Molecular structural transformations induced by spatial confinement in barium fluoride cells.

Confinement of peptides and surfactants in narrow spaces of the order of 50 μm between BaF2 plates is found to induce new structural transformations. Optical microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and vibrational spectroscopic studies have been used to uncover the evidence for these structural transformations. These studies indicate that, using spatial confinement, small micelles can be converted to larger aggregates and peptide monomers can be converted to β sheets even in monomer-promoting 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propanol solvent.