Lyotropic Phase Behaviour of Glycolipids: A Review

Abstract

Lyotropic liquid crystals (LLCs) are produced when a certain concentration of material is dissolved in a solvent. Glycolipids are amphiphiles that exhibit liquid crystalline characteristics as a result of the polar and non-polar components of the molecule's propensity to separate the sugar headgroup that makes up the polar hydrophilic element, whereas an aliphatic hydrocarbon chain makes up the non-polar hydrophobic component. They are amphitropic, which can self-assemble to form lyotropic liquid crystal phases due to the complex interactions between water and the hydrophilic head groups of lipids such as lamellar, hexagonal and cubic phases.