Micelles and Microemulsions in Ionic Surfactant and Bile Salt Systems Studied by Self-Diffusion

Abstract

Multicomponent self-diffusion studies provide a general picture of amphiphile self-association. Both micelles and microemulsions based on bile salts show a lower degree of association coopera-tivity, lower aggregate charge densities and more extensive hydration than corresponding ionic surfactant systems. Effectively bicontinuous isotropic solutions of the microemulsion type are more easily formed by bile salts than by surfactants.