title: Prediction of an autocatalytic replication mechanism for micelle formation.
abstract: We report molecular simulations suggesting that the kinetics of surfactant micelle formation can be sped up significantly by a replication mechanism, in which growing micelles become unstable and split into two similar sized micelles. We argue that for certain surfactants types around the critical micelle concentration, such a mechanism becomes more dominant than the commonly accepted nucleation pathway.
authors.affiliation: van't Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences, Universiteit van Amsterdam, Nieuwe Achtergracht 166, 1018 WV Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: René
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pool
authors.forename: Peter G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Bolhuis
mesh_terms: D002384:Catalysis; D003102:Colloids / Q000737:chemistry*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D046911:Macromolecular Substances / Q000737:chemistry; D008823:Micelles; D008956:Models, Chemical; D008958:Models, Molecular; D010316:Particle Size; D044367:Phase Transition; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D003102:Colloids; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D008823:Micelles; D013501:Surface-Active Agents