Simulations of self-assembling systems

The previous focus on the thermodynamics of self-assembly of surfactants in solution through simulations is now being expanded to include phenomena in the fluid dynamic regime. This expansion implies that a formal edifice mus t be built to link molecular dynamics smoothly to mesoscopic and macroscopi c length and time scales. We summarize and comment on recent trends in this area along with new results based on classical approaches. The latter incl ude molecular dynamics as well as off-lattice Monte Carlo simulations and l attice-based Guggenheim-type models. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rig hts reserved.