Show simple item record

dc.contributor.advisorGeorge B. Benedek.en_US
dc.contributor.authorHossain, Chintanen_US
dc.contributor.otherMassachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Physics.en_US
dc.date.accessioned2008-03-27T18:20:52Z
dc.date.available2008-03-27T18:20:52Z
dc.date.copyright2007en_US
dc.date.issued2007en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/40897
dc.descriptionThesis (S.B.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Physics, 2007.en_US
dc.descriptionIncludes bibliographical references (p. 49-50).en_US
dc.description.abstractHelical ribbons form in a many multi-component solutions containing sterols similar to cholesterol, but remarkably, almost all the helices have a pitch angle of 11⁰ or 54⁰. The consistent pitch angle of the ribbons may be due to an underlying crystal structure. In order to determine the crystal structure, I undertook x-ray scattering studies of individual helical ribbons taken from two particular solutions: Chemically Defined Lipid Solution and model bile. Using a synchrotron x-ray source I observed Bragg reflections from ribbons with a pitch angle of 11⁰. From the diffraction patterns, I was able to deduce the parameters of the unit cell. The crystal structure of these ribbons is similar to that of cholesterol monohydrate, with the important difference that the length of the unit cell perpendicular to the cholesterol layers is tripled. Furthermore, I found that adjacent layers are shifted relative to each other along a single direction, and that the shift varies periodically with a period of 3 bilayers. I also found that the growth direction of the crystal is along one of the unit cell axes.en_US
dc.description.statementofresponsibilityby Chintan Hossain.en_US
dc.format.extent50 p.en_US
dc.language.isoengen_US
dc.publisherMassachusetts Institute of Technologyen_US
dc.rightsM.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.en_US
dc.rights.urihttp://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582en_US
dc.subjectPhysics.en_US
dc.titleThe crystal structure of cholesterol helical ribbonsen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US
dc.description.degreeS.B.en_US
dc.contributor.departmentMassachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Physics
dc.identifier.oclc197084010en_US


Files in this item

Thumbnail

This item appears in the following Collection(s)

Show simple item record