Properties of Lecithin in a Lecithin/Hexadecane/Ethanol System

Abstract

The critical composition of a lecithin (containing 1.3 wt% H₂O) -hexadecane-ethanol system (20°C) was studied. Lecithin is insoluble in hexadecane but swells considerably in hixadecane (99wt% of hexadecane in lecithin). The vapor pressure of a lecithin-ethanol solution was also studied. From the deviationof Raoult's law, lecithin was found to form aggregates in ethanol. These findings indicate distinct features of lecithin, rarely observed in other surfactants.