Dynamics of Bilayer Membranes in the Sponge Phase of Non-Ionic Micelles

Abstract

We have studied the sponge phase (L₃) of binary mixture of C₁₂E₅ and water by the dynamic light scattering technique. At the concentration above 2w%, an almost single relaxation related with the cooparative diffusion of membranes is detected. The dynamic correlation lengh is evaluated from the diffusion constant to be a little larger than that obtained for the L_α phase. At the concentration below 2w%, we can find the crossover behavior Γ∝q² to Γ∝q³ in the dispersion relation between the inverse correlation time Γ and the scattering wavenumber q.