NMR self diffusion measurements of the monooleoylglycerol/poly ethylene glycol/water L3 phase

The monooleoylglycerol (GMO)/poly ethylene oxide (PEG)/water sponge (L-3) phase has been investigated by pulsed-gradient spin-echo NMR self-diffusion. The data allow the L-3 phase to be modeled as a bicontinuous system with respect to the lipid and water domains. It is proposed by using the interconnected rod model that the solvent PEG mainly distributes to the water domain, but has a higher weight fraction partition to the lipid head groups of the local GMO bilayer than water. The data is put in relation to earlier self-diffusion measurements on the binary GMO/water cubic phase, as well as earlier conductivity and X-ray diffraction measurements on the very same L-3 phase. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.