Solubilization

Solubilization is accompanied by an equilibrium distribution of the solubilized substance between the aqueous phase and the micellar phase. Therefore, the process of colloidal dissolution in surfactant micelles can conditionally be divided into the following stages:

- dissolution of the solubilizate in water;

- diffusion of its molecules from the solution volume to surfactant micelles;

- penetration and distribution of the solubilizate inside the micelles.

The solubilization process is slow, the equilibrium can be established within a few days. Stirring and raising the temperature intensify this process. With vigorous stirring, the third stage will be limiting, and the degree of solubilization will be determined by the number of vacant sites in the micelles and factors affecting the structure of the solvate shells. An increase in temperature increases the true solubility of hydrocarbons in water, accelerates diffusion, and facilitates the penetration of solubilizate into micelles due to a decrease in micelle packing density due to thermal motion.

Widely used in everyday life:

• when washing with surfactant,
• during weekly cleaning of living quarters (for example: wet cleaning and disinfection in sanitary-hygienic rooms).

Especially important is the phenomenon of solubilization in pharmacology , when a number of drugs are transferred to a solubilized state.

In cosmetology, the solubilization process is used to produce micellar water used to cleanse the skin.

In biomembranology and cytology, solubilization with detergents is widely used for the extraction of membrane proteins. Among the effective solubilizers of biomembranes, benzene (due to the fact that it evaporates easily and can cause poisoning, its use is limited) and digitonin - easily solubilizes membranes and precipitates cholesterol from them.