 Amphiphile packing parameter

For an amphiphile, let $v$ be its hydrophobic-tail volume, $a_0$ its effective head-group area, and $\ell$ its maximum tail extension. The dimensionless packing parameter $P=v/(a_0\ell )$ estimates compatible aggregate curvature. For a spherical micelle of core radius $r$ containing $n$ molecules, $nv=4\pi r^3/3$ and $n{a}_0=4\pi r^2$, giving $v/a_0=r/3$. Since $r\le \ell$, spherical packing requires $P\le 1/3$. The analogous long-cylinder calculation gives $v/a_0=r/2$ and the limiting value $1/2$; a planar monolayer has $v/a_0$ equal to its thickness and limiting value one. Thus small $P$ favors spherical micelles, intermediate values favor cylindrical aggregates, and values near one favor lipid bilayers. This is a geometric guide, not a full thermodynamic prediction of every phase boundary.