Micellar solubilization (solubilization) is the process of incorporating the solubilizate (the component that undergoes solubilization) into or onto micelles.^[1] Solubilization may occur in a system consisting of a solvent, an association colloid (a colloid that forms micelles), and at least one other solubilizate.

Solubilization is distinct from dissolution because the resulting fluid is a colloidal dispersion involving an association colloid. This suspension is distinct from a true solution, and the amount of the solubilizate in the micellar system can be different (often higher) than the regular solubility of the solubilizate in the solvent.

In non-chemical literature and in everyday language, the term "solubilization" is sometimes used^{[citation needed]} in a broader meaning as "to bring to a solution or (non-sedimenting) suspension" by any means, e.g., leaching by a reaction with an acid.

Micellar solubilization is widely utilized, e.g. in laundry washing using detergents, in the pharmaceutical industry, for formulations of poorly soluble drugs in solution form,^[2] and in cleanup of oil spills using dispersants.

Literature distinguishes two major mechanisms of solubilization process of oil by surfactant micelles, affecting the kinetics of solubilization:^[3] surface reaction, i.e., by transient adsorption of micelles at the water-oil interface, and bulk reaction, whereby the surfactant micelles capture dissolved oil molecules.

• Hydrotrope

Solubilization of Homopolymers by Block Copolymer Micelles in Dilute Solutions, J. Phys. Chem., 1995, 99 (11), pp 3723–3731, Jose R. Quintana, Ramiro A. Salazar, Issa Katime