micellulaire

Micellulaire is the French adjective used to describe things related to micelles, which are aggregates formed by amphiphilic molecules in solution. In aqueous environments, surfactants or certain lipids self-assemble into micelles when their concentration exceeds a threshold known as the critical micelle concentration (CMC). In a micelle, the hydrophobic tails are shielded from water by the hydrophilic heads, creating a distinct interior where nonpolar substances can be solubilized.

Formation and structure are governed by the properties of the amphiphile, temperature, ionic strength, and the solvent. Micelles are dynamic and continuously exchange monomers with the surrounding solution. They typically range from about 2 to 10 nanometers in diameter for spherical forms, but can adopt cylindrical, worm-like, or more complex shapes as concentration and composition change. In nonpolar solvents, reversed micelles can form, with polar cores instead of hydrophobic interiors.

Biological and technological relevance is broad. In digestion, bile salt micelles solubilize lipids to aid absorption. In detergency and cosmetics, micellar solutions trap dirt and oils, a principle exploited in products such as micellar water. In nanomedicine and materials science, polymeric micelles formed from amphiphilic block copolymers serve as drug-delivery carriers, encapsulating hydrophobic drugs within their cores and improving solubility and targeting.

Notes and distinctions: micelles are distinct from emulsions and are highly dependent on concentration and interfacial curvature. The concept of micellulaire encompasses both natural and engineered micellar systems and is central to colloid and colloidal chemistry as well as applications in biology, medicine, and industry.