Investigation of influences on the polar region in lecithine to improve separation processes

Lecithine was discovered in egg yolk in 1846 by Maurice Gobley. Later on it was found that lecithines are good for human health. The stukture of lecithine molecules is quite similar to fats. Lecithines have got a phosphoric acid molecule insteat of the third fatty acid, sometimes connected with an choline-, ethanolamine- or inositolgroup. The phosphoric acid part is polar while the two fatty acids are non polar. The lecithines act as a surfactant and is used in food industry, cosmetics and in pharmacytical industry. Interactions between polar groups of lecithines play an important role for separation and fractionation processes. Lecithines are organized in double layers, micelles, vesicles, liposomes or other structures. These structures are sometimes influenced by other components for example in the multicomponent system raw lecithine. The aim of the research projekt is to investigate structure making mechanisms and to reduce its effect. Since reduced interaction forces need less activation energy to move molecules, the efficiency of factionation and separation processes is increased. Maybe this helps to create new separation concepts. The results should be used to develop criteria for choosing raw materials for different processes. not assigned KP: Lucas Mayer