Cubic phases as structures of disclinations

We look for possible ordered geometrical configurations with bicontinuous or cellular topologies, optimizing the frustration of a periodic system of frustrated fluid films. The solutions found have the same symmetries as those observed for cubic phases of amphiphilic molecules. This agreement leads to consider cubic structures as structures of defects of rotation, or disclinations.This paper was presented at the workshop Ringing gels and Cubic phases, University of Bayreuth, October 25–26th, 1988.