Self assembly of anastomosis-like superstructures in fatty acid/guanidine hydrochloride aqueous dispersions

A mixture between 71% sodium myristate and guanidine hydrochloride at a molar ratio of 1 in water forms a gel of membranes below a phase transition of ca. 21 degrees C and a viscous limpid and isotropic solution above. As observed by both TEM and AFM, we report the formation of interconnected superstructures in that latter phase. Those assemblies exhibit a size of ca. 4-40 nm width and several tens of pm length with unexpected disconnections and re-connections between them having the appearance of an anastomosis-like superstructure. (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.