EFFECT OF POLYMERIZATION OF SYNTHETIC GLYCOLIPIDS ON THEIR SUPRAMOLECULAR ASSEMBLIES

Sugar-derived surfactants bearing a polymerizable acryloyl moiety on o ne of the branches of the double-chain hydrophobic tail were prepared. The non-ionic hydrophilic head and the biantennary hydrophobic tail w ere built on, respectively, an aspartic acid and a tris(hydroxymethyl) aminomethane core. Ultraviolet irradiation of aqueous dispersions of t hese surfactants above their transition phase temperature (T-c) was ac hieved. The morphology of self-assemblies produced in such a way were investigated by transmission electron microscopy. TEM photographs reve aled that irradiation leads to the formation of unilamellar vesicles. Neither fibers nor tubules were detected in contrast to what was obser ved before polymerization.