Adsorption and self-assembly of biosurfactants studied by neutron reflectivity and small angle neutron scattering: glycolipids, lipopeptides and proteins

Abstract

Biosurfactants are surface active biomolecules that are produced by a variety of different micro-organisms. The current environmental requirements for more biosustainable, biocompatible and biodegradable surfactant based products make the study of biosurfactants an important area of research. Understanding their fundamental physico-chemical properties and how these relate to their biological roles are key to their wider exploitation. This review focuses on studies of the fundamental adsorption and self-assembly properties of two glycolipids, rhamnolipids and sophorolipids, a lipopeptide, surfactin, and a protein, hydrophobin, and their mixtures with other amphiphiles and surfactants, using neutron reflectivity and small angle neutron scattering.