Vibration spectroscopy of surfactants in solution and at the air-water interface

This chapter examines the current status of the research in the area of vibrational spectroscopy of surfactants in solution. The treatment of surfactants in this chapter is divided into five main areas covering first, the influence of the concentration of the surfactant near the critical micelle concentration (CMC) and what can be learned about structural changes through the CMC. The second area involves micellular formations. Thirdly, a considerable amount of vibrational spectroscopic work has been done on mixed micelles and the use of one of the components as a probe molecule. This will be reviewed. Fourthly, the recent work on the use of infrared spectroscopy to probe phospholipid bilayers has yielded new quantitative information on conformational defects. Finally, the current status of the use of infrared spectroscopy in the reflection mode at the air-water interface will be covered. In all areas, the use of vibrational spectroscopy as a tool to probe the molecular structure and interactions is highlighted.