Hydrophobic interactions and small-angle neutron scattering in aqueous solutions
First hydrophobic hydration and hydrophobic interactions are defined and some of their characteristic features are described. Then the connection between macroscopic properties of solutions and molecule-molecule potential and distribution functions is discussed. Finally it will be shown on the example of the aqueous solution of tetramethylurea how the small-angle neutron scattering can be applied to studying the different aspects of hydrophobic interactions, such as their temperature and concentration dependence; solvent-separated vs. contact-pair solute- solute interaction; solute induced perturbation of the solvent structure.