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Phase diagrams of confined solutions of dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) lipid and cholesterol in nanotubes

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Abstract

We have studied equilibrium morphologies of dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine lipid solution and cholesterol solution confined to nanotubes using dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) simulations. Phase diagrams regarding monomer concentration c versus radius of nanotube r for both solutions are attained. Three types of the inner surface of nanotubes, namely hydrophobic, hydrophilic, and hydroneutral are considered in the DPD simulations. A number of phases and molecular assemblies for the confined solutions are revealed, among others, such as the spiral wetting and bilayer helix. Several phases and assemblies have not been reported in the literature, and some are non-existence in bulk solutions. The ability to control the morphologies and self-assemblies within nanoscale confinement can be exploited for patterning interior surface of nanochannels for application in nanofluidics and nanomedical devices.

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Acknowledgments

N.A. and K.Y. were supported by the Core Research for Evolution Science and Technology (CREST) of the Japan Science and Technology Corporation (JST). XCZ was supported by grants from the NSF (CBET-1036171 and CBET-1066947) and ARL (W911NF1020099).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering and Intelligent Systems, University of Electro-Communications, Tokyo, 182-8585, Japan

    Noriyoshi Arai

  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Keio University, Yokohama, 223-8522, Japan

    Kenji Yasuoka

  3. Department of Chemistry, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE, 68588, USA

    Xiao Cheng Zeng

Authors
  1. Noriyoshi Arai
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  2. Kenji Yasuoka
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  3. Xiao Cheng Zeng
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Correspondence to Noriyoshi Arai.

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Arai, N., Yasuoka, K. & Zeng, X.C. Phase diagrams of confined solutions of dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) lipid and cholesterol in nanotubes. Microfluid Nanofluid 14, 995–1010 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10404-012-1107-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10404-012-1107-3

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