Curvature Elasticity of an Adsorbed Polymer Layer

Abstract

We study theoretically the change of the curvature moduli of a surfactant membrane due to the adsorption of a polymer solution. Using a mean field theory of polymer adsorption, we study both cases of reversible and irreversible polymer adsorption in good and θ solvents. The curvature moduli of the adsorbed polymer layers are dominated by the short loops that the polymer forms on the membrane. The polymer contribution to the membrane bending modulus is always negative and the polymer contribution to the Gaussian curvature modulus is always positive.