Micellar solubilization (solubilization) is the process of incorporating the solubilizate (the component that undergoes solublization) into or onto

micelle A micelle () or micella () (plural micelles or micellae, respectively) is an aggregate (or supramolecular assembly) of surfactant amphipathic lipid molecules dispersed in a liquid, forming a colloidal suspension (also known as associated coll ...

s. Solublization may occur in a system consisting of a

solvent A solvent (s) (from the Latin '' solvō'', "loosen, untie, solve") is a substance that dissolves a solute, resulting in a solution. A solvent is usually a liquid but can also be a solid, a gas, or a supercritical fluid. Water is a solvent for ...

, an association colloid (a colloid that forms micelles), and at least one other solubilizate.

Usage of the term

Solubilization is distinct from

dissolution Dissolution may refer to: Arts and entertainment Books * ''Dissolution'' (''Forgotten Realms'' novel), a 2002 fantasy novel by Richard Lee Byers * ''Dissolution'' (Sansom novel), a 2003 historical novel by C. J. Sansom Music * Dissolution, in mu ...

because the resulting fluid is a colloidal dispersion involving an association colloid. This suspension is distinct from a true

solution Solution may refer to: * Solution (chemistry), a mixture where one substance is dissolved in another * Solution (equation), in mathematics ** Numerical solution, in numerical analysis, approximate solutions within specified error bounds * Soluti ...

, and the amount of the solubilizate in the micellar system can be different (often higher) than the regular

solubility In chemistry, solubility is the ability of a substance, the solute, to form a solution with another substance, the solvent. Insolubility is the opposite property, the inability of the solute to form such a solution. The extent of the solub ...

of the solubilizate in the solvent. In non-chemical literature and in everyday language, the term "solubilization" is sometimes used in a broader meaning as "to bring to a solution or (non- sedimenting) suspension" by any means, e.g.,

leaching Leaching is the loss or extraction of certain materials from a carrier into a liquid (usually, but not always a solvent). and may refer to: * Leaching (agriculture), the loss of water-soluble plant nutrients from the soil; or applying a small amou ...

by a reaction with an acid.

Application

Micellar solubilization is widely utilized, e.g. in laundry

washing Washing is a method of cleaning, usually with water and soap or detergent. Washing and then rinsing both body and clothing is an essential part of good hygiene and health. Often people use soaps and detergents to assist in the emulsification o ...

using detergents, in the pharmaceutical industry, for formulations of poorly soluble drugs in solution form, and in cleanup of oil spills using

dispersant A dispersant or a dispersing agent is a substance, typically a surfactant, that is added to a suspension of solid or liquid particles in a liquid (such as a colloid or emulsion) to improve the separation of the particles and to prevent their se ...

Mechanism

Literature distinguishes two major mechanisms of solubilization process of oil by surfactant micelles, affecting the kinetics of solubilization:P. D. Todorov, P. A. Kralchevsky, N. D. Denkov, G. Broze, and A. Mehreteab, "Kinetics of Solubilization of n-Decane and Benzene by Micellar Solutions of Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate". Journal of Colloid and Interface Science 245, 371–382 (2002),

/ref> surface reaction, i.e., by transient adsorption of micelles at the water-oil interface, and bulk reaction, whereby the surfactant micelles capture dissolved oil molecules.

References

External links

{{Wiktionary, solubilization, solubilizate Solubilization of Homopolymers by Block Copolymer Micelles in Dilute Solutions, J. Phys. Chem., 1995, 99 (11), pp 3723–3731, Jose R. Quintana, Ramiro A. Salazar, Issa Katime Colloidal chemistry Solutions

Usage of the term

Application

Mechanism

See also

References

External links