in these phases have equilibrium widths, and that these stripe phase s are stable with respect to static serpentine distortions.