Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Micelles

Micelles

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...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

A Platform for the Actuation of Magnetically Labeled Skeletal Muscle Cells Using Dynamic Magnetic Stimulation.

Small (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany)·2026

Same author

Spontaneous Imbibition of Bicontinuous Microemulsions into Hydrophilic and Hydrophobic Controlled Pore Glasses.

ACS omega·2026

Same author

Efficient Sulfonation of Syndiotactic Polystyrene Membranes Assessed by Small-Angle Neutron Scattering.

ChemPlusChem·2026

Same author

Compostable and Recyclable Baroplastic Triblock Copolymers Enable Low-Energy Polymer Processing.

Small (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany)·2026

Same author

In vitro study on the neutralization potential of particulate hydroxyapatite in erosive acids.

BDJ open·2026

Same author

Hydrogelation via Supramolecular Copolymerization of Structural Water within Adaptive Metal-Organic Fibers.

Advanced materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)·2026

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 19, 2026

$Studying Soft-matter and Biological Systems over a Wide Length-scale from Nanometer and Micrometer Sizes at the Small-angle Neutron Diffractometer KWS-2$

Studying Soft-matter and Biological Systems over a Wide Length-scale from Nanometer and Micrometer Sizes at the Small-angle Neutron Diffractometer KWS-2

Published on: December 8, 2016

Patchy worm-like micelles: solution structure studied by small-angle neutron scattering.

Sabine Rosenfeldt¹, Frank Lüdel, Christoph Schulreich

¹Physikalische Chemie I, Universität Bayreuth, D-95440 Bayreuth, Germany.

Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics : PCCP

|August 11, 2012

Summary

Researchers studied polystyrene-block-polyethylene-block-poly(methyl methacrylate) triblock terpolymers (SEMs). Using advanced scattering techniques, they confirmed a patchy corona structure in solution, resolving debate about micelle configuration.

More Related Videos

Assembly and Characterization of Polyelectrolyte Complex Micelles

Assembly and Characterization of Polyelectrolyte Complex Micelles

Published on: March 2, 2020

Contrast-Matching Detergent in Small-Angle Neutron Scattering Experiments for Membrane Protein Structural Analysis and Ab Initio Modeling

Contrast-Matching Detergent in Small-Angle Neutron Scattering Experiments for Membrane Protein Structural Analysis and Ab Initio Modeling

Published on: October 21, 2018

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 19, 2026

$Studying Soft-matter and Biological Systems over a Wide Length-scale from Nanometer and Micrometer Sizes at the Small-angle Neutron Diffractometer KWS-2$

Studying Soft-matter and Biological Systems over a Wide Length-scale from Nanometer and Micrometer Sizes at the Small-angle Neutron Diffractometer KWS-2

Published on: December 8, 2016

Assembly and Characterization of Polyelectrolyte Complex Micelles

Assembly and Characterization of Polyelectrolyte Complex Micelles

Published on: March 2, 2020

Contrast-Matching Detergent in Small-Angle Neutron Scattering Experiments for Membrane Protein Structural Analysis and Ab Initio Modeling

Contrast-Matching Detergent in Small-Angle Neutron Scattering Experiments for Membrane Protein Structural Analysis and Ab Initio Modeling

Published on: October 21, 2018

Area of Science:

Polymer Science
Materials Science
Supramolecular Chemistry

Background:

Triblock terpolymers self-organize into complex structures.
Cylindrical core-shell micelles with phase-separated coronas are observed.
The solution structure of these micelles, specifically the corona arrangement, remains debated.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop a method for distinguishing between Janus-type and patchy corona configurations in solution.
To elucidate the in situ structure of polystyrene-block-polyethylene-block-poly(methyl methacrylate) (SEMs) triblock terpolymers.

Main Methods:

Crystallization-induced self-assembly of SEMs from solution.
Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) for structural observation.
Contrast variation small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) to isolate scattering from individual corona compartments.

Main Results:

Worm-like core-shell micelles were formed.
TEM revealed a patchy corona structure.
SANS with contrast variation confirmed the patchy structure exists in solution, not just in the solid state.

Conclusions:

The study provides a method to differentiate between Janus and patchy micelle coronas in solution.
The patchy corona structure of SEMs is validated in solution.
This resolves the debate regarding the in situ self-organization of these triblock terpolymers.