Topological defects and shape of aromatic self-assembled vesicles

Abstract

We show that the stacking of flat aromatic molecules on a curved surface results in topological defects. We consider, as an example, spherical vesicles, self-assembled from molecules with 5- and 6-thiophene cores. We predict that the symmetry of the molecules influences the number of topological defects and the resulting equilibrium shape.

accepted as a Letter in the J. Phys. Chem. B