Date Time Just Mix It Up: New Synthetic Method for Making Amphiphilic Molecules without Additives Amphiphilic molecules, which aggregate and encapsulate molecules in water, find use in several fields of chemistry. The simple, additive-free connection of hydrophilic and hydrophobic molecules would be an efficient method for amphiphilic molecule synthesis. However, such connections, or bonds, are often fragile in water. Now, scientists at Tokyo Institute of Technology have developed an easy way to prepare water-stable amphiphiles by simple mixing. Their new catalyst- and reagent-free method will help create further functional materials. Soaps and detergents are used to clean things like clothes and dishes. But how do they actually work? It turns out that they are made of long molecules containing a “hydrophilic” or water-loving part and a “hydrophobic” or water-hating part. When added to water, these molecules self-assemble to form giant, spherical “supramolecules” called micelles that get the cleaning up done by using the hydrophobic part to trap the grease.