5. Supramolecular structures in the liquid phase

Various supramolecular structures can form spontaneously when amphiphilic molecules are solubilized in the liquid phase. The simplest is the micelle, which in water consists of an assembly of surfactants oriented to protect the hydrophobic chains from contact with the water. Due to their molecular structure, certain bicatenary amphiphilic molecules tend to form bilayers similar to cell membranes. Finally, if a hydrophilic and a hydrophobic phase are brought together with an amphiphilic molecule, a microemulsion can be formed, in which nanometric hydrophilic and hydrophobic phase compartments are separated by monomolecular layers of amphiphilic molecule