Surfactants: Design, Synthesis and Application

Dear Colleagues,

Surfactants, i.e., surface-active amphiphilic compounds, are unique in their structure, allowing the dissolution of one compound in two different solvents simultaneously, thanks to the ability to adsorb at the interface, forming supramolecular micellar aggregates—so-called associated colloids, or microheterogenic systems—with a developed external surface and a number of interesting features. Consequently, the rational design of the surfactant architecture, synthesis, and finally their application in the self-assembly and stabilization processes of many disperse and colloidal systems are the key issues to provide their potential in pharmaceutical, medical (including theranostic), food, and cosmetic requests.

This Special Issue focuses on the recent progress in the design, engineering, and physicochemical evaluation of novel surfactant structures as well as their appropriate selection in the engineering of novel nanostructured formulations and nanoparticles of pharmaceutical, medical, food, and cosmetic impact. It will include research papers and review articles reflecting the most recent developments in this dynamic research area, including surfactant design, synthesis, aggregation, solubility, and adsorption phenomena. On the other hand, it will focus on “soft” and surface-modified surfactant-stabilized structures such as different emulsion formulations and foams, as well as micellar nanocarriers: lipid-based (vesicular and non-vesicular origin) and polymer-based, mainly supramolecular structures (polymersomes, polymeric micelles, nanocapsules, nanospheres, dendrimers, nanogels). Papers involving recent research and achievements in the fabrication of colloidal semiconductor (inorganic or organic) luminescent nanoparticles stabilized by surfactants as well as novel lipid–polymer and organic–inorganic nanohybrids are also welcome.

Dr. Urszula Bazylinska
Guest Editor

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