| Abstract | High-pressure infrared spectroscopy is used to compare the barotropic behaviour of various interdigitated lipid bilayer systems (1,2-di-O-hexadecyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, 1,3-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-2-phosphocholine and 1-palmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine) with non-interdigitated bilayers of 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine. In the pressure range between 0 and 20 kbar, we have monitored the pressure dependence of the relative peak height intensity ratio of the chain methylene scissoring band, δCH₂, and its correlation field component band, δ′CH₂. We demonstrate that this parameter, in conjunction with a visual inspection of the pressure-induced correlation field splittings of the methylene scissoring and rocking mode bands, can provide reliable indications of chain interdigitation. |
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