Low molecular surfactants form small micelles. The head group is turned to aqueos solution, while hydrophobic tail (alcyl chain, or other) form the core of the micelles.
Polymer micelles are the core-shell structures with diluted corona from hydrophilic chains and dense core of hydrophobic...
For physicists may be interesting to know that there exist purely physical mechanisms of killing bacteria. For example, hydrophobic cicada wing surface has bactericidal properties:
These surfaces are not particularly efficient in repelling bacteria, but can kill bacteria by mechanical...