Induced stresses in quasi-spherical elastic vesicles: local and global Laplace-Young law


Abstract in English

On elastic spherical membranes, there is no stress induced by the bending energy and the corresponding Laplace-Young law does not involve the elastic bending stiffness. However, when considering an axially symmetrical perturbation that pinches the sphere, it induces nontrivial stresses on the entire membrane. In this paper we introduce a theoretical framework to examine the stress induced by perturbations of geometry around the sphere. We find the local balance force equations along the normal direction to the vesicle, and along the unit binormal, tangent to the membrane; likewise, the global balance force equation on closed loops is also examined. We analyze the distribution of stresses on the membrane as the budding transition occurs. For closed membranes we obtain the modified Young-Laplace law that appears as a consequence of this perturbation.

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