Structure and size of spontaneously formed aggregates in Aerosol OT/PEG mixtures: effects of polymer size and composition.
Dynamic light scattering and Cryo-TEM measurements have allowed us to obtain the size and structure of spontaneous aggregates formed by mixtures of Aerosol OT, AOT, and ethylene glycol polymers of different molecular mass. The results presented in this work show that small unilamellar vesicles predominate in pure Aerosol OT solutions and in dilute polymer solutions mixed with AOT. In the latter case, elongated micelles coexist with unilamellar vesicles. When polymer concentration increases above a certain concentration, the small vesicles disappear and the size of the elongated micelles decreases to a radius compatible with spherical micelles. For PEG concentrations above the overlapping ones, spherical micelles coexist with very large aggregates probably formed by large rod like micelles or by superstructures of elongated micelles embedded in a polymer network. This behavior is consistent with theoretical models based in molecular mean-field theory [M. Rovira-Bru, D.H. Thompson, I. Szleifer, Biophys. J. 83 (2002) 2419]. The properties of the different types of aggregates are obtained by fluorescence spectroscopy and electrophoretic mobility measurements.
Velázquez
M Mercedes
MM
Departamento de Química Física, Universidad de Salamanca, E-37008 Salamanca, Spain. mvsal@usal.es
Valero
Margarita
M
Ortega
Francisco
F
Rodríguez González
J Benito
JB
D004143:Dioctyl Sulfosuccinic Acid / Q000737:chemistry*; D024202:Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay / Q000379:methods; D008854:Microscopy, Electron / Q000379:methods; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods; D010316:Particle Size; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry*; D013499:Surface Properties
D004143:Dioctyl Sulfosuccinic Acid; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols