Abstract
The structure of vesicles formed by anionic surfactant sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate (AOT) in brine solution (1.5 wt% NaCl) at 20 °C, in the diluted region of the phase diagram, has been characterized by cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) and the combination of three scattering techniques (Small Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS), Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) and Multi-angle light scattering (MALS)). Results show a polydisperse vesicle size system. The distribution is mainly composed of small vesicles (14 nm diameter) and there is no micelles in solution. The determination of the form factor indicates the presence of only spherical vesicles (no other morphologies, such as tubular vesicles, were observed). The bilayer structure of the vesicles was characterized by SAXS and the membrane thickness measured at 2.7 nm. This thickness is shorter than twice the AOT molecule extended length indicating a non-negligible interpenetration of the hydrophobic tails.
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