Concepts and Pictographic Models in Reverse Micelles

This chapter critically examines the pictographic models used in the literature to illustrate the micelles and their mechanisms, with the premise that these graphic representations implicitly embody most of the concepts and prejudices which dominate the field. Although the focus is on reverse micelles, most of the points raised in the chapter are germane to the field of microemulsions and micelles at large. It is to be expected that the greater sharpness of localization of charges in the case of reverse micelles brings about structural differences, such as a more pronounced monodispersity and a more pronounced internal pool. The kinetics of water solubilization, with and without guest molecules, is one of the relatively unknown domains; and so is the closely related question of whether and under what conditions the chemical equilibrium is reached in the micellar system after addition of a component.