Thermotropic and piezotropic phase behaviour of phospholipids in propanediols and water

The investigation of the solvation process of phospholipids includes the investigation of the thermotropic and piezotropic phase behaviour in presence of non-aqueous polar solvents. 1,2-propanediol and 1,3-propanediol were chosen to investigate the influence of the solvents on the parameters of the main phase transition. The non-polar parts of the propanediols slightly reduce the main phase transition temperature in contrast to water. On the other hand, the pressure induced increase of the transition temperature hardly differs between propanediols and water. Furthermore, a coexistence of a lamellar gel phase and an isotropic liquid phase was found for a number of phospholipid/1,2-propanediol dispersions.