Mikelleiksi

Mikelleiksi is the Finnish linguistic form used to refer to micelles, which are aggregates of amphiphilic molecules that form in aqueous solutions when surfactant concentration exceeds the critical micelle concentration (CMC). In water, surfactant molecules arrange themselves with hydrophobic tails inward and hydrophilic heads outward, creating a hydrophobic core that can solubilize nonpolar substances.

Most micelles are spherical, but they can also be cylindrical, lamellar, or disk-shaped depending on the surfactant type, concentration, temperature, and ionic strength. The size of a micelle typically ranges from about 5 to 20 nanometers, and the aggregation number—how many monomers make up a micelle—varies with the molecular structure and conditions. Micelles are dynamic assemblies; individual molecules continually exchange between the micelle and the surrounding solution.

Formation and properties: Micellization occurs when the free energy favors sequestering hydrophobic segments away from water. The CMC is a key parameter and depends on surfactant chain length, headgroup, temperature, and salt content. Nonionic and ionic surfactants form micelles under different conditions and with distinct shapes and stabilities.

Applications and occurrence: Micelles play a central role in detergents and personal care products by solubilizing oily contaminants. They are used in pharmaceuticals to solubilize and deliver poorly water-soluble drugs, and in environmental remediation to encapsulate hydrophobic pollutants. In biology, bile salt micelles aid fat digestion and nutrient absorption.

In Finnish usage, mikelleiksi signals a transformation into micelles or denotes the state of being micelles, as in phrases like muuttaa mikelleiksi or muodostua mikelleiksi. See also micelle, surfactant, critical micelle concentration.