Topological transition in aqueous nonionic micellar solutions.

We have studied the topological transition of the nonionic micelles of a penta-ethyleneglycol mono n-dodecyl ether (C12E5)/DL-alpha-phosphatidylcholine Dimyristoyl (DMPC) mixture in water by light scattering and viscosity measurements. The topological transition concentration decreases with an increase of the mixing ratio of DMPC to C12E5. The topological transition point is strongly affected by defect energies of the end cap (epsilon(1)) and a threefold junction (epsilon(3)) and is compared with a recent theoretical study. This experimental study shows the first clear evidence for the topological transition in a nonionic micellar system resulting from balancing the defect energies.