VESICLES IN CONTACT WITH NANOPARTICLES AND COLLOIDS

Flexible membranes which are in contact with dispersed nanoparticles o r colloids are theoretically studied. For closed vesicles, the membran e/particle interactions change the ''spontaneous'' curvature of the me mbrane provided the surrounding solution contains more than one specie s of particles. If the membrane/particle interactions are repulsive, t he membrane curves toward the larger particles. If the membrane/partic le interactions are attractive, the membrane curves away from the adso rption layers of small particles but wraps itself around large particl es which become completely encapsulated.