Issue 3, 2012

Adsorption and self-assembly of biosurfactants studied by neutron reflectivity and small angle neutron scattering: glycolipids, lipopeptides and proteins

Abstract

Biosurfactants are surface active biomolecules that are produced by a variety of different micro-organisms. The current environmental requirements for more biosustainable, biocompatible and biodegradable surfactant based products make the study of biosurfactants an important area of research. Understanding their fundamental physico-chemical properties and how these relate to their biological roles are key to their wider exploitation. This review focuses on studies of the fundamental adsorption and self-assembly properties of two glycolipids, rhamnolipids and sophorolipids, a lipopeptide, surfactin, and a protein, hydrophobin, and their mixtures with other amphiphiles and surfactants, using neutron reflectivity and small angle neutron scattering.

Graphical abstract: Adsorption and self-assembly of biosurfactants studied by neutron reflectivity and small angle neutron scattering: glycolipids, lipopeptides and proteins

Article information

Article type
Review Article
Submitted
11 Jul 2011
Accepted
11 Oct 2011
First published
25 Oct 2011

Soft Matter, 2012,8, 578-591

Adsorption and self-assembly of biosurfactants studied by neutron reflectivity and small angle neutron scattering: glycolipids, lipopeptides and proteins

J. Penfold, R. K. Thomas and H. Shen, Soft Matter, 2012, 8, 578 DOI: 10.1039/C1SM06304A

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