Application of self-consistent field theory to self-assembled bilayer membranes

Bilayer membranes self-assembled from amphiphilic molecules such as lipids, surfactants, and block copolymers are ubiquitous in biological and physiochemical systems. The shape and structure of bilayer membranes depend crucially on their mechanical properties such as surface tension, bending moduli, and line tension. Understanding how the molecular properties of the amphiphiles determine the structure and mechanics of the self-assembled bilayers requires a molecularly detailed theoretical framework. The self-consistent field theory provides such a theoretical framework, which is capable of accurately predicting the mechanical parameters of self-assembled bilayer membranes. In this mini review we summarize the formulation of the self-consistent field theory, as exemplified by a model system composed of flexible amphiphilic chains dissolved in hydrophilic polymeric solvents, and its application to the study of self-assembled bilayer membranes.