Kinetics of temperature or pressure field induced phase transformation in lipid bilayers

Abstract

A description of kinetics of the temperature or pressure field induced phase transformations in model biomembranes is proposed. It is based on the Avrami-Kolmogorov model combined with concept of chemical reaction fractal-like kinetics. As a result, a non-Debyean (stretched exponential and power-law) relaxation of the phase transformation process is obtained. Possible applications to experimental cases like thermotropic phase transformations in lipids (e.g. dipalmitoyphosphatidylcholine - DPPC) and/or hydration of dioleylphosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE) bilayers caused by pressure are discussed.