Application of Low-Frequency Raman Spectroscopy to Probe Dynamics of Lipid Mesophase Transformations upon Hydration.

Low-frequency Raman (LFR) spectroscopy is presented as a viable tool for studying the hydration characteristics of lyotropic liquid crystal systems herein. Monoolein was used as a model compound, and its structural changes were probed both in situ and ex situ which enabled a comparison between different hydration states. A custom-built instrumental configuration allowed the advantages of LFR spectroscopy to be utilized for dynamic hydration analysis. On the other hand, static measurements of equilibrated systems ( i.e. , with varied aqueous content) showcased the structural sensitivity of LFR spectroscopy. The subtle differences not intuitively observed between similar self-assembled architectures were distinguished by chemometric analysis that directly correlated with the results from small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), which is the current "gold standard" method for determining the structure of such materials.