Molecular Dynamics Simulation of a Micellar System

Abstract

We present the results of an atomistic molecular dynamics simulation based on the AMBER/OPLS force field applied to segments of isolated one-dimensional micelles, 2,3,6,7,10,11-Hexa-(1,4,7-Trioxaoctyl)-Triphenylene, in aqueous solution using the SPC/E water model. The quantities which we study include the intra-micellar monomer structure, e.g., the equilibrium monomer-monomer separation along the micelle, the micelle-water interface, which yields the effective micellar diameter, and the flexibility of the micelle in terms of its persistence length as a function of temperature. In addition, we determine the micelle size distribution at low concentration via the free enthalpy gain per monomer-monomer contact using a hydration shell model in combination with thermodynamic integration. Finally, we locate the isotropic-to-nematic transition by using our results as input for an analytical model.