Configurations of the amphiphilic molecules in micelles

Several theoretical models aim to account for the properties of micelles in terms of the configurations of the constituent amphiphilic chain molecules. Recent ¹³C NMR measurement of one property of the configurational distribution of the hydrocarbon chain segments allows critical evaluation of these theories. It is concluded that the "interphase" and "singly-bent chain" theories, which fully account for chain continuity and for intermolecular constraints imposed by hydrophobic and steric forces, give a more satisfactory description of micellar molecular organization than models in which chains are ordered and radially aligned, or in which they have the complete disorder characteristic of an amorphous hydrocarbon liquid.