Aggregation and dispersion of small hydrophobic particles in aqueous electrolyte solutions

An investigation on the effect of salts on the solvent-induced interactions between hydrophobic particles dispersed in explicit aqueous solution is conducted as a function of the salt's ionic charge density by molecular dynamics simulations. The aggregate is found to form a 'micelle-like' structure, in which the ions are preferentially adsorbed at the surface of the aggregate, at low concentrations of low charge density ions.