Experimental measurements of the bulk modulus of cubosome using SANS with contrast variation

Cubosomes are dispersions of the inverse bicontinuous cubic phase that have attracted significant attention in the context of drug delivery due to their peculiar features. To optimise their formulation the softness of the individual drug carrier has to be finely tuned since it affects the uptake of a colloidal particle within membranes. We will apply a methods based on SANS with contrast variation to determine the bulk modulus of cubosomes obtained using twi different lipids, monoolein (GMO) or phytantriol (PHYT), and stabilised by two different poloxamers, namely Pluronic F127 and F108. The data will be analysed using both the Guinier's analysis, the fitting of the determined form factors by analytical models, and using computer simulations. From this analysis, we will determine the variation of the cubosomes size as a function of the applied osmotic pressure exerted by a deuterated polymer contrast matched in D2O.