Observation of Nano-Structure of Surfactant Micelle by Cryogenic Electron Microscopy

Abstract

Nano-structures of aggregates formed by surfactant in aqueous solution can be observed by cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-TEM). This review describes nano-structures of aggregates by cryo-TEM for three types of novel surfactants with unique structure such as fluorinated gemini-type with two fluorocarbon chains in a molecule, hybrid-gemini-type with nonidentical hydrophobic chains consisting fluorocarbon and hydrocarbon in a molecule, and trimeric-type with three alkyl chains in a molecule. Aggregate structures of these surfactants are differed by alkyl chain length, spacer chain length, and surfactant concentration. These novel surfactants show unique aggregation properties such as polygon vesicle formation for fluorinated gemini-type and formation of multi-lamellar vesicle with large size of 600-800 nm for fluorocarbon-hydrocarbon hybrid-gemini-type.