Curvature Instability of Colloidal Membranes on Crystallization

Membrane curvature generation and remodeling are critical for trafficking and cellular functions. Local curvature generation is associated mainly with specialized proteins which use mechanisms such as protein crowding, nanoscopic and macroscopic scaffolding. We investigate curvature generation in a highly simplified model system of colloidal membranes and show that structural phase transition of crystallization within the membrane is enough to result in membrane curvature and wrinkling. We determine the structure and dynamics of the buckled colloidal membranes using a variety of microscopy and scattering techniques to identify the relevant parameters in the phase transition that affect the overall morphology of the membranes.