Synthetic Bilayer Membranes-Self-Assembling Behavior of Organic Molecules

Abstract

The self-assembling behavior of synthetic amphiphiles is discussed. The bilayer membrane is formed spontaneously in water from a variety of dialkyl (C10-C20) amphiphiles with cationic, anionic, nonionic, and zwitterionic hydrophilic head groups. Appropriate triple-chain amphiphiles with rigid segments similarly produce the bilayer assembly. Two-headed, single-chain amphiphiles form the monolayer membrane. These results establish that the formation of molecular membranes is a general physicochemical phenomenon. The aggregate morphology (vesicle, lamella, tube, disk, etc) can be related to the molecular structure in the case of a group of the single-chain amphiphile. Physicochemical chracteristics (binding of biomolecules, phase transition and phase separation) of the synthetic bilayer are discussed.