A Highly Oriented Cubic Phase Formed by Lipids under Shear
We demonstrate the formation of a macroscopically oriented inverse bicontinuous cubic (QII) lipid phase from a sponge (L3) phase by controlled hydration during shear flow. The L3 phase was the monoolein/butanediol/water system; the addition of water reduces the butanediol concentration, inducing the formation of a diamond (QIID) cubic phase, which is oriented by the shear flow. The phenomenon was