When forming a micelle, molecules such as fatty acids

[lha08]

Homework Statement

When forming a micelle, molecules such as fatty acids, detergents and lysophospholids form micelles on the basis that the cross sectional area of the head group (I'm guessing the polar part that interacts with water) must be greater than the acyl side chain...but what exactly is the acyl side chain? Is it a hydrocarbon?

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution

 

[DDTea]

Yes, the acyl side chain is a hydrocarbon (often >10 carbons long) or some other hydrophobic group.

 

[vbaulin]

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 chains.

There is some general information on polymer micelle self-assembly here http://softmat.net/2012/05/26/polymer-micelles-as-drug-carriers/