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Abstract The out-of-plane fluctuations of fluid membranes are sterically hindered in multilayer systems. The repulsive interaction associated with the steric or excluded-volume effect is studied theoretically by two methods. The interaction energy per unit area of membrane is derived as a function of temperature, membrane curvature elasticity and mean membrane spacing; it is inversely proportional to the square of the latter. Steric repulsion is estimated for lecithin bilayers in water. There and in other cases, it may compete with van der Waals attraction.
W. Helfrich (Wed,) studied this question.