Density functional model of surfactant mesostructures

We present a theoretical study of the effects of amphiphile microscopic properties on mesoscopic properties of their solutions. These results were obtained using an off lattice density functional method. We consider fused hard-sphere amphiphiles with a single hard sphere solvent. Mean field attractions are accounted for with a 1/R-6 dispersion interaction. Mesoscopic properties, such as the bending rigidity, saddle splay modulus, and surface tension, are presented as a function of the amphiphile hard sphere radii and attractive interaction strength. Detailed analysis of the work of amphiphile cluster formation with cluster size is presented. (C) 2002 American Institute of Physics.