Shape deformation of giant vesicles encapsulating charged colloidal particles

Abstract

We have investigated shape deformations of giant vesicles induced by the confinement of charged colloids. By confining charged colloids densely, the non-spherical vesicles with tube, discocyte, and stomatocyte shapes transformed to multi-bead vesicles composed of n spheres. The size and number of spheres in the multi-bead vesicle are determined by a conservation law of the total volume and area. The morphology transition of the vesicle induced by the charged colloid confinement is caused by the optimization of the free volume of the confined charged colloids in a vesicle.