Question

Discuss the thermodynamic driving force of micelles and bilayer membranes.

Answer 1

Aggregation of of surfactant in solvent it is known as Micellization and aggregate is called micelle.
When concentration of monomers of surfactant molecule reach to the the critical micelle concentration micelle is formed but this causes the loss of entropy of water causing from segregation of surfactant molecules from water but it is lesser than the gain in entropy by setting free water molecules thus micelle formation is an entropy dependent.

In Thermodynamics entropy is an disorder when phospholipid molecules are in water . the water molecules made shell around the phospholipid molecules which leads in order of the water molecule but when bilayer is formed of phospholipid molecules it let the the free of water molecules and also causes more hydrogen bonding of water molecules to the free water molecules hence increases the disorder of the water molecules which means increase in entropy of the water molecules thus bilayer membrane formation is also an entropy favourable.