Self-assembly of hollow cones in a bola-amphiphile/hexadiamine salt solution.
Cones are a very rare form of supramolecular self-assembly. It is shown that mixing of an unsymmetrical bola-fatty acid and a diamine (catanionic system) in dilute solutions can produce aggregates having a conical shape. These assemblies are made of frozen unsymmetrical monolayers in which bolas are arranged on a regular hexagonal lattice. Cones are stabilized by the introduction of pentagonal or n-gonal defects in the bola-lattice which yields the quantification of the cone apex angle according to the Euler theorems. The formation of cones represents a novel route for lipid and surfactant systems to minimize the edge energy of a flat membrane.
Douliez
Jean-Paul
JP
INRA/BIA/ISD, Rue de la Géraudière, 44316 Nantes, France. douliez@nantes.inra.fr
D003959:Diamines / Q000737:chemistry*; D008055:Lipids / Q000737:chemistry*; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D012492:Salts / Q000737:chemistry; D012996:Solutions
D003959:Diamines; D008055:Lipids; D012492:Salts; D012996:Solutions