https://doi.org/10.1007/s100510051042
Falling ball viscosimetry of giant vesicle membranes: Finite-size effects
1
Centre de recherche Paul-Pascal, CNRS,
avenue A. Schweitzer, 33600 Pessac, France
2
Laboratory of Thermodynamics and Physico-Chemical Hydrodynamics, Faculty
of Chemistry, University of Sofia, 1164 Sofia, Bulgaria
Received:
4
January
1999
Revised:
11
May
1999
Published online: 13 August 2012
We study the general problem of the friction felt by a spherical solid particle which moves parallel to the membrane of a spherical vesicle. Experiments are carried out with SOPC vesicles at room temperature, with different particle and vesicle sizes. Experimental data show considerable finite-size effects whenever the particle is not very small compared to the vesicle. These effects are found consistent with the hydrodynamical theory of the vesicle-particle problem. This agreement allows for a "robust" determination of membrane viscosity, independently of particle and vesicle sizes.
PACS: 68.10.Et – Interface elasticity, viscosity, and viscoelasticity / 83.85.Pt – Flow computation (e.g. finite element)
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag, 1999
