Phase behavior and hydrated solid structure in lysophospholipid/long-chain alcohol/water system and effect of cholesterol addition.

Phase behavior in lysophospholipid/long-chain alcohol/water system at 80°C was investigated using hexanol and oleyl alcohol as the long-chain alcohol. Similarly to hydrophilic surfactant, a micellar phase in a lysophospholipid/water system transitioned to a lamellar liquid-crystalline phase by the addition of long-chain alcohol. In the oleyl alcohol system the lamellar liquid-crystalline phase was observed in wider region compared to the hexanol system. The effect of cholesterol addition on the phase behavior was also studied. The region of liquid-crystalline phase and (reverse micellar + liquid-crystalline + water) phase shifted towards higher lysophospholipid concentrations. The structure of hydrated solid as well as the transition between lamellar liquid-crystalline phase and hydrated solid was analyzed by X-ray scattering measurement and differential scanning calorimetry measurement. It was revealed that the hydrated solid was α-type crystals with lamellar structure. The hydrated solid (gel)-liquid crystal transition temperature gradually decreased with increasing oleyl alcohol concentration and the decrement was enhanced by the addition of cholesterol.