Laser study of thermal neutron irradiation influence on simple biological membrane models

摘要

In this paper, thin films of some fatty acids and fatty acid-cholesterol mixtures were investigated as biological membrane simple models, in order to establish the thermal neutron irradiation influence on these systems, while in the smectic C liquid crystal state. Samples are nonlinear dielectrics with a weak conduction, and nonlinear optical media. They generally present some memory effects. Cholesterol modifies these properties depending on its percentage in mixture and saturated or unsaturated character of the acid. After exposed to a flow of thermal neutrons, texture and behavioral changes, in terms of content of cholesterol in mixtures, and depending on the number of carbon atoms, were emphasized.