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Micelle formation is an intricate process that hinges on the properties of amphiphilic or amphipathic molecules and the conditions of the system in which they are found. Amphiphilic molecules, which have both hydrophilic (water-attracting) and hydrophobic (water-repelling) parts, play a critical role in this process.In aqueous environments, these molecules arrange themselves such that their hydrophilic heads are turned towards the water phase, while their hydrophobic tails are oriented away...

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Updated: Jul 3, 2026

Self-Assembly of Hybrid Lipid Membranes Doped with Hydrophobic Organic Molecules at the Water/Air Interface

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Published on: May 1, 2020

Ionic liquids as amphiphile self-assembly media.

Tamar L Greaves¹, Calum J Drummond

¹CSIRO Molecular and Health Technologies, Clayton, VIC, Australia.

Chemical Society Reviews

|July 24, 2008

Summary

Ionic liquids enable amphiphile self-assembly in non-aqueous solvents, facilitating exploration of solvophobic effects. Both protic and aprotic ionic liquids support this, expanding applications in materials science.

Area of Science:

Physical Chemistry
Materials Science
Supramolecular Chemistry

Background:

Over 30 ionic liquids now exhibit non-aqueous solvent properties, mediating hydrocarbon interactions and amphiphile self-assembly.
This expands the toolkit for studying the molecular solvophobic effect and amphiphile self-assembly mechanisms.
Previously, this solvent characteristic was unusual, limiting research scope.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the utilization of ionic liquids as media for amphiphile self-assembly.
To explore the formation of micelles, liquid crystalline mesophases, and microemulsions/emulsions.
To discuss the application of ionic liquids in synthesizing nanostructured inorganic materials.

Main Methods:

Literature review of studies utilizing ionic liquids for amphiphile self-assembly.

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Analysis of surfactant, lipid, and block co-polymer behavior in ionic liquid media.

Examination of resulting structures including micelles, liquid crystals, and nanomaterials.

Main Results:

Ionic liquids, both protic and aprotic, effectively support amphiphile self-assembly.
Hydrogen bonding network formation in the solvent is not a prerequisite for self-assembly.
Diverse applications demonstrated, from traditional self-assembly to novel nanomaterial synthesis.

Conclusions:

Ionic liquids are versatile and effective media for a wide range of amphiphile self-assembly phenomena.
Their ability to mediate solvophobic interactions opens new avenues in materials design and synthesis.
This review highlights the growing importance and diverse applications of ionic liquids in self-assembly and materials science.