Lifetime of unstable bilayers: a lattice model for amphiphilic membranes

Abstract

By carrying out a Monte Carlo simulation we compute the lifetime of thermodynamically unstable bilayers of a specific initial conformation in the Widom model of microemulsions. For identical initial conformations of these model bilayers, we study the dependence of the lifetime on (a) the initial concentration of the amphiphilic molecules, (b) the temperature, and (c) the strengths of the curvature elasticity of the amphiphilic membrane. We also discuss the similarities and differences between our computer experiment and the laboratory experiment on the rupture of the Newton black films.