| Abstract: | A new class of twinned amphiphiles was developed by conjugating a pair of hydrophilic head groups from mPEG chains (M n: 350 or 1000) and a pair of hydrophobic segments from linear alkyl chains (C11 or C18) through a novel spacer synthesized from glycerol and p ‐hydroxybenzoic acid. The aggregation phenomena of the amphiphiles were proven by DLS and fluorescence experiments, whereas size and morphology of the aggregates were evaluated by cryo‐TEM. The measurements proved the formation of globular, thread‐like or rod‐like micelles as well as planar double‐layer assemblies, depending on the amphiphile's molecular structure. The applicability of these non‐ionic amphiphilic systems as nanocarriers for hydrophobic guest molecules was demonstrated by encapsulating a hydrophobic dye, Nile Red, and a hydrophobic drug, Nimodipine. The transport capacity results for both Nimodipine and Nile Red prove them as a promising candidate for drug delivery. |
