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The hydrophobic effect depends on the temperature, which leads to "cold denaturation" of proteins. [19] The hydrophobic effect can be calculated by comparing the free energy of solvation with bulk water. In this way, the hydrophobic effect not only can be localized but also decomposed into enthalpic and entropic contributions. [3]
Water on hydrophobic surfaces will exhibit a high contact angle. Examples of hydrophobic molecules include the alkanes, oils, fats, and greasy substances in general. Hydrophobic materials are used for oil removal from water, the management of oil spills, and chemical separation processes to remove non-polar substances from polar compounds. [2]
A table comparing four different scales for the hydrophobicity of an amino acid residue in a protein with the most hydrophobic amino acids on the top. A number of different hydrophobicity scales have been developed. [3] [1] [7] [8] [9] The Expasy Protscale website lists a total of 22 hydrophobicity scales. [10]
In some cases, both hydrophilic and hydrophobic properties occur in a single molecule. An example of these amphiphilic molecules is the lipids that comprise the cell membrane . Another example is soap , which has a hydrophilic head and a hydrophobic tail, allowing it to dissolve in both water and oil.
An equilibrium of dissolved substance distributed between a hydrophobic phase and a hydrophilic phase is established in special glassware such as this separatory funnel that allows shaking and sampling, from which the log P is determined. Here, the green substance has a greater solubility in the lower layer than in the upper layer.
It is dependent on various conditions which affect each the volume of the hydrophobic chain, the cross sectional area of the hydrophilic head group, and the length of the hydrophobic chain. Things that can affect these include, but are not limited to, the properties of the solvent, the solvent temperature, and the ionic strength of the solvent.
When surfactants are absorbed onto a hydrophobic surface, the polar head groups face into the solution with the tail pointing outward. In more hydrophobic surfaces, surfactants may form a bilayer on the solid, causing it to become more hydrophilic. The dynamic drop radius can be characterized as the drop begins to spread.
Phospholipids, a class of amphiphilic molecules, are the main components of biological membranes. The amphiphilic nature of these molecules defines the way in which they form membranes. They arrange themselves into lipid bilayers, by forming a sheet composed of two layers of lipids. Each layer forms by positioning their lypophilic chains to the ...