Micelle: Difference between revisions

Micelles (singular "[[Glossary:Micelle|micelle]]"), or micellae (singular "micella"), are spherical clusters of hydrocarbon molecules that act as emulsifying agents. A typical micelle in aqueous solution forms an aggregate with the hydrophilic "head" regions in contact with surrounding solvent, sequestering the hydrophobic single-tail regions in the micelle centre. This type of micelle is known as a normal-phase micelle (oil-in-water micelle). An Inverse micelle has a hyprophobic and hydrophilic side, with the hyrodphilic side at the center and the hydrophobic side facing the solvent. Micelles are approximately spherical in shape. Other phases, including shapes such as ellipsoids, cylinders, and bilayers, are also possible. The shape and size of a micelle are a function of the molecular geometry of its surfactant molecules and solution conditions such as surfactant concentration, temperature, pH, and ionic strength. The process of forming micelles is known as micellisation and forms part of the phase behaviour of many lipids according to their polymorphism.<ref name="r1">Micelle. 2015. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Micelle&oldid=694423373</ref>