The study of the aggregated pattern of TX100 micelle by using solvent paramagnetic relaxation enhancements

Abstract

TX100 (Triton X-100) is a typical nonionic surfactant that is widely used in biology. However, the detailed aggregated conformation of TX100, such as the boundary between the polar region and the nonpolar region, and the arrangement of hydrophobic chains in micelles, are still controversial. In the manuscript, the aggregation pattern of TX100 has been studied using sPREs (solvent Paramagnetic Relaxation Enhancements)-based NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy). It was found that the average positions of the protons in the TX100 micelle are consistent with those in the multilayer staggered spherical micelle model with the p-tertoctylphenyl groups dispersing in the different layers.