Solvation in Surfactant Films at the Water-Air Interface

Surfactant films at water-air interfaces are used as models for environmental systems and biological membranes. This presentation describes surface sensitive experiments probing solvation of phenylalanine aggregates in surfactant films used as model membranes. Solvation in this complex environment is different from solvation in the bulk aqueous phase, with interesting changes to chemical and morphological structure of these surface films. Consequences of the changes induced in model membranes by the solvation of biological aggregates will be discussed using results of molecular dynamics simulations.