Micelle Formation in Oil (Oil Hidden)
This simulation shows the self-assembly
of surfactant molecules in
oil. The oil (pentane)
has been hidden from view to show the behavior
of the octanoate surfactant (grey)
and sodium counterions (purple).
The sodium cations collect around the negatively charged octanoate
molecules because pentane is not a suitable solvent for dissolving
ions. (See also the simulations of salt crystals in oil.)
In these simulations, the micelles are seen to form
over the course of about 7 nanoseconds. In reality, the concentration of the
surfactant molecules has to reach a critical level before micelles form.
This critical level is called the
critical micelle concentration (CMC).