Lipid tubes formation induced by electroosmotic flow

The construction of supramolecular hollow tubes from amphiphilic molecules is of great interest in biology and nanotechnology. Previous electroformation techniques were mainly based on two face to face electrodes, generating an electric field perpendicular to the lipid film for giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs). This work demonstrated the electroformation of lipid tubes based on electric field paralleling to the lipid film. The electroosmotic flow (EOF) near the lipid interface is main force for the formation of lipid tubes. (C) 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.