ABSTRACT
Bilayer membranes and vesicles formed from self-aggregating amphiphiles are primarily known for the synthetic model membranes they provide and as drug carrier and delivery systems. Bilayer membranes of hydrocarbon amphiphiles usually display a crystal or gel-to-liquid crystal phase transition which is detected most directly by differential scanning calorimetry. Langmuir monolayers are useful models for investigating the structure and functions of biological membranes and their interactions with lipids, steroids, sugars, proteins, ions. The presence of fluorinated chains can endow amphiphilic molecules with certain of the unique characteristics of perfluorocarbons. The larger surface presented by the fluorinated chains, in conjunction with the low polarizability of the fluorine atoms, results in enhanced hydrophobicity. Numerous Langmuir and Langmuir–Blodgett films of fluorinated amphiphiles have been prepared and studied. Langmuir monolayers formed from functionalized amphiphiles at the air–water interface may serve as powerful, selective tools for the extraction and 2D crystallization of proteins and for molecular recognition via hydrogen bonding or ionic pairing.
