A microscopic model for mixed surfactant vesicles

Abstract

A microscopic model which has proven useful in describing amphiphilic aggregates as inhomogeneities of a fluid is extended here to study the case of a two component surfactant mixture. We have chosen an effective interaction between the amphiphiles that mimics the mixture of cationic--anionic surfactants. In agreement with experiments, and other theoretical approaches, we find regions where spherical vesicles are stable, with a well defined radius. The experimental dependence of the radius on the chemical environment is also qualitatively reflected in our model.