Amphiphilic molecules spontaneously self-assemble in solution into a variety of microstructures. While their equilibrium properties are well understood, little is known about the kinetics of structural transitions and the existence and properties of metastable states. We demonstrate for the micelle-to-vesicle transition that the evolution of aggregate structures can be followed using time-resolved light and neutron scattering. The polymerlike micelles are found to first transform into nonequilibrium disks, which finally evolve into vesicles following an exponential time dependence.

• Received 15 July 1998

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.82.2804