Schematic of a micellar solution showing spherical micelles distributed in water (solvent) and having no long-range positional order.
A micellar solution consists of a dispersion of micelles in a solvent (most usually water). Micelles consist of aggregated amphiphiles, and in a micellar solution these are in equilibrium with free, unaggregated amphiphiles. Micellar solutions form when the concentration of amphiphile exceeds the critical micellar concentration (CMC) or critical aggregation concentration - CAC, and persist until the amphiphile concentration becomes sufficiently high to form a lyotropic liquid crystal phase.[1][2][3][4]
Although micelles are often depicted as being spherical, they can be cylindrical or oblate depending on the chemical structure of the amphiphile. Micellar solutions are isotropic phases.
Micellar water has been used in France since 1913.[5]
Commercial uses
Micellar water is used to remove makeup and oil from the face.[6][7][8][9]
References
↑YUANQING, ZHANG; XIANCHENG, ZENG; SIQING, CHENG; XIAOQI, YU; ANMING, TIAN (1999-04-01). "Micellar Catalysis of Composite Reactions I Micellar Effect on the Consecutive First Order Reaction". Journal of Dispersion Science and Technology20 (3): 1009–1024. doi:10.1080/01932699908943831. ISSN0193-2691.
↑El-Aila, Hisham J. (2013-07-03). "Micellar Catalytic Reduction of Glycine by 2,7-Dibromo-4-(Hydroxymercuri)-Fluoresceine Disodium Salt: Kinetic and Thermodynamic Aspects". Journal of Dispersion Science and Technology34 (7): 957–963. doi:10.1080/01932691.2012.735904. ISSN0193-2691.
↑Oh, S. G.; Shah, D. O. (1994-01-01). "Micellar Lifetime: Its Relevance to Various Technological Processes". Journal of Dispersion Science and Technology15 (3): 297–316. doi:10.1080/01932699408943559. ISSN0193-2691.