Abstract
Recent studies of the structures and physical properties of crystalline fatty acids and triacylglycerols are reviewed, in an attempt to construct a molecular-level understanding of crystal structures and mixing phase behavior of the materials examined. In particular, polymorphism and mixing behavior of various cis-and trans-monounsaturated fatty acids and triacylglycerols have been discussed. One may draw a conclusion that acyl-acyl interactions through the unsaturated and saturated fatty acid moieties are critically important in determining the phase behavior of the mixture systems of the triacylglycerols, forming molecular compounds or supramolecules in a special case.
