Mechanism of gelation in the hydrogenated soybean lecithin (PC70)/hexadecanol/water system

► The crude lecithin/hexadecanol bilayers formed a gel owing to low levels of impurities. ► A morphological change from vesicles to bilayer sheets causes the gelation. ► The hexadecanol molecules are intercalated between phospholipids to reduce the chain tilt. ► We propose the continuous water layers between bilayer sheets as a network in the gel. ► Trace acidic phospholipids in the lecithin may play a crucial role in the gel formation.