Detergents are composed of amphiphiles that allow hydrophobic molecules to be solubilized in water by forming micelles and bilayers (as in soap bubbles). These losses can be minimized by forcing nonpolar molecules together (see Thermodynamics).Īmphiphiles are molecules that have both hydrophobic and hydrophilic domains. At the molecular level, the hydrophobic effect is an important driving force for biological structures and responsible for protein folding, protein-protein interactions, formation of lipid bilayer membranes, nucleic acid structures, and protein-small molecule interactions.Īccording to the solvophobic theory of Reversed Phase Chromatography (RPC), the hydrophobic effect is driven by the loss of hydrogen bonding and the higher entropic cost of forming a cavity around nonpolar molecules. At the macroscopic level, the hydrophobic effect is apparent when oil and water are mixed together and form separate layers or the beading of water on hydrophobic surfaces such as waxy leafs. The name arises from the combination of water in Attic Greek hydro- and for fear phobos, which describes the apparent repulsion between water and hydrocarbons. The hydrophobic effect is the property that non-polar molecules tend to form intermolecular aggregates in an aqueous medium and analogous intramolecular interactions.

A droplet of water forms a spherical shape to minimize contact with the hydrophobic leaf.

Hydrophobic effect entropy