title: Edge effects determine the direction of bilayer bending.
abstract: We elucidate the reason for preferential bending along the long edge in thin rectangular bilayers in which one of the layers is isotropically strained. While this preference has been observed previously, the physical basis for this preference has not been understood. We find that the bending direction is determined by the existence of doubly curved regions at the curled edges, which lower the energy. This energy difference between "spiral" and "cigar" shapes increases with aspect ratio.
authors.affiliation: School of Mathematics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States. alben@math.gatech.edu
authors.forename: Silas
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Alben
authors.forename: Bavani
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Balakrisnan
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Smela
mesh_terms: D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000737:chemistry; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D011108:Polymers; D011758:Pyrroles; C067635:polypyrrole; D006046:Gold; D012822:Silicon Dioxide