Theoretical Studies of Surfactant Films and Micellized Solutions

Gelbart教授获得了理论和计算化学项目的资助，从事理论研究，旨在了解两亲动物的本质。两亲分子是由疏水油溶性部分和离子或极性水溶性部分组成的分子。两亲分子聚集形成胶束，它们也参与构成生物膜的脂质双分子层。Gelbart教授的研究将集中在两亲体的几个基本特征上，包括表面活性剂薄膜的弯曲弹性，两亲体片层缺陷态之间的相变，以及吸附单层的连续取向顺序。我们将研究产生胶束单元的自组装过程，以确定流场（粘性力）影响胶束大小的方式。适当时，将进行蒙特卡罗和分子动力学模拟。

Professor Gelbart is supported by a grant from the Theoretical and Computational Chemistry Program to perform theoretical studies directed at understanding the nature of amphiphiles. Amphiphiles are molecules which consist of a hydrophobic oil-soluble portion, and an ionic or polar water soluble portion. Amphiphiles aggregate to form micelles, and they are also involved in lipid bilayers which comprise biological membranes. Professor Gelbart's research will focus on several of the fundamental features of amphiphiles including the bending elasticity of surfactant films, phase transitions between defect states of amphiphilic lamellae, and successive orientational orderings in adsorbed monolayers. The self-assembly process which gives rise to the micellar unit will be studied in an effort to determine the way in which flow fields (viscous forces) affect the size of micelles. When appropriate, Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics simulations will be performed.