Microscopic model for mixed surfactant vesicles

A microscopic model which has proven useful in describing amphiphilic aggregates as inhomogeneities of a fluid is extended here to study the case of a two-component surfactant mixture. We have chosen an effective interaction between the amphiphiles that mimics the mixture of cationic-anionic surfactants. In agreement with experiments, and other theoretical approaches, we find regions where spherical vesicles are stable, with a well-defined radius. The experimental dependence of the radius on the chemical environment is also qualitatively reflected in our model.