Simple Model of Splitting Instability in Swollen Membranes

A simple one-dimensional mechanical model is proposed for splitting instability in swollen membranes. The splitting instability occurs by ring constriction. The bifurcation can be both subcritical and supercritical, depending on the slenderness of spheroidal membranes. The lower critical point is estimated theoretically for the simplest circular system. Necking instability occurs in a spheroidal membrane when the twist angle in the boundary conditions is increased.