Enhancement of steric repulsion with temperature in oriented lipid multilayers

The temperature dependence of the stacking periodicity, d, of oriented phospholipid multilayers was investigated using grazing angle neutron scattering techniques. The observed swelling of bilayers at higher temperature was consistent with the decrease in the rigidity modulus. The reduction in the rigidity modulus resulted in more pronounced thermal fluctuations and results in a stronger steric repulsion between the bilayers.