Freeze-fracture transmission electron microscopy studies on the self-assemblies of amphiphilic solutions

Self-assemblies of amphiphiles in solutions were investigated by using freeze-fracture transmission electron microscopy (FF-TEM). Especially, vesicles were characterized by FF-TEM and the transition of self-assemblies was determined. The stacked lamellar Lα-phase was prepared without shear forces by a chemical reaction. The stacked lamellar Lα-phase can be transformed into multilamellar vesicles by the shearing forces that occur when the stacked lamellar Lα-phase sample is turned upside down a few times. The multilamellar vesicles can also be transformed into unilamellar vesicles by high shearing forces. These transitions were demonstrated by FF-TEM measurements. Zn2+-induced vesicle formation in the single-chain surfactant solutions was first achieved.