1st Edition

The Lyotropic State of Matter Molecular Physics and Living Matter Physics

By Alexander G Petrov Copyright 1999

    The lyotropic state of matter embraces highly concentrated solutions of soaps and detergents, as well as such biologically active substances as lipids, proteins, nucleic acids and lipopolysaccharides. Since some of the most important living lyotropic structures are biological membranes, their study is multidisciplinary, ranging from the molecular physics and physical chemistry of interfaces to living matter physics in general, and membrane biophysics in particular.

    Written for liquid crystal scientists who are not familiar with lyotropics and membranes, for membranologists who are not familiar with liquid crystal physics, and for experts in these fields, The Lyotropic State of Matter: Molecular Physics and Living Matter Physics presents both theory and experiment, and provides an overview of the state of the art in this exciting area of study.

    1. Lyotropic Mesogens and Lyotropic Polymorphism 2. Molecular Asymmetry of Lyotropic Mesogens 3. Defects in the Liquid Crystalline Structure of Membranes 4. Flexoelectricity and Ferroelectricity of Layered and Columnar Lyotropic Systems 5. The Liquid Crystal Approach in Living Matter Physics 6. Elasticity of Layered Lipid Systems and Membranes 7. Experimental Studies of Flexoelectricity and Ferroelectricity in Black Lipid Membranes and Biomembranes 8. Liquid Crystals and the Living State of Matter

    Biography

    Alexander G Petrov