Synonyms
Self-assembly of amphiphilic molecules
Definition
Spontaneous organization of materials (commonly amphiphilic molecules such as low-molecular-weight surfactants and polymeric surfactants) into highly ordered structures through non-covalent interactions without adding external energy.
Introduction
Amphiphilic molecules or surfactants can self-assemble into a variety of ordered structures. The self-assembly of low-molecular-weight surfactants has been studied for many decades; the principle that determines the morphologies of ordered aggregates in solutions is explained primarily from the concept of packing parameter [1]. The packing parameter, p (= v/a 0 l c), indicates the geometry or packing property of a surfactant molecule into ordered aggregates, where v is the volume of the hydrophobic chain, a 0 is the optimum head-group area, and l c is the length of the hydrophobic chain. Evaluation of penables us to estimate the morphology of aggregates such as spheres, cylinders,...
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Yamada, S. (2015). Surfactant Assemblies (Micelles, Vesicles, Emulsions, Films, etc.), an Overview. In: Kobayashi, S., Müllen, K. (eds) Encyclopedia of Polymeric Nanomaterials. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-29648-2_158
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-29648-2_158
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