Effect of mixing protocol on micellar assembly

We routinely prepare useful samples by mixing solutions of different functionalised dipeptides. We have recent data suggesting that the properties of the solutions can be different if we directly prepare a mixed system, or we prepare individual solutions and mix. As one example, the viscosity can be orders of magnitude higher if a solution is directly prepared. This strongly implies that the self-assembled aggregates are different. We now seek to use SANS to understand this.

我们通常通过混合不同功能化二肽（functionalised dipeptides）的溶液来制备实验样品。我们近期的实验数据表明，若采用直接制备混合体系的方式，而非先分别配制单组分溶液再混合的方式，所得溶液的性质可能存在显著差异。举例而言，直接配制的混合溶液其黏度可高出数个数量级。这一现象强烈暗示，两种制备方式下形成的自组装聚集体（self-assembled aggregates）并不相同。我们目前计划利用小角中子散射（Small Angle Neutron Scattering, SANS）来探究这一问题。