Flexoelectric fluid membranes in electric field. Shape equations and exact solutions

Abstract

The shape equation for an axisymmetric fluid membrane is derived, assuming action of an uniform external electric field. The flexoelectric contribution to the free energy of the membrane, stemming from the latter is accounted within the theory by Steigmann and Agrawal. Additionally, we have introduced, in the aforementioned functional, another term associated with a curvature induced membrane polarization, as the latter was first hypothesized by A. Petrov. Some exact Naito-type solutions of the studied equation are given, with the free parameters linked to the model ones.