Catanionic Microcrystals: Organic Platelets, Gigadalton ‘Molecules’, or Ionic Solids?

Abstract

We review known properties of catanionic bilayers—complex fluids containing anionic and cationic surfactants together—including the case of ‘true’, salt-free catanionic solutions. The properties of our interest include phase diagrams, salt effects, and chain melting that occurs in liquid crystal, as well as micron-sized aggregates, from nanodiscs to icosahedra.